Sunday – February 6

I have been weighed down by snow and sadness for the past three days. I sat down to blog last night, and fell sound asleep at my desk, with my chin resting on my hand, so when I came to, I gave up. And now, here, another sadness, not long after the anniversary of my brother Jamie’s death comes his birthday. Here is a picture of him from the prime of his life, about thirty years ago, and one from about 55 years ago.

I have some bird pictures, of course, but the most exciting ones were taken a couple of days before the snow. I was driving out, and saw a bald eagle on the neighbors’ pond ice. I had my camera with me, and when I started taking pictures, it turned out that there were two eagles! I was very lucky to see them, and they were still there when I returned from my errand, giving me another chance to take photographs.

Also, from a few days ago, before the snow, the horses were wild, particularly Oisin and Bart, the Pearl Brothers. I think they could feel the weather coming in. Again, I hadn’t been able to get the pictures up earlier.

Friday was exhausting, with much snow to clear after two days of blizzarding, the most snow we have had since we have lived here. In 2019, we had a lot of snow, too, leading to a stem cell treatment after damaging my elbow shoveling. As a result, I have a dread of shoveling, but there was nothing for it. It had to be done. And I also had to clear with the tractor and blade. On Friday afternoon, I gave the horses a bit of extra hay, before getting on the tractor and starting to clear driveways. Harry did give me some instruction, but I insisted that his recovery is the most important chore, and I would not let him shovel or drive the tractor.

I was at the end of the driveway, talking to Jane, when the neighbor told me that the road (Macs Cove, and Earl) had not been done very well. I agreed to make a trip out and back, blading. It was getting late, but the horses had been standing quietly in the very welcome sunshine.

I was on my way homeward, when Jane called to tell me our horses were at her house!!!! When I had given them hay, I failed to put the chain back in place, supplementing the latch. Yes, the same gate that Oisin burst through last month when I brought the horses to the barn in the wrong order. Horses are creatures of habit, and Oisin now knows he can bust through that latch, so I guess he decided it was dinnertime and he hit the gate hard enough to bust the latch, again.

Luckily, they were easy to catch, and Jane had them all locked up in her barn, then helped me bring them home. Those bad boys! We were very lucky indeed that they have the habit of going to Jane’s house, and not farther afield out to the highway. I will have to be more mindful of that piece of chain from now on. Neither Jane nor I could bust through that latch, no matter how hard we tried. The strength of horses (particularly Oisin) is still astonishing. And my stupidity is, too.

Well, apart from that bit of excitement, it has been a grueling three days of snow clearing. Marianne was able to return to help with barn work today, and I expected to have a day of rest, but, if anything, today was the hardest day of all! No complaints, though. Other places have horrifying ice, which is the worst possible weather phenomenon. The pictures I have seen make me feel very lucky indeed to be shoveling snow.

Be safe, be well. Peace.