Just wow

Last night's evening storms brought in heavy fog which is typical for our area.

NOAA  issued a dense fog warning. I was pretty pleased.

The wall of fog was so thick I couldn't see the mules in the pasture when I got up.

I grabbed a camera and headed out after sunrise. I usually don't pick up the mail on the day it is delivered. I generally save that walk for the mornings.

When I got to the ridge it the fog was thicker than thieves. The world was grey.

I mean there was nothing at all to see. This is a field of oats and generally you can see all the way to a horizon.

I wanted to wait around to see if the sun would break through enough to shine through the forest and create a magical atmosphere. 

Just as I was ready to give it up.
BAM!

The sun broke through.

It was time to get wet and wade into the forest. I knew where I wanted to go. I wanted to go see The Hugging Tree. [Sometimes I give names to certain trees I really like. I'm odd, okay?]

I started down the faint trail that is still there and headed into the forest.

And there is where I lost all track of time and just focused on the magic that was appearing before me. It changed each minute with the movement of the fog and the sun. 

I just kept moving around and shooting. One of the awesome features of the Olympus camera [aside from being very light], is its stabilization feature. 

I wasn't thinking about that, but was just mumbling to myself -- ohhhh...ahhhh...ohhh see that?...oh .. my...OH!

Oh!

The light kept changing and so did the foggy sun beams. 

Even after I walked into multiple spider webs, I was still marveling at the scene before me.

I was amazed that I didn't trip and fall over a log as I kept moving around. I couldn't keep my eyes off the forest.

Neither could my small friends.

I didn't want to leave the woods, but I knew I had to. Someone was sitting and waiting for me and would wonder what took me so long.

The sun rose a bit higher and the light beams started fading.

It was amazing while it lasted. I followed a deer trail out and got soaked from the wet leaves. I didn't mind. It was worth the little side trip. 

Once more I consider myself quite lucky to live in this area which presents such amazing beauty just a short walk from my porch.

Oh yes, I finally did make it to the Hugging Tree.

It is the tree in the distance with the arms uplifted.

[I have so many photos yet to look through. I am still just stunned by this one single foggy morning. Watch out, more to come?]

Rain is not always awful.

The rain came down in buckets yesterday. As I drove home from CrossFit I noticed that the ditches were filling and running high.

Rich was awake and up when I came in the door. I'd stopped and had gotten some of his favorite food in town. Some Fried Chicken from Kwik Trip along with some tators. I set the food down in front of him and told him to dig in while I unloaded the groceries.

He didn't move a muscle. He sat and stared out the window with gloom and doom in his eyes.

I chatted about class and shopping while I unloaded things and set them on the kitchen floor. He didn't turn around or respond. 
Well, this is the new normal. He is angry, he hurts, and he feels poorly and everything around him should feel the same. Depression has come back with a big bang. I can't blame him at all. He feels that he is not really living, but just existing and in his words 'not worth a damn'. 

I'd really worked out hard at CrossFit and I still felt the afterglow of a good job well done. So I didn't let his foul mood get me down.

We sat down and ate together and I was ravenous. I ate with gusto and I saw something change in Rich's eyes. He finally smiled and asked where I got such and appetite. I replied it was from working out. He actually laughed and then said, "You should have done this years ago!" 

See. I live for those moments. They are good moments. A smile and a twinkle in the eyes even momentarily.
Rich went to lay down for his afternoon nap.

I went out into the gloom and rain. Why not?

I told Rich that I was going out to check the water. 
Hmmm...
and I did...
I went to the desk. The Study Hall. 
The creek was rising swiftly so I moved the Creek Bears to safety and then wiped off the seat of the desk and watched and listened to the water flow down over the rocks.

The dry run just opposite the desk started to flow with runoff from the ridges and cropland above our land.

I watched the water work its way around the boulders and tumble into the creek. I thought...If I only had more time, I'd go downstream and watch the water rise.

But I didn't, so I walked upstream instead.

The rain was more of a heavy mist at this point. I headed towards the neighbor's land where the creek actually started at the spring.

As I walked I noted the foam in the water. It leaves beautiful white streaks in the muddy run off. Ugly but beautiful. 

The stark temperature difference between the snow and ice in the valley and the air above made for some exotic looking fog.

I watched the fog undulate and move, it felt alive and mysterious.
Such is nature.

So many people look outside at the rain the melting snow...and the fog and think...ICK! I look at it and think 'Wow!' 
I guess I've been odd that way.

I found the spring but it was under water from the run off.

Still, it was pretty cool. 

I turned and headed to the dry run that runs parallel to our fence-line.

I could stand on about 6 inches of ice and watch the water flow over the ice.

The day was not awful, it was amazing. 
I returned home renewed and content, a trip to the creek does that for me.

Even in the rain.

Healing Powers of Equine

For those who own horses, donkeys, or mules I guess I don't have to really say much as an introduction.

There is something wonderfully healing about being around an equine.

When Rich had his stroke and we were looking at downsizing, he thought we should sell Mica and Sundance. Sundance is in training and Mica hasn't been ridden in quite a while.
His reasoning was that "I'll never be able to ride again."
I told him that was not so. Never say never.

At that moment however I did have doubts but held out because without hope there seems to be nothing, right?

I asked him to help me out with Mica and see how much re-training she would need to get her riding again.
She was a roping mule when we got her, trained by Chris French of Rafter CF Training Mule Company.

This was long before Chris was a well known trainer.
Anyway Mica was herd sour and wanted to be with the other mules, but she quickly started thinking like a trained mule would. She knew her manners and what she should do, she just didn't quite want to do it.

Yesterday morning as we were eating breakfast and planning our day, I casually slipped in "We will catch Fred and saddle him up for you so you can ride with Ariel and I."

Rich barely blinked. I thought he didn't hear me. He smiled and nodded but didn't react. I pulled Ariel aside.

"We have to get Grandpa on Fred and take him for a ride. It will be good for him. I need your help to convince him."
Ariel agreed and said she'd help me clean up Fred and saddle him too.

We saddled the mules and got things ready. Ariel was going to ride the now very much loved Siera, I'd ride the little redhead, Sunshine...and Rich had his old stand by, Fred.

Next thing I knew Rich was mounted and wanted to know why we were still on the ground.
Wow....

We were soon on our way. Ariel and Rich were in the lead and I of course was bringing up the rear.

We rode out on PeeWee's driveway towards the old cabin and then cut alongside the soybean field.

Fred walked with purpose and Siera just did her thing with Ariel. I enjoyed the view from behind.
I then realized that this was the absolute first time that Grandfather and Grand daughter had ridden together.

Two years ago Rich was ready to give up on riding when he went through throat cancer treatments and his TIA that affected his balance. This year he had the stroke, again he was ready to give up.

None of that was on his mind as he rode with Ariel. They didn't have to talk, they just rode quietly mostly side by side. Rich would give Ariel a direction or two, or maybe say something.
But mostly the ride was in peaceful silence. The sort of comfortable silence that riders get when they are concentrating and just enjoying the view from the saddle.

When we got closer to home Rich started talking about riding the cropland on the ridge. He thought that we should ride through the oat fields that had been harvested and baled.
I thought that was a good idea.

He agreed.
I then had the two of them stop and turn their mules towards me.

My guess is that I won't have to urge the two of these guys to go riding again.