I got this photo of little Bailey this past weekend, soaking up the sun along the front wall of our house, which faces south. We have a big, wide gravel pad there in front of the house we call "the beach," and you can see how the sun has begun melting the snow, exposing more and more of the beach. We've been enjoying some freakishly warm weather recently, and when I took that photo of Bailey, it was probably in the high-40s — and even warmer in the sun against the wall.
Bailey is one of the original sun-worshippers here, and he loves being outside, no matter how hot it may be — as long as he has a little shade. But he couldn't believe his luck this weekend, with bright sun and warm temperatures in the middle of winter. So soak it up he did!
As I write this, about noon on Wednesday, we've already hit 50°(10° C). We can't recall it ever being this warm this time of year. While we — and all the animals — are enjoying it, the shrinking snowpack in the mountains is a major concern. As of February 1st (the last reported data), snowpack in the Blackfoot River basin where we are located was only 68% of normal, the fourth lowest on record … and that was before we had these recent incredible warm spells. That increases the risk this summer for forest fires, for fish in rivers and streams, and for irrigation.
Fortunately for Bailey, he doesn't have to worry about any of that stuff — all he has to do is enjoy the warm sunshine. And now that the "shoreline" along the beach is exposed, we've put cots and beds out there. But no beach umbrellas yet.
—
Please vote
for the ranch in the Shelter Challenge — and you can
vote every day! We're currently in third place, putting us on track to
win $3,000 for the animals. Enter "Rolling Dog Ranch" and our state
postal code,
MT, for Montana, and it will bring up our listing.
Vote in the Shelter Challenge here.
Last
year we won $3,000 in the first round and then won the $20,000 Grand
Prize in the second round, so your votes really do add up and make for
a wonderful gift for the animals here.
Thank you!
Rolling Dog Farm Blog 
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