A SNOW DAY!!!

The perfect snow arrived Sunday - 8 full inches of good, wet, perfect snowball, sledding, snowman building snow!!  While Sunday was a white-out, and we were soaked from such heavy snow falling, Monday was GORGEOUS!!  The sky was blue, the snow lasted through most of the day, and the temperature was on the warmish side.  The kids absolutely loved their day off, and the timing was great.  It's melting quickly, which is also nice for us since we have calves due any minute!  A little more mud to contend with, but it was completely worth it . . .

Tubing in Sunday's white-out



Wondering if Bruce sees the snowball in Rowdy's hand as he rolls down his window

Ready, aim, . . .

The boys beginning their snow fort

Syd joins the process

This is my kind of week -

This has been a crazy good week at Sally Run - the timbers rolled in early Monday morning, were sorted by late afternoon, and the first couple of trusses were set by dark.  By Wednesday afternoon all of the timbers in the main part of the barn were in place, and the crane rolled on out, which was perfect since the rain came that night and didn't stop for the next 18 hours.  The T&G for the walls and ceiling has now arrived, so framing should start anytime. 

To add to the chaos, the horses got the works this week as well - spring shots, new coggins, teeth floated, and feet trimmed.  They are now enjoying a beautiful, quiet Friday afternoon in the sunshine with no loud machinery swinging timbers in the air. Of course they are covered in mud - I guess they thought they needed a little spa treatment after their busy week! 

We are probably just 7 - 10 days away from the start of calving season, so things will get a little more crazy for the next month, but hopefully the great weather will stick around!!!  I'll post pictures of those new babies when they start to arrive!

Here are a few photos of the new barn - amazing how much can happen in 3 days! 

Timbers rolling in bright and early on Monday

Huge crane setting the first set on Monday evening

By Wednesday afternoon, all main timbers were up

The view of the back of the barn

I love the super tall center aisle - great design for hot summer weather, and the roof pitch matches the arena.

2012 Clinic Dates Announced

The dates for the 2012 Dressage Clinic Series with Lauren Sprieser at Sally Run have been added under the Dressage Clinics tab of this site.  An April date will likely be added soon, and if everything stays on schedule, the new guest barn will be open just in time for the start of the series.  So, we should have plenty of stabling this year, and we won't be playing musical ponies in the barn.  Questions/Reservations can be emailed to caroline@sallyrun.com.  We will need new coggins and signed clinic participation agreements for 2012, which I will email to you when you reserve a spot.  Also, if you are planning to ride in multiple clinics, please list all dates on one copy of the agreement - then you will be good to go for the entire series.

So far, so good

This has been the most mild winter I can remember in Wytheville, and except for the mud, I cannot complain.  I may have to get one of those Farmer's Almanacs after all, as it's prediction for our area was "very mild, very wet, above normal temps, and stormy," - all of which has been experienced thus far.  The timing of this mildness has been perfect since there is nothing more frustrating than starting a construction project in sub-arctic temps with snow on the ground.  If I were a contractor, I think I would keep a copy of that almanac handy. 

Gorgeous double rainbow this morning!

So, the concrete is poured for the new Pony B&B, timbers are cut and being stained, and the warm weather has kept everyone in good spirits.  Here are a few pics of what's been happening . . .

Syd sporting her first pair of full seat breeches, and Glory in her new blingy browband!

Footers, Concrete, Water ready for the timbers to go up!