Spring on the farm

Spring came early to the Auld Macdonald Farm. We enjoyed 70s at the end of March, which is just unheard of in these parts—trees began to leaf, grass greened and migrating birds returned weeks early, it has been quite pleasant. As I noted in my late December posting, the 2011/2012 winter was very brown. 

I had planned to take up cross-country skiing, but there was never enough snow! Whatever did fall melted within days, which negatively affected businesses that rely on outdoor winter activity income yet saved city, county and state coffers in snowplowing and road salt costs. Now the spring rains are here and soon our fruit trees will be in full bloom and I’ll be mowing the lawn soon enough.

I love this time of year. We don’t have any foals coming this year, but we will be breeding mares to Renoir, Goldmount Royal Design and two outside Arabian stallions, for babies next spring. We do have four fuzzy recently hatched Muscovy ducklings.

Our Muscovy hen with 4 ducklings

Earlier this year, Ian began a new job as a business analyst for a Minneapolis-based software developer. He really likes his colleagues, its many client companies, and the work. For the moment, he’s being kept busy in the Twin Cities area, but could be assigned to travel to client locations anywhere in North America. Exciting!

I will be doing my own traveling this summer consulting with Rudy Maxa’s World when its television production team goes to Paris! I don’t know dates or many details yet, but I’ll keep you in the loop. I am also doing more paid writing and should have print stories with my byline to share soon.

Ian and I will be returning to the show ring this year too. Ian will show the two yearlings, Junior and Windy, our 17-year-old purebred Arabian mare Taza and six-year-old Half Arabian Kiss in halter. I have lost 85 pounds since last May, am exercising regularly, eating well, and taking riding lessons twice a week with an eye to show Legacys Renoir+ under saddle at a show this fall and do a full campaign in 2013. Kiss and three-year-old Half Arabian mare Tango will be ridden in performance classes by their trainer Angela. She is also working with Renoir, keeping him supple, fit and going forward. I got to ride Renoir for the first time last Saturday. What a dreamboat. 

Riding Legacys Renoir+

Enjoying a ride on AMF Xtreme Kiss

Yearling purebred colt sired by Renoir, AMF Renoirs Legacy (Junior)

Yearling HA filly sired by Roy, AMF Royal Windsor (Windy)

Tango ridden by Angela

The lovely AMF Royals Gold Tango

I’m working at rebuilding my email contact list and transferring you to one of my two new email accounts. My yahoo account was hacked on March 9, and I was never able to recover ANY of my hundreds of contacts or thousands of emails. Seriously, what a pain! First time hacked and, poof, everything gone, for good. I had that account since the 1980s and was very attached to it.

But, that slight bump in the road aside, all is well.

E-I-E-I-O