A Few Hours of Sunshine

Yesterday's storm moved out overnight and today we have sunshine.  The next storm front moves in this evening.  It was cold this morning when I went down to feed.  These storms are cold ones, so we are back in the 30s at night with daytime highs in the low 40s.  There were just a few clouds lingering out to east, remnants of the last rainclouds.  No clouds yet in the west.

The gardens are very happy with the rain.  My Dutch iris are starting to bloom and there are still some daffodils going strong.  My poppies aren't sure whether they should open up today or not. 

Our farrier was up yesterday for regular trimming and shoeing.  He put shoes on Flash's hind (he's been barefoot in the back forever).  We are going to see if that helps his hocks.  He said Winston's feet looked amazing and required just the smallest amount of shaping.  Even Jackson got a report of "better than last time I was up" -- although still not healthy, of course.  I am hoping that he will will be relatively sound and comfortable through the summer when the the ground is dry and his hooves are hard.  This morning I let him out for breakfast with the herd.  I went back down to check on him a couple hours later before heading into the office and he wasn't doing so hot.  You can see in the photo below that his right front is stretched out in front of him.  That translates to "ouch."  He was happy to go back in his stall where he can eat without moving around on those sore feet.  This next storm isn't going to help matters but we have sunshine forecast for the next week so that should harden up the ground and his feet.

We've been working our way through the Easter feast leftovers.  Last night I made a salad with ham, berries, beets, goat cheese, apples and an orange juice vinaigrette.  Yum.