Spring has sprung

It's a rare thing indeed when the first day of spring is warm, sunny, mild and pleasant. In this part of the country anyway.

No, here across the southwest Panhandle of Nebraska, the month of March is usually quite cool, quite windy, and rather unpleasant. The month almost always produces a few "teaser" days that are almost really nice and serve to get the springtime juices flowing, but on balance, March is usually winter's last stand.

Over the last five years March 20 has averaged a high of 40 and low of 27 with sleet, snow, or freezing rain on four of those five first days of spring. The exception was 2012, when the high on March 20 was 73 and the low 41. A bright sunny lively day. Just like yesterday, the first day of spring 2015.

Ruh-roh.

Well, yesterday was too nice to not enjoy. If we end up with a drought we end up with a drought. Here are a few video snippets from the ranch. Mostly boring stuff. Well, all boring stuff. This is what happens when you give an old guy a smart phone and access to yew-toob.

Nice day to stroll through the cows. They'll begin calving in about three weeks.


Always chores to be done. Nice weather makes them a pleasure. This windmill has a freeze-broken pipe. I'll patch it to get by until the next time the well service company pulls it to replace the leathers.




Fence crawler cow decided it was too nice not to visit the winter wheat field.




It was too nice to only work so I spent a bit of time and energy on a much needed hike.



A sit-down for afternoon tea with my coming-yearling calves.


And finally, Nona enjoying (?!?) her monthly peanut butter treat. That'll get me arrested.


Enjoy your spring!