Enough Rain Now….

OK Mother Nature, we like a little sprinkle from your watering can and a soft cooling breeze from your fan every now and again but we're really OK now thanks…. we've kinda had enough rain and wind in the last few days to last us many weeks at least.

We are all confined to the stables and getting grumpier by the minute

There is neighbourly bickering breaking out with the boredom…. that Dragon is pesky and won't share her hay through the fence, why does she get more hay than us, we only get a bit and then to the boring straw…. 

The garden path is like a scene from a river runs through it with the yard a close second, these were taken when the rain had stopped :-(

I tried to brave the rain by pottering outside but then discovering mini mules are not waterproof really. I swiftly inserted myself back in the barn where its dry.

And what about Roller?  Hmmm well as usual Roller is staying toasty in the warm.

At least us mules can stay at home, the humans have discovered the perils of the weather whilst foraging for Christmas treats for us (and them!)  The roads to home are turning in to rivers and there are branches everywhere.  We are managing to send this in between another power cut… might be a dark night!

Thankfully everyone is now firmly home for Christmas and we have food a plenty for the break, we don't need to worry about drink as Mother Nature is providing a bounty of fresh water!  

We hope all our friends are staying safe, it seems that there is bad weather all over; rain and wind in England and Ireland, snow and rain in the US and Scotland and deep snow in Canada. Is anyone's weather OK?  Stay safe, warm and dry friends at this festive time of year!

And have no fear there will be some 'sunny' pics here in time for Christmas, a little Christmas cheer will grace your screens courtesy of us Muleteers very soon…. as long as the power stays on long enough! :-)

Wet and Grumpy Mules

Grump, grump, our ears are wet, our coats are wet and we're fed up!  Mules are not made for wet weather, it drips down into our ears and is cold and chilly.... grump, grump.

Read my ears, I am not happy!

The rain means that all the strawy bits are sticking to my mud pack.... grump, grump!

There is mud soup in the paddocks and its impossible to see the view for clouds.... aren't we supposed to get the white stuff at this time of year?

Dragon is equally grumpy... her royal Dragon highness does not like the wet look.

It seems that Diesel has the right idea hiding in her cat palace all toasty and dry.  Maybe it's time for us to come in too?  Don't you think FH?

Now then FH how about some Christmas cheer?  Something to take our minds off feeling so damp around the edges.... Surely you know the way to a mule's heart is through his tummy?

That's more like it!  My new favourite!  A lovely Christmassy Satsuma!  Yummy!  All the peel and insides all at once, what do you mean this is rather odd?  Why waste time peeling when you can eat it all?  Satsuma peel is a tasty delicacy honest!

If you don't believe me, ask Dragon.  Hey Dragon, do you like satsumas?

.... now you don't!

Now you see it....

Yep!  I think Dragon likes satsumas :-)  Hang on a minute... she's not allowed two!

Although it is kinda worth it to see the funny face she makes!

And don't worry friends we cheered Roller up by giving him his very own wet day treat.  He is not a fan of the citrus stuff so he is contentedly munching on his apple.  It has to be said even Roller Polar is not looking at his best in this wet weather, it plays havoc with his fluff!

We're asking Santa for a dry Christmas this year, just a day of dry weather would be nice, a white Christmas is a little too much to ask but maybe just a glimpse of sunshine?

Hope you're all managing to stay warm, dry and relaxed at this busy time of year, sending you muleteer snuffles to help you on your way :-) xxx

The Calm Before the Storm?

So apparently we're about to have a storm tonight.... hmmm, the humans reckon we might get Hurricane Force 12 wind (this normally occurs in our lives only when Dragon has been eating too many carrots.... oops sorry, don't tell her I said that will you, she will not be happy!)

All around us the human ants have been scurrying and hurrying and trying to make things so they won't blow away.  It seems that they feel we are robust enough not to worry about, I feel there may be some advantages to be short and stout (no teapot jokes please for those of you that know the nursery rhyme!)

Today has not been such terrible weather though so we made the most of it... Mostly we ate a lot.  We heard FH say that we might be confined to the yard and stables tomorrow so best make the most of the green stuff while we can!

Look blue sky this morning.... it doesn't look like this now :-(

Roller was not really happy with the gusty wind that had already started.  It has played havoc with his hairdo! Don't look ladies... he is not feeling at his finest.  He said it might be something to do with standing in the rain (out of choice) overnight to try to give himself a wash so that he could then benefit from the windy blow-dry.... not sure it worked Roller really?

We are a little worried as there are quite a lot of leaves still on the trees (if I could reach there wouldn't be any but alas the short and stout comes in to play again) so this might mean that we lose some branches. 

Sounds like we might be in need of assistance from a superhero..... so in Commando Mini (ready for hurricane force action) style I decided to don my warpaint (aka mud) and camouflage (aka leaves).  Whatdya reckon?  I think I'll scare that storm right away.....

On second thoughts I might just hide out in the stable and watch from the comfort of my thick bed.  Hooves crossed the storm takes one look at my warpaint and leaves us be.  Good luck to our friends who are also in for the storm tonight!

Roller's Philosophical Friday: Destinations

It's raining, it's pouring, The Mini is snoring, Dragon looked outside and wouldn't get up in the morning.....

Yep, here it comes again, raindrops keep falling on my head and the fields are back to a boggy, muddy mess again.  I am hiding inside and trying to keep the mules' spirits up.  We had a glimpse of Spring and a taste of green, green grass in our spring paddock only to have it snatched away again.  There is no way we're venturing out in this weather, I may be able to cope but those mules are fairweather folks.

Ever wondered why just when things are going great, the sun is shining, you're looking forward to new horizons and good times ahead and then BAM!  Someone puts a bump in the road, a curve in the straight, a problem where there wasn't one, rain where there should be sunshine? Yep I think about these things all the time...... I have a lot of philosophising time whilst eating, the perfect combination ;-)

I am ever the optimist though, the sun will arrive again, the mountains will be climbed and Summer is just around the corner.

So here's the thought for today, thanks to a friend who knew just the right thing to say to brighten my day!

Don't confuse your path with your destination.  Just because it's stormy now doesn't mean that you aren't headed for sunshine!

It's Raining Cats and Mules

Rain, rain go away please don't come again another day.....

I have just about had enough Muleteers.  My ears are wet, my hooves are sodden and even my downy tummy fluff is a little damp.  I am now officially a grumpy mini mule.  The rain started last night and hasn't stopped since, it is due to continue for days yet... Our fields are mud soup, the roads are like rivers and one of our favourite humans awoke to a lake in her house, this is beyond a joke!  Mules are not designed for wet weather, can't you tell that our superior ears let the water in?  I can't tell you how many times I've had to shake my head to get those nasty drips out of there.

FH has been trying to keep us cheery with apples and haylage and straw and dry cosy beds, it's only working a little..... I want to be able to go out and enjoy the green grass and go for walks with FH, I've got ants in my pants being cooped up :-(

We really can't go out though, we might sink, FH keeps losing her wellies, the mud is like super glue and sucks your boots right off, heaven only knows what it'd do to my dinky hooves?  There is one thing I'm very thankful of at the moment, that we live on a hill!  Sometimes it is a little inconvenient having to scale the hill with my short leggies but not today.  At the bottom of the hill is the raging river which we can hear from our stables, it is so loud and is rising by the minute, please Mother Nature stop with the watering can!! 

My mini friend is a little more chilled about the whole affair (are we surprised?) and tends to keep himself dry (apart from when there's food around) and is always busy contemplating whether to sleep in his bed or eat it?  When it's so deep and fluffy it seems that Roller thinks the solution is to do both.

Catanian is beginning to behave like a caged lion and was last seen pretending Roller's tail was a snake ready to pounce on.  We think her previous plan of hunting cobwebs was a much better one, hint, hint FH you need to dust!  Goodness me I hope it stops raining soon or she may start thinking I need hunting too, my tail is simply too mulificent to be a cat toy!

FH knows just how to cheer me up though!  No matter how bad the weather gets she always has a collection of ridiculous hats....  Oh sorry no that wasn't what cheered me up, honestly.... ;-)  Well she braved the rain and brought out the hugging arms, there is nothing that those things can't solve.  I had to go in close and ensure that she really understood how wet and miserable I am.

See hugs even make wet humans feel better too, there's always time for a pause in flood defending for snuffles and mule hugs.  FH had grand plans of dressing us all up for Christmas and spreading Christmas cheer but alas it looks like the best we can do is keep the mud at bay and stay safe and tucked up - oh well maybe santa hats will have to wait until next year, what a shame.

With all this hugging going on it appears that one of us only had one thing on her mind.   Dragon isn't the cuddliest creature and hugs are second to food!  Apparently we were all being most annoying and distracting FH from providing the essentials in life (huh in my view that is hugs) so she took matters in to her own hooves and inserted herself in to the feed store, she knows she's not supposed to be in there, how much can you stand on your tippy toes Dragon?!  Maybe FH will give all the haylage to me because you're such a naughty mule?

Oh well it would seem that Dragon got her wish in the end, that's one damp looking Dragon, think her fire breathing capabilities may even be effected.....

To all our Muleteer friends in the UK we hope you are not flooded, we are desperately appealing to Mother Nature, please no more rain, we have enough cats, dogs, mules and everything else it can stop raining now!

Dear Mother Nature....

Dear Mother Nature,

Please could you stop watering the garden?  I have been a very good pony and I am only asking this one small thing but you see I just can't bear any more rain.  It seems like it has rained all year and just never stopped.  I know that you are watering your garden so that things grow big and strong but honestly Mother Nature my little leggies won't grow any longer and I keep getting stuck in the mud and I'm worried that if I didn't live on a hill I would surely have to swim as the water would wash over my back.  My winter coat is looking a little bedraggled and I am growing tired of peeking at the outside world from the inside of my stable, I dare not spend too long on the yard or in the paddock in case I blow away or the flood waters reach my knees!

FH let us out to play today in the little bit of sunshine that you sent after the torrential rain last night.  It rained so hard and the wind blew so much that all the water from your watering can blew in to my cosy stable, FH had a job to tidy up.  She tells me that it is going to rain very badly again tomorrow and we are due gales, please could you postpone this a little while or even better cancel it all together?  Us Muleteers are lucky, we have lovely warm stables and thick beds but we would much prefer to be able to roam around and enjoy the sunshine.  The humans are very worried, lots of our friends have been flooded and it is taking so long to get anywhere, the roads are not happy and the rivers are full to bursting. We know that many humans are naughty Mother Nature and do all sorts of bad things to the environment but please don't take it out on little innocent short legs like me....

I am sending you this plea Mother Nature so that you might be benevolent towards me and my mates, the mules are miserable and I am a little perplexed.  I have grown my beautiful Polar Bear coat to show off in the snow and on sparkling frosty mornings, it errrm  doesn't look quite so good when it's soaking wet.

Sending you Roller snuffles, I hope you hear my plea, I really will be a good pony if you just stop watering me to make me grow bigger, FH says I'm perfectly formed as I am :-)

Love Roller xxx