The weather has been so cold, and the footing so treacherously icy, that I haven’t been able to ride much. But, being in the saddle is only part of horse ownership. I’ve been using these winter days to do ground work with Tonka. I’ve taught him to come and stay, drop his head when I say down, and walk and trot politely next to me without a lead rope. This work not only keeps his mind engaged, but it also builds our relationship. Anyway, with the paddock deep with snow, I don’t want to have to trudge out there to catch him. It’s so much nicer to have him come to me!

Yesterday we had a brief respite from below freezing temperatures. Depending on where you walked, the ground was mucky, slushy, slick with ice, or covered with crusty snow, but there was also sunshine and temperatures in the 40s! I tacked Tonka up to remind him that despite all of the stays and comes that he really is a horse and not a dog. We splashed through icy water and walked around the muddy track, and even went back into the woods and broke trail, which was hard work for Tonka.  Then I joined other women out in the field. We simply stood there, our horses knee-deep in snow, all of us facing the warm sun. A horse or two dozed. We chatted. I’m eager to get to serious training in the riding ring, but, when a day like that comes along you have to embrace it, let go of goals, and just be.

I can’t start the day without  a real breakfast. If all I have is a donut picked up at a drive through, I’m edgy and hungry in an hour. I need the protein of my morning eggs, and along with that some carbs.  Although toast is good, I’m quite fond of muffins. However, most breakfast pastries are too sugary and too rich for me, so I’ve been perfecting a Not Too Sweet Breakfast Muffin. I’ve made them with whole wheat flour and nuts so that I’m satisfied all morning. I sweeten the muffins with honey for complexity of flavor. Honey is tricky to bake with – recipes burn easily and the crumb (a baker’s term for texture) is hard to get right. Also, pastries made with honey stale quickly, so any muffins not eaten on the first day should be frozen. (I store them in a zip bag, and remove one at a time, and warm up in the microwave.) But, I love the flavor that honey brings to these muffins. Just be sure to buy local honey. Supermarket brands often originate from China, are adulterated, and have high levels of pesticides. I’m fortunate that there are beekeepers right here in my town.

Not Too Sweet Breakfast Muffins

2 cups                whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons      baking soda
1/2 teaspoon    baking powder
1/2 teaspoon    cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon    kosher salt

1/2 cup (1 stick)              butter, softened to room temperature
1/2 cup               honey
1/4 cup               sugar
1 cup                  buttermilk
2                          eggs

1/2 cup               chopped nuts
1/2 cup               raisins or chopped dried fruit

1. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Coat a 12- cup muffin tin with nonstick spray.
2. Combine the dry ingredients and stir until all is thoroughly combined.
3. Beat the butter, honey and sugar until smooth. (If using a stand mixer, use the paddle.) Beat in the buttermilk and eggs.
4. Beat in the dry ingredients until just combined (over-beating will make the muffins tough.) Stir in the nuts and dried fruit.
5. Fill the muffin cups with the batter. (I use an ice cream scoop for this task.)
6. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the muffins spring back to the touch.

As expected, Scooter, who follows warmth the way a sunflower tracks the sun in the sky, found the perfect pool of light on Lily’s new bed.

Oh, Lily. What to do?

As always, Lily is a good dog.

Yesterday another seven inches of snow fell.

It might look like winter to us humans, but the birds know that springtime is coming. In the midst of the storm, a robin found the water bubbling out of the rock. The Beast might be slumbering in the pond below, but the robin, clued into to light and other things that we humans aren’t privy to, knows that the weather will turn soon.

My hens, too, have declared that they’ve seen the tail end of winter. While the wind was blowing and the white stuff was falling hard, the Gems laid six eggs, and the Ladies laid five.

This morning, the pond is little more than an undulation in the snow.

The path is narrow to the Little Barn, but I’m going to believe the birds. Spring is around the corner.

New Englanders like to talk about the weather, and we’ve had a lot to talk about this winter. Snowfall is above average and the cold temperatures are keeping it on the ground. For animals that hibernate, the blanket of snow is a good thing as it keeps their burrows cozy and inaccessible. Others, like deer, who have to move through it, can find the going difficult. Some little creatures live under the snow and timidly come out and about looking for bits to eat. You know that they’ve been here because they leave tracks. Adorable tracks.

This is the view from my bedroom window.

Take a closer look.

And closer.

I didn’t see the little twitchy whiskery nose poking out. But I can imagine it!

I’m not an experienced tracker, but a look at guide books tells me that these footprints belong to a white-footed mouse. I could be wrong. If you’re a knowledgeable tracker, please chime in!

The snow is falling again and by nightfall we’ll have another 6-inches or so. Tomorrow there will be a clean canvas.