Fog on Christmas Day at Ravenseyrie on Manitoulin Island

Foggy Dawn at Ravenseyrie on Christmas Day

 Dawn came to Ravenseyrie on this Christmas Day with a wonderfully atmospheric fog, providing a rather magical element to our distribution of Christmas breakfast to the “wild” bachelors.  I was born in later December and have lived all my life in regions where a White Christmas is the norm.  But on rare occasions, conditions have been mild and snow has been lacking on Christmas Day and so it is for us this year.

A Ravenseyrie snow scene from December 6, 2021

Just yesterday (Christmas Eve) we had perhaps 12.5cm of snow covering the landscape, more in drifted spots - which isn’t all that much for Manitoulin Island this time of year, but certainly enough that our Ravenseyrie Sorraia Mustang Preserve had a winter wonderland appearance.  

December 6, 2021 at Ravenseyrie

That changed, however, with the above freezing temperatures and rain that came over the course of last evening.

By late morning, the fog had dissipated and later in the afternoon there were periods of sunshine.  

Fidalgo on a nearly snow-free range/Christmas Day

With the temperature a little better than 2ºC and very little snow left, Kevin and I decided to go on a foray for Juniper berries.  Foraging for ripe Juniper berries is a somewhat tedious enterprise, but on a day like today when whiling away the time is an acceptable activity there can be quite an enjoyable experience to be had.  For me, getting absorbed into the wild landscape - the sound of the wind, the colours and scents, shapes and textures are a mind-altering drug, with the feeling of deeper connection and obliviousness to time passing.  This is very much like when I am beach-combing for special stones to use in my Paleolithic-style rock paintings.  It is a sensation that I feel is quite medicinal - especially during such troublesome times the human world continues to experience.  I am so glad that Kevin was able to join me!

The main sector of the preserve where there are good Juniper berries to be found

Kevin stops to admire the wonderful trunk of the Zen Elm 

A few of the Juniper berries I will use dried as a spice in cooking.  Most, however, we are macerating and soaking in vodka to make a simple gin for mixing in herbal liqueurs.  Such drinks are another type of medicinal we partake of…one that can be especially helpful to us when the harsher elements of winter return…which is quite likely soon!

Sorraia stallion, Altamiro, from a winter several years ago

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

A Beautiful Winter's Day

It's a beautiful Winter's day here at Ravenseyrie...and it just happens to be Christmas, too!

The extra time and effort to go on about our daily chores on the farm have left me feeling too fatigued this month to put together even a brief entry for this blog journal. But since we seem to be in for a long, hard winter, I am trying on a new attitude that recognizes the difficulties, but is strengthened by the hardships instead of worn down by them.

Wish me luck!

Today was a combination we haven't had in a long while...moderate temperatures, just a light wind, no snowfall and a sunny sky. As so often has been the routine these days, Kevin and I were out in the pre-dawn darkness to shovel away the most recent snowfall, and dig key areas out of the drifts the nighttime winds created.

Because it was a still and mellow morning, the herd was up to the house for breakfast and we were pleased to not have to haul our toboggan-loads of hay out to the forest. After consuming their light portions of whole oats, each horse and mule enjoyed copious piles of hay as bit by bit pink tinged the sky and gentle light began illuminating the day.

After about an hour, I had completed my shoveling chores and before strapping snows shoes on, I fetched my camera and walking stick from the house with the intention of putting in a bit of a walk before it was necessary for me to busy myself in the kitchen making a few tasty dishes to bring to a Christmas dinner among friends in the village.

The dogs thought this was a very fine idea, and to make it easier for them, I followed alongside a nice trail the horses had cut through the snow. Shelagh and Maeb especially have a difficult time walking through deep snow, so it was very handy the horses had already made a nice path:
The pups were very patient with me as I was stopping frequently to take photos:

I wanted to take some photos of the horses and mules as they were finishing off their breakfast. What I also captured in this next series of photos, is my wonderful Kevin, busy at work on the Kubota, clearing the drive and yard with his front-end loader and the large snowblower which runs off the back of the tractor.
As I got farther away from the house, Dee and Doll decided to make their way out to where we were walking. Dee stopped by a small, lone Cedar tree and plucked off a few mouthfuls of Cedar leaf:

The rest of the herd began to lose attention in those last bits of hay and were soon making their way out to where we were as well. What is curious in the first photo, is how close the south woods looks to our house, when really we have a bit of length to our driveway and the woods are across the road! This photo makes it look as we have large fir trees in our yard--what a strange illusion.Altamiro

Animado

Fada

Zorita and some of the others stopped by the same tree Dee had been nibbling on, and decided to remain there, rather than come the rest of the way to the woods.

I went out to the manege, which was under deep snow, but not as deep as what was just outside of the woods. With the horses coming out, and the day so mellow, I would have really liked to spend the morning playing with the horses, one at a time, in our woodland manege--but I had to go back to the house and get ready for our later engagement. Phooey!

I took these photos as I began to head back to the house. The herd had split into several groups and were settling in for enjoying a good nap time.

I took this photo so you could see the difference between a snowshoe trail and a horse & dog trail:

When I got back, Kevin was just about finished with his task. It's difficult for me to imagine what it must have been like for folks who lived up here on the bluff before power equipment allowed for snow removal.

To those who left comments in my first entry this December, I promise within a day or two to put together a journey entry answering your questions, which deserve more than a quick response.

I wish for each of you, those near and those far, very happy holidays!