+14 C, and close to a bath

Finally spring has arrived here as well.
Last week we had temperatures well above zero, with a top record on Wednesday of 14 C/57F.
Wonderful!
A week ago I decided it was time for my annual spring project - digging out the terrace:

My helper the Sofa Princess, who is in heat and sensually rolls around in the snow, something she never would  do normally!

OK. let's go find the terrace, it should be buried here somewhere

Oh yeah, here it is.

Halfway. Very packed snow, so it was hard work!

Ready - finally!

A week ago, we still had a lot of snow left

But the lovely temperature during the week has really made some difference.
Like I almost got stuck with my car trying to get home on Monday...

Anyway, the weekend came, with some lovely weather on Sunday.
I took Fame out on an early bareback ride as I was to attend a clinic later that day.
The nights are still cold, so when we reached the creek there was a layer of ice on both sides - not strong enough to carry the horse, but thick enough to be unpleasant.
Fame was a real star and just walked through it on both sides. Good girl!

Snow in the forest...

I was not so lucky further on in the forest.
At one place a brook had changed path and started to flow on the path we were travelling instead.
We almost managed to cross it, but on the last part there was a thick layer of ice which did not carry our weight, and we kind of got stuck. Fame tried to save herself by heaving herself into the snow, but got stuck there too.
She kept calm though, I jumped off her and we somehow managed to turn and get out of it.

Now, with this fresh in mind, we were to get home over the creek again.
With the ice.
She stands still, thinks a bit, and then takes a LARGE jump straight over the ice into the middle. Got me totally unawares (yes, I know, should have anticipated it!!) and as I had no saddle I ended up sitting on her neck instead of her back.
The water is cold now.
I guess it was the thought of just how cold it was that somehow made me able to cling on and wriggle back in place while Fame was steaming energetically through the water towards home. I kind of got my balance back before the jump up on the other side.
Phiew.

On the way back we saw a little Bambi.
I just love how close you get to the animals while on horseback.

Finally Home!
...and as you see she has regained weight after the colic.Hahem.

I was lucky to get to join my daughter for a ride on Sunday!
Not as much sun as on Saturday, but a lovely spring ride.

Riding out

Feeding place for the moose. I guess they need something to eat too. Perhaps.

The race horses overtook us

Bye, bye

Lovely ice formations on the mountain sides

On our way home

This weekend Jimmi is returning for a weekend training, I am looking forward to that.
Siri took some pics from the jumping last time - so here you see, the overaged geriatric dressage rider and her eager mount.
Yeah, yeah - small jumps, but now we are getting back on track:
From next week we will have weekly training!