Spring Storms

On Sunday, our Brown Eyed Girl and I were out enjoying the warm weather. She spotted the first signs of spring.

My Vinca Minor plant was starting to wake from being dormant all winter. I absolutely love this ground cover. 

 

Year round, its leaves remain a deep forest green color. Throughout the spring and summer this hearty little plant produces these vibrant little purple flowers. It does well in very cold temperatures and still produces flowers even in drought conditions. It is thick and luscious but doesn't overgrow an area too rapidly. 

My Brown Eyed Girl was thrilled to see the first flowers of the year. I am pretty luck I was able to get these photos because as soon as I turned my back I think she picked every last one. 

We went off to explore our other flower beds. 

I pointed out our little Daffodils trying to push up out of the ground. 

The Lilac bushes are beginning to bud.

We also noticed that my Irises were greening up and thinking about making an appearance. Although, I know they tease you a little and it will still be a couple months before they bloom. 

Boy we need some moisture and then we will be swimming in flowers.

I am pretty sure we didn't receive a drop of moisture in the entire month of March. The high winds ripping over the plains, were beginning to turn my pastures into a dust bowl. My little house on the prairie has been praying for something wet to fall for weeks.

Ask and you shall receive. 

Monday night the weather forecast was calling for rain and snow. A lot of snow. The weather anchor was calling for 5-9 inches by Tuesday morning with an additional 10-20 throughout the day Tuesday. Holy Hannah! I brought in the horses, buttoned down the hatches and prepared for a good old fashion spring storm out on the prairie. 

I went to bed dreaming about a snow day.

Tuesday morning, I let Boji outside and and I was completely let down. We did get some snow, but only about an inch or so. We actually received more ice than anything. I had to chip about a quarter inch of ice of my windows so I could drive. 

A few snow flakes fell though out the day. The ground was too warm so it wasn't leaving any significant impact to the roads. But moisture is moisture, and we need it. Darn I wanted that snow day!

A little different picture from two days before.

Drink up little Irises. 

The ice lasted throughout the day. The trees were weighted down heavily.

The ice made the pine trees look like frozen peas.

Ice is magical!

I almost put the horses out on pasture for the night. It was still pretty nippy out so I decided to let them all stay in the barn one more night so they could be snug as a bug in a rug. 

About midnight I woke to the sound of rain. I was glad I had left the horses inside. They would be freezing and wet in the morning. Their coats had started to shed out and they would no doubt be chilled to the bone. I would have felt sorry for them and would have ended up bringing them back into the barn to warm up. 

I started dreading the drive to work in the morning. I would have to take the long, paved way into town. Surely the dirt roads would be a sloppy mess. 

I drifted back to sleep. 

This morning after I had showered, I went to let Boji outside. 

HOLY COW!! We got dumped on. A good 5-6 inches of wet, heavy snow!

Because the snow was so wet and heavy we didn't get those really big drifts.

Yikes! Maybe we got more snow than I thought we got. I bet half of it melted throughout the night on the warm ground. That pile on the chicken coup is at least 18 inches!

More glorious snow!

I did a little dance this morning.

This is exactly what my pastures needed! I am daydreaming of lush green grass and cheaper hay prices this fall. 

We piled into the car and headed out for the dirt roads. With all this snow, surely they would be snow packed.

What a mess!

The warm ground, rain and snow over the last couple day had made the roads a muddy mess. Once I pointed my car down the county road I was unfortunately committed. Darn those snow plows! The dirt roads were still un-plowed this morning. Slow and steady, 4-wheel drive on, I made my way into town. 

I am going to have to take the long, paved way home. The clay in the soil out were I live makes the dirt road an almost impassible when they are a muddy mess. (I have no intention of going in the ditch tonight and chev-ro-legging it with two little kids.)

We finally made it to paved roads.

Well lookie here.

Excuse me Mr. You are going the wrong way! That there road I JUST came down needs some serious attention.