Yesterday was officially the first day of spring.  Instead of being heralded with the arrival of geese and a crocuses poking through the thawing snow, we patiently sat through another winter snow storm.

Having contracted an EXTREME case of cabin fever, I felt the only cure to my ailment was to lace up my winter boots, pull on all my layers and get outside.

Of course, I couldn’t deny the beauty of the winter storm.  Everything was quiet and peaceful. The cows, with their shaggy winter coats, were blissfully unaware of the cold, content to munch away on the hay in the round bale feeder.

They greeted me with excitement, when I walked behind the barn….

Although it really wasn’t me that they were happy to see, but rather the pail full of cracked corn that I was carrying.

Some of the calves get pushed to the back by the older ones, kept away from the corn by a wall of cow rumps.  Of course, I always sneak another little pile of corn for them while the big ones are distracted.

With this year’s exceptionally low temperatures, hay has been at a premium.  Luckily, last summer produced a tremendous amount of hay and we’ve been able to keep the girls satisfied all winter. Unfortunately, many other farmers around here have already run out of hay and have had the unenviable task of having to buy it – an added expense no small farmer ever wants.

So we keep our fingers crossed, once again, hoping that spring is just around the NEXT corner. Until then, we’ll dig and plow our way out of the spring snow.