End of February

At last, February departs. At least it is the shortest month, because it has certainly, this year, been the most miserable. I implore Fate, or Destiny, or whatever, to give the Ukrainians good fortune in March. Evil and corruption have been ascendant. It is time for the tables to turn.

Meanwhile, here in Missouri, where ignorance is rampant, but many people are basically good, the weather turned warm in earnest. I was perhaps too optimistic yesterday, leaving the hose out because I knew the forecast was warming.

Cedar was delighted with the sunshine. In this weather, she prefers to lie on the concrete outside in the sun, where she can watch for varmints, rather than the comfortable bed inside the house. She is our protector. There is a poem of which I only remember a fragment – “A Dog’s Prayer – I keep watch. If I am not there, who will guard their house, watch their sheep, be faithful?”

Harry had to go to St. Louis county for a variety of errands. I did barn work, then made a run to town for some more bedding. The truck was happy to get out of the shed.

The horses were not happy that they are locked up until the grass takes hold, which will be several weeks. But the sunshine today helped.

With Harry gone, Mistletoe insisted on waiting on the porch, watching for his return. Harry is her favorite, as she reminds me daily. It’s OK – he’s my favorite, too.

Jane returned from her Monday volunteer work at TH, and we rode. Harry had just arrived home, and took a picture of us, then I got one of him with Jane and Derry. Unfortunately, the ring was still very wet, so we didn’t do as much as we would have liked. It was good to be on the horses, and they were not as wild as last week. They feel like they are back to work, even if it wasn’t serious work today. With temperatures staying above freezing tonight, we are hopeful that tomorrow afternoon will be better, as we are now committed to showing later this month.

After riding, it was so warm that I decided it was time to clean sheaths, a most unpleasant, but necessary, task. All three horses were well behaved and grateful (ha!). Stone is shedding like crazy, but the Pearl Brothers are waiting to be sure Spring is here. Bart got his first real bath of 2022, and rolled as soon as I released him, before tucking into his dinner.

After her dinner, Licorice was spotted out and about. Most of the winter, she has spent cuddled in her bed in the shed. It was nice to see her outside. She is, to paraphrase the Lone Dog poem – “a lean cat, a mean cat, a wild cat, and lone”. Except she is not at all mean. Licorice has been lean always, for 13 years here. While her siblings, and her fellow shed cat, Marmalade, are well padded, she has maintained fighting weight. Her coat is the most glossy of all the cats. She lives the life she has chosen, almost wild.

And, finally, as I finished in the barn and returned to the house, a spectacular sunset graced the sky.

At night check, the stars were glorious, the same stars that hang above Ukraine at night. Stay safe, stay strong. Be well. Peace.