The calendar may have marked the official start of Spring, but Winter has not yet turned over the reins here in the Hudson Valley. Sunny spots of yellow daffodils and forsythia appeared, only to find their blossoms covered in snow within the week. It’s been a busy Winter season and we’re delighted to share with you all the exciting new developments at The Lily Pond over the past three months.
Winter’s song was a symphony of movements, with quiet starry nights followed by days of howling winds, booming thunder and trees crashing to the ground. But the defining feature of the season was definitely ice. Frigid temperatures transformed our road into a rink on which the dogs happily skated while the horses and humans had to exert the greatest care to remain upright. The horses fared well, but the humans…not so much. More than one of us found ourselves sliding along the ground, considering an investment in mountain climbing gear and contemplating the advantages of having four legs rather than two.
The geese returned to the pond in early March, only to find it still frozen. Frankly, we would have stayed on the beach in Florida sipping umbrella drinks for another month rather than flying north only to nest among icicles. But the geese didn’t seem to mind, gleefully honking and stomping across the glassy surface of the pond, startling the beavers who peered out from their lodge to observe the noisy parade. The neighborhood barn cats also eyed the feathered crowd with interest, but contented themselves with the bowl of Friskies set out on the front porch of the cat house.
The crimson wing of the cardinal against a snowy landscape was a beautiful sight to behold. We stayed close to the house when a silver-furred coyote wandered out of the woods to hunt mice in the field.
Our friend Opie the opossum has been a regular on the scene. We had placed a box with straw out on the porch to provide our neighbor’s barn cats with a refuge from the elements. Barn Manager Brenda Izzo went out one morning to fill the food bowl and was surprised to find Opie nestled comfortably in the cat box, happily munching on cat chow.
We find ourselves living in unprecedented times. After two years of a global pandemic, we now witness two countries gone to war. We send our prayers to the people of Ukraine. When the world feels like its upside down, we focus on that well-known saying “Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.” And what we have at The Lily Pond is a beautiful mission, providing a home and loving care to animals in need. We each come to this life with a purpose and fulfilling it is our gift to the world. Global change starts with the individual.
The passing of the actor Betty White in December was a sad loss. Her fans organized The Betty White Challenge, inviting people to donate to their favorite animal welfare organizations on January 17th, which would have been Betty’s 100th birthday. We want to thank all of our donors for supporting the rescued animals at The Lily Pond in honor of Betty White. What a wonderful tribute to a lifelong advocate for animals!
