Happy Dogs In Fort Jackson State Forest - Part 1

Our return to winter weather had been hard to take, so when we finally had a sunny afternoon with temperatures in the 30s (F), I took the dogs out for a romp in the Fort Jackson State Forest. The road was only plowed a short distance, so I parked, let the dogs out and started walking:

Technically, we weren't yet in the State Forest. To our right was private land, and to our left was County Reforestation land. Nonetheless, it was wild and wonderful:

I didn't want to yell at the dogs, so I let them run ahead. I figured that they wouldn't leave the snowmobile-packed snow in the road and it was straight enough for me to keep an eye on them:

The woodlands were beautiful and the dogs were happy. I was snapping pictures like crazy:

When the dogs got too far ahead, I'd blow the silent whistle and they'd come running back (usually):

They found something fascinating just off the road but I didn't investigate. I kept walking, and soon they ran to catch up to me:

We had a lovely day, and the Beech trees added a bit of color to the woods:

The dogs ran and played. That's Seamus, way up ahead. The vet said that Seamus' heart was beginning to falter, so I didn't insist he come running back with the other dogs:

We were a happy crew:

They were all too far ahead again, so I blew the whistle and Jack came racing back to me:

Fergus was right behind him, followed by Daphne. Clover and Seamus stayed where they were:

This state forest is a gem and seldom used by local folks. We nearly always have it all to ourselves:

This was to be only a brief outing, but we were enjoying it so much that I just kept going. I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

More Snow In March

Just when it looked like we were going to get an early spring, three nor'easters in a row hit us. The third was the worst, dropping two feet of heavy, wet snow which quickly froze into two feet of hard, crusty snow:

 The cattle and horses continued to thrive in it  although they didn't much want to walk anywhere. I finally used the tractor bucket to clear paths for them to make walking easier:

 The bird feeders became more popular when all the natural food was covered with snow and ice. The suet feeder regularly draws large Hairy Woodpeckers with their long bills:

 And the smaller, sparrow-sized Downy Woodpeckers with their short bills. The big Hairy Woodpeckers are the bosses, but the Downy Woodpeckers know how to dart in for a meal when the bigger bullies fly away:

 The cattle and horses are visible to passersby on the gravel road, just past the cattails and electric fence:

 I grew weary (and crabby) with the snow, but I had to admit that it was pretty:

 There were 40 hay bales left to last the winter. Last year at the same time there were only 20, so I'm hoping to have extra. Actually, I'd rather have none left, but I wouldn't want to run short:

 The addition on the house developed an ice jam again which looked dangerous:

 Not only did it look heavy and lethal if it slid off onto a person or dog, but the icicles were reaching back to touch the windows. I began to worry that the icy mass would break windows when it slid off. There was such deep snow beneath it that I felt sure the dogs would not/could not go there. That was one good thing about the situation:

 Each morning, no matter how cold and snowy it was, I'd call the cattle and horses in for a bit of grain. But I carried some out for those who didn't come in. I wanted to make sure that they all got their minerals and nutrition:

 Red Polls are a hardy, docile breed and mine spent their days eating, then lying down to digest their hay:

 The horses played in the snow and stuck their noses into it, looking for some grass to eat. I sure want spring to get here soon!

Red Polls In The Snow

It ain't easy being a bovine in the north country, but these hardy gals (and one boy) seem to handle it without much problem:

 Their hay consumption went from a bale every three days to a bale every two days. When our third nor'easter hit, they consumed an entire bale in one day:

 After I moved the bale feeder away from the barn and out into the bigger field, they had no protection from cold, west winds - but so far the winds have been mild. I wish I could say the same about the snowfall:

 But between snowstorms, we have had some lovely weather:

 And a fat cow or two has been been known to find a comfy spot and sprawl out for a nap:

 March brought lots of snow, and this is a typical morning scene when I ring the bell to call them in for a bit of grain:

 Another nice day, with the cattle happy and comfortable between snow storms. The mud is another story altogether:

 Amy was smaller than the other cows when they arrived and kind of strangely shaped. She's grown into a very large cow and most of her odd conformation has disappeared. She was not fed well as a heifer and they all looked starved when I got them:

 Well, they sure don't look starved now. In fact, I have the opposite problem with most of them obese:

 Little Rocket has decided he likes grain but it is difficult to get a bowl to him without one of the big animals stealing it:

 I used to drop the hay bale into the feeder and then try to split off the frozen and/or water logged exterior layer. I'm now trying a new technique. I set the bale on the ground outside the feeder and then use the bale spear to split off the outer layer. It usually falls to the ground and opens up, exposing the fresher hay from the inside. The animals run right to it while I drop the main part of the bale into the feeder:

 And of course some of them also run right to the feeder to feast on the new bale:

Happy Pets At Home

Clover is used to snow, and this small amount barely registered with her. We've had three nor'easters in a row, with great accumulations. Plucky little Clover handled them all with great aplomb:

 But as always, the gathering place is the kitchen corner. This collection was Daphne, Clover, Fergus, Bugsy and Jack:

 Bramble loves to push the boot trays away from the wall, sloshing the water bowls. I have no idea why, but he loves to do it:

 Daphne knows how to handle a snowy yard also. It's no problem for her:

 And when I'm using the computer, this canine collection often can be found right behind me. Clover sure knows how to find a soft, warm bed:

 Daphne, Fergus and Jack had decided they'd been outdoors long enough and it was time for me to stop the foolishness and let them in:

 The Siamese Fighting Fish is healthy and apparently as happy as a Fighting Fish can be. I put a calendar page behind him before I took the picture and the colors turned him on, causing him to display nicely. He would fan out his fins like this if he saw another male to fight or a female to breed with:

 Nap time in the bedroom. Jack was under the bed and Clover was behind it on the floor pillows. You can just catch a glimpse of Meghan (the guinea pig) to the right:

 Daisy follows me almost anywhere I go. At any other time, she can be found at the top of the tallest cat tree upstairs:

 Another kitchen corner collection - Jack, Daphne, Fergus, Bugsy, Clover and Bramble:

 Little Jack, playing in the snow:

I love this photo because Seamus was playing like a giant puppy. The vet told me that his ten year old heart may be failing. He also told me to start increasing his dog food, that he'd lost all the weight he needed to. Seamus is one of the dogs who seems to have an outsized love for me. I've had a lot of dogs in my life, but a few have stood out as exceptional. I've noticed that some of the most loving have also had independent streaks:

The Beginning Hours Of A March Nor'easter

Another (our third in a row) nor'easter had just begun and it was frosting the woods and fields like white cotton candy. I'd recently taken the tractor driving tour around the north field but decided to hop into my car and start down the gravel road to again see what beauty the snow was creating. I began with this field, backed up by a brushy woodland:

A former gateway into a field which hasn't been used in many years:

A patch of Staghorn Sumac, the red clusters of berries seemingly covered with powdered sugar:

My neighbor's maple sap lines. It was certainly sugaring season, but I hadn't seen him out and about. I worried if something had happened to him:

But then I found him and his uncle stopped along the road, transferring the sap into a giant tank to be boiled down. They are friendly and some of my favorite people. I'm always glad to stop and chat:

I continued on my way and began looking for places where beech trees added a bit of color to what otherwise might make the photos look like they were in black and white:

A beech tree and pine tree among the aspens, with an old barbed wire fence paralleling the road:

An old stone wall where I once released a mouse I'd caught in a live trap:

The snow was sticky and causing an intricate, lacy beauty:

I'd been expecting the Red Pines to be exceptionally lovely, but they seemed to be holding less snow than the hardwood branches. They were still beautiful, though:

More piney woods:

Pines and beech. I stopped at my Amish neighbor's field where he appeared to be digging a well. I asked him if he'd come and trim my horses' feet on Saturday, which is the day he has assigned for such jobs. He said he'd be there in the morning. This was the end of my driving tour, so I headed home to get some work done: