Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Oooh baby, it's COLD outside!!!  And I'm loving it.  Yes, I love cold, dry weather with beautiful blue skies and sunshine.  Can I just say that this is one of the best weather years we've had in many, many that I can recall.  We had an amazing spring, it was warmer and drier than usual and that led into a fantastic and long summer...not too hot, just about right.  Then for whatever reason, we had rain pretty much the entire month of September.  Yes, it's still summer time, so it was a warm rain, but wet is wet.  Then October was pretty much perfection and November!  Normally our Novembers are wet and cold, lots and lots of rain.  Not this year, we've had primarily dry and sunshine.  And now it's cold.  Of course people are grumbling, but it seems that folks will grumble if you hung 'em with a new rope.  Just sayin...

Last night at our house it was 18 F.  That's really cold for us here in the temperate Willamette Valley.  But, I'm dancin' - yep, got my party shoes on and I'm tickled pink!  The mud is frozen.  I'm wearing my new winter boots so my tootsies are cozy and warm.  Annie, Ruby and I are enjoying walks in the park - still.  Yesterday in the forest park, we had the park to ourselves, we crunched on frozen ground and leaves gathering evergreens, pine cones and moss for our Merry Christmas wreath.  Today, we got more cones and some holly with bright, red berries and some winter berry, just because it was there.  So cool.  I had my camera, but with my arms loaded down with evergreen branches; well, it was more than I could manage, so the camera remained in my pocket.

We finally broke down and put the blankets on the horses last night.  They are all fat and wooly, and would probably have been fine, but whatever.  We have blankets, so we're using them.  All except for Eagle...he gives the blankets the old hairy eyeball, and I'm a little concerned that if the blanket were to slip a wee bit, or heaven forbid - whip in the wind - well, let's just say that an unexpected hike through the fields might be called for.  Nope, for now, I'm thinking Mr. Eagle will manage just fine on his own.  :)  Big, brave Mustang...

So, all of you horse people are probably well aware of just how indebted throughout our history, that we are to the noble horse.  Right?  There are countless stories and bits of history that informs us of how much we owe them for their service in our society.  Countless different services.  Today, my hubby informed me of one more that I was unaware of, so I thought I would share.

What role in history does the horse have in a foundry?  Think hard my friends, this one surprised me.

Got your answer?  Well, for a change, it does not involve the horse laboring on our behalf.  Nope.  The answer is, in fact, his/her manure.  You see, apparently before the invention of binders used in the metals making business, good old horse poop was used to bind the metals together.  Similar to the way mortar or bricks were made with straw, the horse poo was the binder that held the molten metals together ensuring the hardened, finished product.  I wonder what they paid those valued employees who pooped for a living? Truth be told, we learn something every day.

My friend Claudia gave me an amaryllis bulb a few weeks back.  I've never had one.  I planted it as instructed and waited and watched.  It started to grow...the crazy thing is now 24" tall.  Sometimes I go to bed and when I wake up, it's grown 2"!  I thought it was some freak of nature bulb or something, but she assures me that is the way they roll, or grow.  :)  Kind of fun.  I'm most anxious to see what the flower is going to look like.

Stay warm and cozy everyone,
Lorie @ Cingspots