Like it or not, winter is here...

...And I fall into the not liking it category. While I'm not a huge fan of the state of Indiana, one thing I did look forward to was a milder winter than what comes with the territory in Iowa. After the four blizzards of last winter and the mental and emotional tolls of a long winter combined with the loss of a beautiful filly, I was completely ready to leave northern climates behind. Of course, I only made it as far south as Indiana.

Of course, this year had to be the year that temperatures dropped and it snowed sooner in Indiana than Iowa. Figures. I am so not ready for this!

Last week the first snows drifted down from the cloudy skies and refused to budge. They were joined by more a couple days later, and then a little more. Not a lot at a time, but enough to cause slick roads and cover hazardous black ice. The ponies didn't mind, and at least I got new tires on the work truck on Wednesday (Dec 1) when it all started.

Zeplin, of course, always has to be the first to come up to me when he sees me pull up at the barn.

 How would I ever get by without this silly face to greet me every evening at feeding time? Speaking of feeding time...

...grain time is everyone's favorite time of day!! Well, except for mine, because I have to stand out in the cold waiting for them to finish so I can remove the feed bags.

We'll get by. We always do. Layla will make sure of it. Right, girl?