It's Been A Tough Spring

Wintertime weather refused to go away this year and it was really tough to be optimistic when we had freezing temperatures right up until May 1st.  Everyone's topic of conversation began and ended with the terrible weather.  Now, finally, the weather has changed to decent springtime temperatures and things are starting turn green.

But also on the farm, we had some other failures.  The maple season was not good for us.  We didn't get near the amount of sap we had hoped to get and so our maple syrup levels are low.  Fortunately, we have a barrel left over from last year that we can bottle.  It was frustrating to put in so much work and just not get the return.

Our pig, Marmalade, from whom we anticipated a nice litter of piglets, never "took."  We never got a litter of piglets from her.  After a while, we gave up from having her in the barn and now she is back out on the pasture.  She's fortunate that we have a freezer full of pork.  She would have been made into bacon.  She's going to get one more chance to produce next year.  If she doesn't produce next year then she goes to freezer camp. 

And lastly, and most sadly, my horse, Lady Bella Mellini, died.  

She was lying down a lot and seemed off her feed and not pooping regularly, so I called the veterinarian and we gave her medication and treated her for colic.  She rallied and then went back to not being "right".  So Fitz gave her more medication and a really nice dose of mineral oil.  She acted much, much better - her normal self - and we put her out in the pasture with the other horses on Tuesday.  She happily grazed and walked around the pasture.  Wednesday morning I checked on her and I saw her walking around with her head down and far out in the pasture I saw her lie down again.  I thought, "I'm going to go get her and bring her to the barn where she'll be more comfortable".  As I walked out to her I saw her start pawing and when I got to her I could tell she was in the last stages of her life.  The veterinarian said that we didn't know her history and really were guessing at her age and there may have been some kind of internal growth or another type of failure that the medication and walking alleviated temporarily.  But, there may not have been any way of saving her.   

Lady was my first horse and even after being affected with an atrophied shoulder (and being unrideable) by lightning that killed another horse in the pasture, I was happy to have her as a pasture pet and let her live out her days in comfort and peace.  She'll really be missed.   

So it's been a really tough spring.