August Rains

We don't ever get straight down rains in August. I honestly can't remember the last time it rained in August and never a straight down rain. We are to have more rain the rest of this week and I'll take it. We've missed out on the rains over the last month so I'm excited to see the rains. Hopefully it'll help with the pastures.

But with all the rain we've gotten, everything is a muddy mess. Trying to walk through the drylot to open the gate is difficult at best. Everyone is getting crabby over the rain. Tonight they are saying even more rain (I think we've had over two inches of rain in the past three days). I have been leaving Junior in at night, which helps cut down on my stress level. But the weatherman is now talking that we are going to get more rain overnight along with winds and that's going to make for some very cold and wet horses.

It is NOT the time to be stalling horses just yet. I am so NOT ready for stalling horses every night (although I have a feeling this winter we will be seeing a lot of stall time). But there's just enough hard keepers and delicate flowers, that I may be putting some horses into stalls overnight to keep them dry and to protect them from the winds. It's a north wind, which means it'll be cold (even in August), but we are fairly protected from north winds. I guess we'll just see how evening chores play out.

As mom pointed out, we might be having some hot weather (we were talking last week when it was in the 90s), but there's a crispness in the air. The wind that does blow through on those hot days has a bit of a nip, just a small reminder that winter is just around the corner. I know we are at the tail end of summer, but my mind is already on winter (it's bypassed fall already).

I am worried that I'm not prepared for winter. I don't have any blankets washed, repaired, or waterproofed and at this point with only about 2.5 weeks left before baby comes, I don't forsee myself washing, repairing, or waterproofing any blankets. Hopefully I can get some of it done afterwards but we'll see.

The Farmer's Almanac is calling for colder winter with more snow. Hopefully it'll be a typical winter but I have a feeling that, with the talk of El Nino, that we are going to be due for a bad winter some time soon. Of course, wouldn't you know, it'll be the winter that I have an infant in the house that we'll have a long, cold, snowy winter. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that we don't, but start preparing (well, after the baby comes).