Wordless Wednesday ~ October 1st

And The Melting Continues...

I blogged about the melt down back on January 9...and it's still going at it! It's warmed up, gotten cold, snowed, warmed up again...but, most of the snow is gone now except for the piles.

But the ice remains in the shaded areas, so the horses are still confined to the barn. The sun rises and shines on the north side, but the strip along the rim rock is quickly in the shade by noon.

One slick sucker!

So, Pierce, Colt and Whiskey are confined to the barn area. It was 24* this morning and the afternoon high is 40*.

The water fall was really strong on Thursday. I love hearing the sound and watching the water make its way through the rocks and sagebrush...then heading under the snow to come up in a small stream flowing toward the gates.

The temporary water fall...maybe we need to name it!?!

Being in the high desert, I miss having water like over in the west part of the state. But, I'll just enjoy this when I can...every two to three years.

Flowing water over the rocks and under the snow.

We've got ditches made now (since the top layer of soil has softened up somewhat) so, that is keeping the majority of the water out of the barn.

I turned Colt into the round pen with Pierce yesterday afternoon, and they had a great time kickin' up their heels. The footing was good enough that they didn't slip.

In a couple of weeks, we'll be moving cows from Princeton to Diamond for Rancher Dan, so I've got to get a couple of horses legged up at least a lil' bit...I'm ready to get back into the saddle again!

In other news...

It looks like moma owl has taken to nestin' in the Hole in the Rock. Both of them had been gone for a couple of days and now, for the past two days, only papa owl is in the tree...which leads me to believe that Love is in the Air!

The Hole in the Rock Nest

Can you spot the owl? Mother Nature's camouflage.

Papa owl will have to work double hard...hunting for himself and her...and then for the lil' ones when they're born. They've had 3 to 5 owlets in the past...wonder how many they'll have this year?!

Papa owl...waiting patiently...

On the Run

OK...got 5 minutes before I need to get out the door for a day at the Post Office. Just checkin' in to let you know I'm still here...really!

Crystal Lights

Wednesday we had quite a bit of moisture in the mornin" (another 0*F mornin'), but the elm trees looked like they had clear Christmas lights strung through them. This photo picked up a few of them, and you need to look close. They're the spots that almost look like sun reflections off of a dirty lens.

OK...off 'n runnin'!

Have a super Friday!

Spring ~ Always Too Much To Do!

This time of year is always so busy...I haven't had time to blog...let alone read many blogs!! So, you're gonna get about two weeks worth in one post!

But, spring has finally arrived here in the high desert...even though it's been pretty cold in the mornin's! Of course, this is typical of our area...it's been known to snow in July! The apple tree is blossoming out, and the lilacs are starting to pop out too!

Apple blossoms

We've started irrigating the alfalfa to stay ahead of the game. It was dry, so we started the wheel lines, then we had two days of rain and snow.  But, we started them up again last evening.

Cold Mornin' Irrigation

The freezing temperatures in the mornin's freezes the water on the alfalfa, but as long as the water continues to run, the alfalfa won't burn as the day warms up and the ice melts...strange, but it works.

Iced Alfalfa

My three-day Mike Bridges clinic was awesome...we even had warm weather which I think is a FIRST in the two and a half years I've been doing them!! Mike taught his techniques for ground training in a square pen. This develops collection, balance and re-balance, stops and turns. The horse also learns how to handle pressure because the energy level is high and everything is done at a trot or  a canter.

This isn't a new technique, it's dated back to the 1600's according to Mike. I found an article about Harold Farren on the QuarterHorseNews.com site that states that Farren invented the square pen...so, I don't believe that statement is accurate, but you can get an idea of the use of the square pen. Harold Farren was an interesting horseman.

It really was amazing how Colt felt when I rode him right after he had been worked in the square pen...really amazing difference! Now I'm planning how My Man's gonna build my square pen!!

Training in the square pen

In other news...my Ol' Man Toby has gone on an adventure!! He left last Wednesday to help a lil' 4 year old girl learn how to ride!

Toby...25 years young!

I read on FaceBook that a local family was looking for a dead broke horse for their daughter to ride...I thought about it, then forgot about it. The gal posted again what they were looking for, and just that day, while Toby was being trimmed I thought he should be doing something. So, I contacted her and we got together.

Toby took it all in stride, and we decided to give it a try. If he doesn't work out, he'll come back home...he's just out on loan. But, I think it's going to work. It was very sad to see him loaded into the trailer and drive out the driveway...I've had him since he was 6 months old...he's my oldest child!! You can read about Toby's life and times on this post if you're interested.

But, I know that he's getting good care from very good people...and he's doing something that I think is very noble for an old horse...helping the young ones.

Reata leads Toby to the horse trailer.

Yesterday was a simply gorgeous day...and a perfect day to help Rancher Dan take his second year heifers with their calves up to their summer pasture...the sun was shining and just a slight breeze.

Those aren't Colt's ears!!!
Nope, this is the view between Rohan's ears.

Rohan is my strawberry roan mustang that I adopted from the BLM when he was a yearling, and I believe he's eight this year. I did a lot of riding on him before I got Colt. Rohan's been standing around with Stetson and Catnip (the burros) for two years!! I decided that I was not doing him or myself any favors by not using him...he's a good, broke horse, and I should keep him going.

So, I saddled him up Friday evening, had him do a few laps in the round pen, and then stepped on...not a buck in him after two years of not being ridden. We rode for 20 minutes or so...decided to take him the next day to move the pairs.

It worked out perfect. We were in the saddle for 5 hours. His steering is rusty, but other than that he was awesome!

Waterin' Hole

It took three hours to drive them up to the pasture, and only two hours for us to ride back to the ranch.

Get along lil' doggies

Rohan got his first introduction to peacocks and turkeys at Rancher Dan's place...he thought the peacocks were bad...until he saw and heard the turkeys!!! OMG!!!  Dan had to get between the approaching turkeys and Rohan so I could get Rohan through the gate...we'll have to have more "turkey" lessons I guess!

We loaded up the horses and headed for Hotel Diamond for burgers and beverages...great way to end a perfect day!

Today it's laundry, checkbook, garden and weed spraying...never a dull moment!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Cold Mornin'

 ~ 

Happy Wordless Wednesday!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Ruby Springs

Get Wordless!!!

Sunday Stills~The Color Blue

~When I get the blues,

I go off into the hills and scream.~

~Annie Pollard 1887~

Ah...the color blue...it's the photo challenge for this week's Sunday Stills...but no blue skies...

Well, I'm gonna sneak this one in...it's not blue sky but blue clouds. The sun was rising behind me, and the gray clouds illuminated to this dark, threatening blue hue. It only lasted few minutes, and then it was back to just an overcast sky.

Blue Cloud Sunrise

When I saw the icicles hanging off the barn roof and the lighting was good, I climbed the fence to get a macro...not until I downloaded the photos to the camera did I see the the beautiful blue reflection of the old barn wood and paint.

Blue Reflections

Didn't get enough "blue?" Check out the other Sunday Stills participants!

Macro Monday

This morning I realized that I didn't have a macro shot for Macro Monday, so after feeding I climbed up in the rock rim behind the barn...and I got my first sign of spring...and it's only January!

New growth emerges from last year's dead sprigs!

But, winter is still here...

An icicle has formed where water is seeping

out through the crack in the rock.

Enjoy more Macro Monday shots by going here in the comments.

Snow to Ice to Rain

The first week of 2010 has left a lot to be desired weather wise in my book. New Year's day, My Man started to let the horses out of the barn in the morning and came back in the house saying it was an ice rink behind the barn and in their pasture, and that we'd better leave them in the barn!

We'd been having sub freezing weather for days on end and the ground was frozen solid. Then we got just a few inches of snow. Then came the rain. So, of course the rain melts the snow, but the ground is too frozen to let the water soak into it and it has no where to go...but downhill...

Even with my new camera, I can't seem to get "dark and dreary" to look pretty!

The high spots are obviously snow, and the rest of

the grey is packed snow with water standing on top of it.

The ditch we annually dig behind the barn

is doing its job...the water is flowing east!

With all the acreage up the hill behind the house and barn,

the water has to go somewhere. The berm that was

built at the top of the rock rim is working. It funnels

the water into a stream and it comes down

the rock wall behind the barn.

The stream flows right into the horses pastures where

again all the packed snow has a "slick as snot" sheet

of water laying on top which makes it

extremely treacherous.

Until the permafrost thaws out and drys out, it's

going to be an icy and/or muddy mess.

We lost our old girl Carina two years ago because of ice just like this, and we're not chancing it again! The horses stayed in the barn for 2 1/2 days as which time it finally thawed out enough on the top for the ice to break up and walking was safe again.

More rain Tuesday night and all day yesterday

made it a really muddy mess for the horses

and dogs. But the owls don't seem to mind one bit.

This empty bird's nest in the apple tree is

looking forward to spring...just as much as I am

right now...and we just got into winter!

I guess I'll just sit back and have another cup of coffee in my new favorite cup...

After a couple of cups, I'll feel much better...

Hope everyone else is warm and dry...and those in the southern hemisphere, can I come and visit for vacation?!?