Just jabbering

We had hoar frost the last two mornings or ice fog. It’s when there is moisture in the air that condenses on all the trees and other surfaces and then freezes, like frozen dew. It’s so beautiful, although it can make the roads a little slick. I don’t mind this kind of winter weather too much, although it’s been a bit gloomy. Our temps have been in the low 30’s daytime and 20’s at night. Enough to keep the plants dormant but not too cold and we haven’t had any big snow or ice storms.

I had to take Charlie, the little stud colts halter off because it was getting too tight for him. He reminds me of someone who isn’t wearing their glasses when you are used to seeing them with glasses on. He keeps hiding the water bucket and feed dishes on me. It’s amazing how well he can do that when they are now locked in the small paddock and it’s covered with snow. He put the water bucket inside an old shelter we had for the ducks. He dropped one of the big rubber feed dishes inside an old burn barrel, which is empty and just sitting there and the other was hidden beneath the bottom of a tarp we have stretched in back of their stall door to block the wind. These are not areas where you would just expect him to drop things when he was done playing, it’s like he does it on purpose. And that means he must use some kind of reasoning when doing it. I think we underestimate the power of animal minds.

I have started teaching the Master Gardener program again. A new class of people eager to learn more about gardening. It always amazes me the range of ages and range of professional occupations that take the class. All these wonderful skills that they have outside of gardening. And you can almost predict that there will be the joker, the frowner, the overly anxious and the know it all in each class. I do think that most people enjoy our Master Gardener class and do learn a lot.

I know that for the most part, I enjoy teaching it. I wish we had the funds to offer it for free, and I want to make sure that the class thinks it got its money’s worth because it is expensive for them to take. I do get tired standing and talking for 4 hours - it’s amazing how that wears you out. And then of course you get to talk before and after class to all the students who need your personal touch. It’s a good thing I like talking!