In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

Isn't that how March is supposed to be?  The weather here has been gorgeous for two weeks now.  We've had lots of sunshine and daytime temperatures in the mid-sixties to low seventies, nights in the mid-fifties.  We've had rain too, every four or five days, but always a soft, gentle rain.  The vegetable seeds we planted in the garden a week ago poked their little heads through the soil just yesterday.  We are anticipating a good harvest this year.

This morning,we woke up to the sound of heavy winds and pelting rain.  Temperatures were in the low forties with windchill making it feel much colder.  So I borrowed Furt's big slicker and his hat to go down let the horses out.  The horses were having none of it though ...they were all adamantly opposed to leaving the shed.  A slow-paced but serious game of keep away ensued.  I was feeling the chill and I had only been out there a few minutes, so I decided to let them have their way.  Normally, these guys don't mind a little rain, especially if it means they get turned out on the big pasture.  But not today, so I left the pasture gate open for them and went back in the house.  I happened to look out the window about noon and noticed that the rain had let up and the wind had died down.  It was still chilly but the horses had finally wandered out and were munching the spring grass.

I went down to shut the gate, then stopped by the chicken coop on my way back to let the hens out.  Only two eggs today, one of the hens must be slacking.  They were eager to be let out though.  They were the picture of 'happy' ... three fluffy feathery butts charging up the hill, their wings half extended and flapping, as if to boost their acceleration. 

I checked the garden on the way back up the hill myself.  All appears to be well.  The new little seedlings did not appear to be battered or displaced by the hard rain and I'm sure I counted even more little sprouts than yesterday.  It's going to be a good year for the garden.

The temperatures will drop down to thirty-six tonight, but with windchill, it will feel like twenty-seven.  More of the same tomorrow but without the rain.  Then it's back to glorious spring weather by Monday.  This is typical March weather for this part of Texas. 

The rest of the day was spent chipping away at the mess I call my office.  Paperwork, dreaded paperwork.  I need a new filing system ...one that requires, well ...less filing.  After the taxes every year, I have been in the habit of putting all the year's receipts in one of the expandable envelope type pendaflexes, labeling it as to the year and then storing it away.  But do I really need to keep all those receipts?  Receipts for things I've deducted off my taxes, yes ...I'll keep those.  But why would I need to keep utility bills, phone bills, water bills?  I use Quicken on my computer so if I need to know what I spent in the past on any particular area, I can look it up on Quicken or just call the company, right?  Yup, changes are definitely afoot for my filing system.  It's going to be a good year for my office too.