As I said at the beginning of the month, March came in like a lion. I then speculated as to whether or not it would go out like a lamb. We are coming down to the wire, and it appears right now as though it is also going out like a lion. For entertainment today, I sat on the kitchen steps and watched the snow continue to fall. Sometimes, big fat flakes fell. And at other times, Styrofoam bitties fell.

I decided this morning to work inside and wait and see if the weather became more conducive to being outside. I made Bright Lights Book Project calls, lots of them. I didn’t have much luck locally perhaps

Shadow on the phone chair

because it’s Seward Day, and being a holiday, those who I attempted to contact took the day off. Stranger things have happened.

Finally, at 1:00 p.m., I went outside and took Tinni and Shadow for a walk around the hood. The footing on the road was quite good – the car tires had packed down the recently fallen snow, making for easy walking. I had Shadow walk in one rut and Tinni and I walked in the other. Always, before, during, and after snowfalls, I grow increasingly more concerned about whether or not the plow truck will appear when I am out with the animals. The last few times it’s come by, I’ve gotten lucky and made it back to our property before it came barreling through.

And, again, today I got lucky. I’d just gotten back in the house when the plow made its first pass. The questions are always, is it going to make one or three more passes? And are a grader and sander to follow? It went by a second time in fairly short order. I waited another hour; then, and only then, was I convinced that I could get out and safely ride the other three horses. It was by then 3:00 p.m.

I rode all three horses, and in particular, Raudi and Hrimmi seemed a bit on edge. It was overcast, so the light was flat – all around them it was white, with the exception of the new sand patches. Add to this that horses have limited depth perception, which makes them more uneasy when ridden in such conditions.

The very loud snowmobiler activity didn’t help matters either. However, they were successful outings on all fronts. I rode the horses around the loop and down to the corner and then asked them to trot on the return trip home. All obliged. I also rode them past our place on the return trip – Hrimmi and Tyra trotted and Raudi did her rocking horse canter.

I felt quite a sense of accomplishment when I was done exercising the horses because all I wanted to do beforehand was to take a nap. That I fought the desire to crawl back into bed is particularly noteworthy. People, I think, should get medals for such things. Alas, the accomplishment is supposedly its own reward.

Next: 89. 3/30/21: The Inner Sanctum of the Inner Circle