Here in CA it just keeps on raining. I used to like rain… back before I owned horses who lived outside at a barn without an indoor. Now I dread the rain. Our barn owner closes the arena to preserve the footing so even if I wanted to ride in the endless rain, I can’t. I’ve done a few short trail rides, but the trails are inches deep in mud so we just walk. When I’m not riding, I’m busy dealing with my dumb-ass horses who think it’s better to stand out in the rain and get wet than under their shelter. Then I have to slog through the rain to chase Eugene down as – despite my my being the one to blanket and feed him nearly every day for 4 months now – I am still terrifying and might not be coming to blanket him, but rather to murder him.
Levi’s hooves have gotten all mushy from the constant wet.
I sent this picture to my farrier and expressed my concern about the squishy areas:
Well, I suppose I had that coming! I did spend some time cleaning and drying his hooves, washed and dried his bell boots, and sprayed durasole over everything. I also managed to miss spray some durasole and his back leg might be purple now, but whatever.
This is all to say I don’t really have any equestrian related to talk about right now. I was going to go to cattle sorting and it got cancelled because of the rain, I was going to trailer out with my barn friend for a ride, but we can’t get our trailers out at the moment. I did ride for about 30 minutes on Monday in between rain storms. We had to agree to re-drag the arena afterwards, but it was worth it.
How do I do feet?
Levi was fantastic. Apparently not being ridden makes him better. Honestly, on second thought, that makes sense.
With all my extra time, I have been doing some crafting. I finally finished Shasta’s ribbon display (I only started it like a year go so, you know, totally winning at completion rate).
Aside from that, most of my recent crafting hasn’t been very horsey. I’ve gotten really into doing paper pierced quilting. I made this otter pillow for a craft exchange that I’m in.
I know a lot of other people are socked in by endless snow storms. What are you doing to keep busy during this last blast of winter? Reading? Crafting? Binge watching Netflix? Whatever you’re up to, let me know. Especially if you’ve got a good book or show recommendation.
It will not stop raining here. The rain began the beginning of March and we go maybe a day or two of sun then bam more rain. Everything is soggy. I can’t mow. I can’t finish my arena renovation and since it is all torn up it keeps flooding. It sucks. But…that otter pillow is adorable!
Same here. It starts raining at the beginning of march and hasn’t stopped for more than 2 days since.
Ughhhh we’re floating away here too. It’s SO soggy 😭 I’ve been catching up on my DVR mostly. Nothing exciting though, not nearly as exciting as those cute pillows!
Floating away seems like an accurate assessment.
It’s been raining a lot here, too, and is currently snowing a bit! Since I don’t have my own horse at the moment, my riding is just dependent on whether my lesson is cancelled due to weather. They don’t cancel often, luckily.
Those pillows are stunning! You’re so talented!
When we lived in NJ and just rode at a lesson barn our lessons were very seldom cancelled. Hence I never really hated weather until we move here and I had to do so much outside.
That ribbon box for Shasta is super cute! We had been having very dry weather for a couple weeks but now it’s snowing again and icy too so…. Yea. It sucks. I’m over it. Hopefully everything dries up soon !
We had a few weeks of dry weather in February and I was excited to think winter might be over, but no… Soon though.
So KY got 5″ of surprise snow last night that started about 45 minutes before I could leave work… Not in the forecast at all. So instead of going to the barn last night, I spent some time lifting weights and exercising at home. It won’t help May get in shape… but at least one of us can still make some progress.
While I love crafting, I am not nearly as capable as you and everything usually ends up looking uncharmingly homemade. I love the pillows and the ribbon box.
Exercise should totally be on my to do list. That would be a great way to pass this time. But I’m lazy as hell and have no follow through.
Snow, rain, snow, rain, repeat – spring in the highlands of WV. Next week is a nice change to true spring weather though it looks like, so I’m biding my time until then. In the mean time, I have been exercising a lot more trying to officially get fit again after two lackadaisical years.
Yeah. I did think briefly that this would be a good opportunity to exercise. And then I pretended that thought never happened.
Uggg rain. We had 38″ of snow dumped on us within five days (one storm lasted 45 hours, so that was exciting). I mostly have been crabby about the weather, baking and eating comfort food, and online ordering things I don’t need, so I am no help! Hopefully it will be nicer weather for all of us soon!! Those pillows are so cute!!!
I have been mostly resisting the ordering of things online, although it’s hard. I did drive around to tack store this weekend to do some in person browsing.
We are getting rain/snow/sleet/wind. Not fun. I’ve been consoling myself with baking. Last weekend I tried making donuts for the first time ever. They turned out great. 🙂 But not sure that it’s a good long term plan…..
I know. I have definitely packed on some pounds between the lack of riding and the extra baking.
That otter pillow is SO CUTE OMG
Thanks. It came out better than I thought it would and I was like, maybe I’ll just keep this for myself instead?
Last year when it rained and rained and rained endlessly my in laws were like “holy shit, no wonder East Coasters craft!!” They couldn’t do anything around their ranchette except collect eggs, so they cleaned up the entire house, reorganized the office, and then were like “ummm what’s indoors that we can clean next?!!”
I actually cleaned up a bit too! I organized my riding clothes and my fabric and cleaned my bathroom. Crazy!
You quilt too?!? And read 100+ books a year? And do amazing things with your horses? Sensai, I am not worthy. We’re in mud city here too, but mostly it’s just cold so I don’t feel very motivated. I have been messing around with some clicker training with my mustang to pass the time, which he loves because food. Currently enjoying Future Home of the Living God by Louise Erdrich and streaming Bloodline (Netflix) and Catastrophe (Amazon).
I’m a jack of all trades and master of none. I do a lot of things because I’m not good at dedicated myself to actually get good at anything. But I like the variety.
The problem with snow, is that you constantly have to keep moving it out of the way. So you don’t even get to enjoy the forced free time (also, I just end up working from home, so not really much extra time anyway. Boo technology!). You just spend all that free time shoveling snow! And moving all the branches that keep falling off the trees… Sheesh.
I hope Levi’s feet dry up and are no worse for the wear. A little rain is fine. Constant rain? No better than all this snow!
That pillow is adorable!
I am not looking forward to snow management. I feel like it might interfere with my couch time.
We have a covered arena, but there are some days when the ~50 yards between the barn and arena seems insurmountable lol. I don’t think I’ve ever managed to apply durasole without getting some on my hands.
My farrier recommended Tomorrow (the cow stuff) for ouchy thrushy feet and it seemed to work well for Cupid. Speaking of cows, where can you do cow sorting?? I remember reading it on your blog and it looks super fun.
I think getting durasole on your hands is a requirement for applying it. There are some groups that put on practice sortings. We went to one last July and it was so fun. I have been stalking the internet to find another event to go to and I am really hoping to get to another one soon.
Love the otter pillow!
Thanks.