Dixie

 We are all on maternity watch.

I walked out of the house yesterday with Jamie in tow, walked to the end of the driveway and was momentarily  taken-aback to see our resident and very pregnant mare Dixie standing across the street contentedly grazing on the new and fresh green grass that is finally growing along the side of the road.

At first I thought that she had escaped from the pen she is staying in right now that separates her from the rest of the horses on the property.

Much to my relief a moment after I saw her the elderly lady who also lives on the property popped her head out from the other side of this very large animal, smiled at me and said hi.

It turns out that the lady (Chris) decided to take the horse for a walk.

I smiled when I was told this.  I had never seen a horse just being taken for a walk up and down a road before.

Jamie had never been around horses so I pulled her close to me and headed across the road to say hello to both lady and horse.

The lady and I talked while Dixie grazed and Jamie wandered close-by.

I had never brushed out a horse before, but while we continued to talk I brushed out Dixie (who obviously loved the attention) under Chris' direction.

With my inexperience horses by their sheer size are overwhelming to me, but as I brushed Dixie and talked to her quietly I found her to be a very lovely and sweet animal.

I petted her long neck, but when she turned to look at me I slowed down - necks are one thing but I have no idea what to do with the rest of a horse and having her turn her head (and mouth) towards me gave me pause for a moment.

It was OK - a new and different and strange and sweet experience all tightly wrapped into a few brief minutes.

Jamie and I and Chris and Dixie walked up and down the road taking our time and allowing each animal to stop at will.

It was a warm late-afternoon.

They were in no rush and neither were we.

LC joined us eventually and I took these pictures while he walked with James.

Dixie was due a few days ago.

And we are now on maternity watch.............

 

 

 

 

 

 Barns and hills and mountains behind the house, taken at the end of the day.

My Mountain Boy and I have learned recently just how changeable the weather in this part of the country can be, how much the mountain ranges that we are surrounded by influences the weather, and how cold it can get in Cody Wyoming even as we close in on the end of April.

This week we have had snow, sleet, high winds, sunshine, sometimes cold days and sometimes warm days and always very cold nights.

Again it is all OK though.

When I walk into the living room in the morning the first thing I see out the windows are the horses and the mountains.

When I walk into the living room in the evening I see LC making a fire.

When I walk outside at any time I see mountains and BLM land and wide open and endless sky.

The price tag for beautiful in Juneau was too high.

The price tag for beautiful in Cody (at least right now and for the sake of two still shell-shocked people I hope for a long time to come) is just right..........

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike.....John Muir