Time

Time stops for no one

The year closes like a gate behind me,
its rusted hinges shrieking the last of their weight.

Ahead, a path of frost begins to shimmer,
each step melting a small circle of dawn.

Hope timidly rises there,
partly lifting a burden I’d been carrying,
the sky grows brighter with each step towards the sunrise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I realize that I cannot stay in the past and hover there. However I will also hold tight to each and every memory I possibly can. My heart demands it.

Charlie and I decided to brave the twisted sand/salt/slush/ and ice caked roads to go out to Duck Egg and blow off a week's worth of misery and illness.

Charlie knows the drill, he bounds away to look back at me as if to say "Ma, we have the whole place to ourselves." His eyes sparkle and he bounces as he runs. 

He runs up to the water crossing and leaps over it. 

[this is not supposed to be on the trail, but it seems the Springville creek had some help with water rerouting from some beavers]

The sky is gun metal grey, the winds are blowing on the ridge and all I hear is the water rushing under the footbridge ahead. Charlie waits on the bridge.

His joy is infectious.

The world drops away as the dog and I explore. He stuffs his head into clumps of grass and from the tail action, I can tell he is hunting vicious voles or mice.

His look tells me that IF he were not there to protect me, I'd be overrun by voles of the most frightening kind.

And this is how our quiet walk in the steep valley proceeds. My dog and protector saving me with every action he takes. [4 seconds]

He makes sure that every footbridge is safe for his lady. He surveys that area to make sure there are no giant Voles or Mice lying in wait.

This is his duty and he takes it seriously. 

We arrive at the ponds and marvel at the winter world of Duck Egg. We listen to the Springville creek roar behind us and rain begins to fall.

We've gone a mile on a rather flat trail and I motion that it is time to turn around. We hike back and I realize that I am not out of breath, and I feel good. The dry hack still shows up. But. But.

We are back.

When I get to the car and plop Charlie in his car seat he curls up his wet body on his blanket.

Before I pull out of the parking area, I realize that I've missed Charlie's birthday. My little champion is beginning his 8th year of exploration with me.

I'm grateful. 

Here is to more wonderous adventures with my finest sidekick.

15 and the Farrier Visit

The weather was miserable. Cold, wet, rain, cold...wet, wet, cold...well you get the idea.
Dan and Danny Tesar came and we introduced them to our new horse/pony we call 15.
Yes she came from an Amish farm and needs a bit of filling out yet, but we have been so surprised by her super laid back and gentle attitude.  She was supposed to have been 'a good rider'. But as things go at auction, she really isn't what we would call well broke.
That was okay.
Rich and she got along so well. She allows him to do most anything with her. And she will accept a saddle and work with a bridle.

That was pre-stroke. We haven't messed with her except to feed her, clean her area, and brush her a lot. We had a bit of trouble picking up her back feet and I had meant to have her over that before the Tesar's showed up.

The Dan's worked quietly and patiently with 15 and trimmed her feet. She had a bit of an issue with her back feet. But the guys worked with her and concluded that she was not going to kick, she just didn't really understand and was a bit confused and frightened about having her feet worked on.

Rich stood talking to her quietly. She seemed to completely trust him and most of the time stood perfectly still.

As Dan and Danny finished up ... well something occurred that I'd never in my entire time with Rich seen him do.

15 closed her eyes and dropped her head to Rich's chest. Rich leaned forward and planted a kiss on her face.

I poked Dan as Rich turned to take her back to her pen. "Why I never! I have never in my life seen him actually kiss a horse!"

It is obvious that 15 is very important to my husband. She has touched him inside like no other animal I've ever seen. Not even his beloved Fred Mule.

We dragged in wet donkeys from the winter pasture and got their feet trimmed. Some donkeys behaved a bit badly. Normally they are calm and sweet. Dan thought perhaps it was the crappy weather.

I thought a bit and then realized that normally we have all of the donkeys clustered around when trimming. It was probably a herd sour issue. That explained that attitude of our quietest donkey.

Once the weather clears up, the donkeys will get summer haircuts and be bathed. Even Eddie the gelding I raised will be sold. However Bob, ever calm and steadfast Bob will stay. If ever there was a handsome, gentle laid back Jack, it is Bob.

I need to stop here and thank Dan and Danny Tesar of Dan Tesar Horseshoeing Co. for their excellent work and generous gift.
Rich is still pinching himself.

Hey...it isn't raining at the moment! How about some rain? It could get dry!
We only had an inch yesterday!