PeeWee's creek bottom

PeeWee's creek bottom
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

There is a neighboring 'wildwood' that I go to for hiking, photographing, riding, and whatnot. It is like having 500 acres of woodland to myself.
It is here that I can relax and not let the world's troubles bother me. It is here that I can take my camera and find something anyday in any conditions to 'shoot'.
I know this land like it is my own backyard, as I have been 'playing' in it for 10 years.
This is a small piece of pure beauty in the Kickapoo River area.

I miss my morning walks

morning
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

Being laid up really stinks. Tomorrow I planned on taking an early morning walk to sooth my brain.
Naw, it isn't overtaxed or anything, it is just that I need my daily fix of hiking in the woods.
I love the way the sun peers through the forest canopy in the spring giving such a bright green hue to everything.
This back muscle deal just better knock it off quick!

Getting Old?

I went to see the doctor today. I had this horrible pain that began in between my shoulder blades and ran around the front to my chest like a crushing band that made it hard to breath...
I knew the muscles had been strained, shoot, it isn't the first time I've done this. But dang, it is the first time that I have not healed up in a day or two, or that it has been so bad that I cannot lie on my back at night, cannot lay on my side, cannot sit...
The doctor said with an Irish lilt to her voice, 'We are getting on into our late 40's you know, and being a Weekend Warrior has its affects on us...we don't bounce back like we used to.'
I laughed~what me old?
Weekday Warrior more like.
Clearing brush, raking, stacking rocks, riding young mules bareback.
Me?
Getting old?
I left with a muscle relaxer [which cost one arm and one leg] and a vow to do strengthening exercises.
Old indeed.

Fence-talk

fence-talk
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

Some days I wonder what these critters have to say to each other. Cheyenne is the red mare, she must be telling Jewel how to behave around people. 'Run, run, run when they come with a halter...run to them if they have a treat.'

Cheyenne is a sweet old mare she taught my kids to ride and now her molly mule, Sunshine will teach my grandkids to ride.

Morel Mushroom

morelmushroom
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

No bigger than a finger nail at first...later they will be the size of my palm!

Walking the Walk...quietly

I convinced Rich to head out with me into the woods to hunt for the ever elusive Morel Mushroom.



There is rarely a time when I can convince my husband just to take a walk for 'walk's' sake. Although he has very sharp eyes and is begining to point out great photos for me. He notices the unusual and some things I would miss.

He walks quietly and smiles frequently.
Yep he is a wonderful guy.
Especially when hunting the morel.

The kindness of a horse's eye

jewel
Originally uploaded by Xena~.

Sometimes you just have to walk out into our pasture when life's stresses are too much to deal with. Any one of our equine friends will come up for a scratch and a little loving.
This is Jewel, our blue roan mare who has one of the kindest eyes I have ever seen.
Of course she'd rather you show her love with a curry comb and a treat.