Tag Archives: Winter

October 31, 2011 · 11:44 am

Frosty tumbleweeds in a Texas corral

Frost in Broke Tree Corral (October 29, 2011).

For the first time since last April, frost rests upon the Broke Tree Corral!  The temperature at the ranch house read 35 deg. F., but when I walked down to the corral, I saw frost.  Then I photographed frost on the horse apples and soil (I could have photographed frost on the trailer, but this was a neat pic with green tumbleweed).

This weather event is worthy of a separate post — should have made it on Saturday — because, well, it’s cold for a change, and we have been sweltering, perspiring, cussing, finding shade, digging caves and seeking the earth’s innards for cool places like Sonora Caverns or Carlsbad Caverns.  Many of us in the Southwest have even constructed wine cellars for cool comfort even though many Texas vaqueros  prefer Shiner or Casa Blanca beer and won’t use the cellars for anything but a cool getaway.  River bottoms at night also offer pleasant temperatures.  Bear Creek and Palo Pinto Creek near my ranchito are cool at night.

I like the tumbleweed and frost.  Yesterday I had to shred tumbleweeds in the Broke Tree because when they dry up the tumbleweeds will detach from the soil, roll around and scare the horses at night — yes, tumbling tumbleweeds.  I am not going to ever use tumbleweeds for Christmas trees.  Too fragile, smell funny.  The way this economy is going, however, I may cut the tumbleweeds and go to the Metroplex and purvey to florists!  I am getting a mite desperate.

Tumbleweed courtesy of TumbleweedsRus.com

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January 18, 2010 · 9:29 am

Greenery in a Texas Winter

Stable Greenery in a Texas Winter

Yesterday, January 17, 2010, the temperature was 70 degrees in central-west Texas.  A light breeze came from the south persisting into the early evening.  Down in the uncovered stables winter grass emerged about two inches high during the day.  Although winter wheat and rye give green to fields in a Texas winter, the winter grass in the stable seemed different, like a surprise gift from a friend.  Lilly the alpha mare saw the grass and grazed after eating her senior grain with supplements to ease her arthritis.  Forget April for the moment.  January is the cruelest month.

Old Lilly's Knees and Forearms Backside

This is the backside of Lilly’s knees and forearms and you can see her osteoarthritis.  She is twenty-five-years old.  Her date of birth is January 20, 1985.  Her full name is Ima Lil Moore and she is the companion and foal sitter to Shiney.  Despite her age, when it snows Lilly prances.

Shiney the Horse in Morning Sunshine

Shiney is a six-months-old colt.  He is a male, all-boy and quite different from a filly.  Lilly, his sitter and companion, will turn her backside to him and threaten a kick if he acts rambunctious towards her.  Oddly enough, pairing the oldest horse in the remuda with the youngest, Lilly and Shiney, has kept her young and made him old.

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