The lush green grass has turned to brown, but it still must taste pretty good. Hank leads his herd to the grazing spot of his choice, and another day passes that I don't have to feed them hay.
I've had to wear a jacket for morning chores this week, and our first hard freeze might happen tomorrow night. It won't be long before I have to fire up the woodstove every day. The winter rhythm of the ranch is so much different than the rest of the year. Barn activities actually become chores when you do them in freezing temperatures. My impromptu jaunts to be with the boys lose some of their appeal when I have to stop and put on a jacket and hat and gloves. And taking pictures with gloves on...well, I'm sure I'll find a way. Because as we all know, unless we blog about it, it didn't really happen.
Another neat picture .. is Hank always the leader?
ReplyDeleteI am amazed that you are getting that cold already, but I guess like most people I think of NM as always warm and sunny ... silly me, huh!?!?!
Here in the mountains of east TN the leaves are changing colors, although slowly, and our temperatures are quite mild, but all that can change in an instant.
We had our first frost last night. Oops...I forgot to get my hardy gardenias inside as well as get all the water hyacinth out of the pond...I didn't think it would get here THIS soon. I guess I might as well resign myself to the fact that winter is on it's way. sigh.
ReplyDeleteWhat an adorable picture. I agree... outdoor activities become more of a chore when you have to don all that winter clothing!
ReplyDeleteI guess we all think of N.M. as sunny and warm all the time. We're doing the cold at night, 60-70's during the day here. You never know though it could turn really cold overnight. I'm not looking forward to that just yet. That's a great picture of everyone heading out to graze. I'm sure you'll find a way to take pictures, have you ever seen the gloves with no fingers,or the mittens that the top folds back? you could use them for a quick snapshot. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteWHAT? No pictures in the winter? Ack! Mmm us here WI are really freezing and we need George & Alan pictues to get us though the harsh cold winter! sniff
ReplyDeleteWe had a ton of rain today (Saturday) and I imagine it will turn cooler after it all passes. I still love the Fall in New Mexico best of all.
ReplyDeleteAnd, you're right. The brown stuff tastes just as good to the horses.
Dan
Gorgeous shot of their beautiful behinds. Their tails look so silky and soft.
ReplyDeleteI too am dreading winter at the stable...add rain in with the cold and dark and you get the picture. Yech.
Ahh, now that's a nice peaceful picture... so pretty where you are....
ReplyDeleteOh lordy, I am SO with you. This morning, just to get out to feed the donks, I had to put on long underwear under my jeans, a thermal shirt, a sweatshirt, my barn coat, my hat, wool socks, and my knee-high boots...it took me 12 minutes just to be able to leave the house! Brrrrr...I am SUCH a weather weenie.
ReplyDeleteAnother great photo. But i still say that it's not fair that you have such colorful surroundings - the rest of us have to pick and choose our backgrounds.
ReplyDeleteLove that photo - off on a jaunt!
ReplyDeleteWe are having a warming trend this week and on Wed. should be up to mid-eighties for the day! Right now it's still low fifties at night, with a few forays down to the forties.
The horses' coats are getting so thick and soft. I love this season.
It was down to 33 degrees up in our local mountains last night. I had to wear a jacket ALL DAY!
ReplyDeleteI remember when that grass was bright green, not so long ago! I'm another one that has thought it just stays sunny and warm there all the time! Do you have really bad winters? Do you have a covered area to ride, or do you not ride much in the winter?
ReplyDeleteSo here's a little postscript about winter in this part of New Mexico:
ReplyDeleteThe elevation of the 7MSN is 6,567'. Like most regions in the high desert, the difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures can vary dramatically, often as much as 40 degrees in the winter. When I do morning chores, it might be 15 degrees and I'll be freezing my butt off, and by afternoon, it might be 55 and sunny and perfect for a ride. I actually get to ride more often in the winter than in the spring, when the constant wind makes it unbearable to even be outside at times.
No matter what the temperature, though, the sun is almost always shining. Rarely do we have an overcast day. I remember going to college in Rochester, New York, where the sun wouldn't appear for weeks on end, and when it did, I would cut class just to sit outside. I think that might explain my love for New Mexico.
It's funny that you mention "unless we blog about it, it didn't happen". How many of us have run back to the house in a crisis or maybe on our way to somewhere important to get a camera? :) I know you did with the rattlesnake.
ReplyDeleteI think I could stand the cold if I got the sun. That is what I miss in our winters here in Oregon. It is so gray most days in the winter. Of course not all parts of Oregon are like that. I grew up in Northeastern Oregon which got lots of snow and always had a blue sky with sun sparkling off of the snow.
ReplyDelete