A Wonderful Weekend

 John and I took "the horses" camping for a three day weekend.  I haven't come up with a better way to say the donkey and the horse, so I just say "the horses" because it works for me.  It's just easier.  Buster doesn't seem to mind. :)  It's still too snowy here to go to the mountains so we went west about an hour and a half into the desert of Washington.  It's a somewhat popular spot, so we didn't take any dogs.

Huckleberry stayed with my friend, which was super weird.  If he's ever been babysat before it's been at home, and rarely, so I was apprehensive, especially with him not feeling 100%.  He has to go out usually at least twice a night, sometimes he needs meds for pain, his feed regimen is a pain, and he gets anxiety.  It turns out he had a blast!  My friend loves him and he loves my friend, so there were no worries there.  He got to steal eggs from the barn, basically had the run of the place and did whatever he wanted, slept on the couch just like he does at home, and even got to help kill a bad coyote, then dragged its guts all over the place.  I bet he enjoyed that after the last few times he lost a fight with a coyote.  I do love coyotes, but this one was way too close to the flock at the barn.

Here's just a random rare pic of all three boys on the couch together.  Huck doesn't usually allow that kind of proximity. But he's getting lazier in his old age, and puts up with the pup sometimes.

Can you see us in the picture below?  Buster and I are well camouflaged.

This looked like a great fishing spot with the rocks right at the water, and a nice eddy.  Looked like some birds had been fishing there.

You just might be seeing a few pictures of Buster in this post.  I think he's pretty darn cute.

Seriously.  Cute.

He's such an incredibly good boy and he puts up with my shenanigans.

You have to look close, this isn't just blackness.  (Click to enlarge)  Far left is Sirius, then Orion with his bow, hunting Taurus, and far right, just a tiny cluster, is The Seven Sisters, also called Subaru or Pleiades.  I don't know many constellations but these are my good friends.

End of the day.  It was cold-ish and breezy, but we parked the trailer to block the wind and huddled close to a good fire.  I have a couple of wool blankets and I know how to stay warm WITHOUT resorting to staying inside.  There was another couple camping near us, super nice, but they stayed in their camper so much of the time!  What?  John pointed out that we live where we're already pretty much camping, and if they live in town, being able to step outside into the great outdoors is probably good enough for them.  I want to be OUT IN IT all the time.  

I laid down next to this handsome dude and wrote for a while and tried to take a nap.  It was lovely and relaxing.  For once I couldn't nap, I think because there were other people around.  Buster and Scout had some little kids come visit.  Buster didn't mind but Scout got pissy.  They were kind of high-energy.  I love how much kids get excited over animals.  But some animals just don't like it, and that's ok.

I finally finished the blanket stitch along the cut edge of this wool blanket I found in a thrift store.  So relaxing to sit by the fire and keep my hands busy.  And of course admire my handsome ass.

A lot of cool things happened out by this huge blade of rock out there that reminded me of Shiprock.  There's a picture farther below.  It dominates the landscape for quite a while as you approach.  Anyway, I saw my first wildflowers of the year!  Just lowly buttercups but a very welcome sight!  And speaking of that, there are tons more songbirds out too!

The photos loaded in reverse order.  Here we are taking a break.  The light is so nice.

We went into a rock bowl like a box canyon near the big rock, and John was looking at some mineral deposits on the cliff to the north while I beelined it to some aspens clinging to life on the sheltered south side of the bowl.  I was leading Buster to give him a break, and we spooked an owl.  I thought I saw where it landed so I made my way in that direction.  Sure enough, I saw it, and was able to get some pictures.  This one was as it flew away once I got too close.  

Here it is sitting on the rocks, looking so arrogant, letting me get close.  I was not sneaking up, it stared at me the entire time, so there was no stealth but I was trying not to be to alarming.  If you're having trouble seeing it, look below and just to the right of the bush up top.  It's a Great Horned.

Hahaha, ok, so this may be TMI, but I was so hot after that.  I was wearing so many layers against the cold wind, which wasn't so cold in the bowl, and I scrambled up the ridge to the right thinking I'd seen a skull but it was like The Lost City of Gold, just a trick of the light.  So I scrambled back down, reclaimed my ass, whom I'd dropped to stalk the owl, and started stripping off layers, down to my bra and jeans, and just threw my head back and enjoyed the sun and the wind.  Nobody was going to see me in that box canyon in the middle of nowhere.  John liked the view.  I told him he could take a picture if he promised not to share it.  He was shocked!  I love it.  Twenty years of marriage and I can still shock my husband.  I didn't think much of the picture but I'm told I'm too critical.

The Blade.  Actually I don't really know what to call it, but it is blade thin at the front, like the prow of a ship.  I should load another picture.

There ya go

The skies out there...  Constantly changing, so much light and dark and movement and so BIG!

John found an itty-bitty skull!  He gave it to me.  What a guy.  I haven't checked to make sure it made it back intact.  I should go look...  I want to put it on the top of an itty bitty shaman staff.  What a hoot.  I won't do it, I'm sure, but it tickles my fancy.

Buster can be so tenderly sweet sometimes, just sitting with me while we take breaks.  Also, I think, maybe just a little bit hoping for a cookie.  But he doesn't ask for one, so maybe not.

I don't know if I've mentioned my riding skirt.  I absolutely love it!!!!  It's waterproof, insulated, easy to put on and take off (velcro waist) and I wear it all the time.  I use it mostly for chores, just throw it on over my jammies, but I also ride in it, and I sometimes use it like an insulated tarp to lay down on the snow out in the woods or even in the yard.  It's been so versatile, I tell all my men friends it's too bad they won't wear skirts.  For riding, it has two little straps that go around your legs to hold the two sides that come together underneath your legs so they don't flap up.  The back will flap up but it takes a pretty stiff wind.  Buster doesn't seem to mind but it would definitely spook a horse that wasn't used to it. I think it has spooked one of the horses I rode with, just being near it, maybe when some weeds brushed against it or something.  I got it here on Etsy.  She has thermal and unlined options, and it looks like she has fleece now as well.  I don't think I'd like fleece.  This has a slick liner that doesn't catch on anything or pick up bits of hay or burrs.  I don't know if they're all waterproof, some may not be.  I saw another seller who made wool skirts.  I adore wool, but this is practical for rain and debris.

Here we are standing on a cliff above the creek, which I wouldn't necessarily do on a horse.  Just before this he scrambled up a really difficult steep, rocky incline for me with no problem.  This donkey is impressing me more and more all the time.  His willingness really makes me feel flattered.  A donkey won't work for someone they don't trust.

John had just been dumped by Scout (spooking, not bucking - Scout isn't bad he's just dumb) so he was walking for a bit to cool off and assess his injuries (sore wrist and ribs).  By now I think he was just enjoying himself again.  Scout sure doesn't like moving water.  It scares him.  We need to work on that.

I love this picture.

And I love this "gallows pole" at the old ranch.  I know it's just for hanging meat but I saw a proud raven sitting on it once, and it just made it all the more creepish.  Buster was not pleased to be starting out on another ride.  I took it easy on him.

Here you see Buster Grazing with his racehorse hobbles on.  They rest higher up on the legs to protect the delicate tendons.  As with any hobbles, he can still get around pretty well with them on.  That is, until the straps to keep them up fall down around his neck and he stands there looking pathetic with his head trapped down until I realize what's going on.  Donkeys sure aren't horses.  No panic, just patiently, waiting for me to fix it.

End of the ride, and Buster was completely played out.  What a good boy.  This was our first day, and a little over 7 miles.  He didn't have to carry me the whole way, but he's not been ridden much at all lately.  If I can keep riding consistently it won't be long before his stamina is built up.  Donkeys seem to me to build muscle faster than horses.

Look just to the left of center in the rock face below.  There's a face there with a crown.  It reminds me of The Green Man or a primitive god.  And below that, slightly left just below the line of bushes, there's a coyote watching us.  She just looks like an upright tan spot.  She watched us quite a while and then moseyed downhill toward a watering hole.  The rest of the coyotes we saw out there were very skittish.

Ahhh, sunlight.  I was composing poetry as I rode but none of it made it to the page intact.

Ravens playing on the warm updraft coming off the cliffs.  I love ravens.

Behind Buster is Towell Falls, just a small white spot on the left.  Kind of anticlimactic but the rest of the ride totally makes it worth it.

Buster, the Donkey who stares at Cows.

I rather like this photo of Scout, and how the light hits his mane.

My kind man holding my unruly beast while I took a pit stop.

John and Scout overlooking Towell Falls.

Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.  There was a dark, brushy, squeezed spot between the rocks somewhere along here that both Buster and Scout found quite spooky.  Buster had to lead through and he did a great job, even though scary Scout was behind him.

A hand in the rock

This idiot was set up to sight in his rifle straight down the valley toward some trails that people hike.  Not only are you not allowed to shoot here, um, duh, people hike down there and there were several cars in the parking lot.  When John mentioned maybe he should position his target differently next time, he just said he assumed everyone was hiking out the other way.  You can never assume.  He gives everyone who shoots a bad name, and he could kill someone.  That stupid target did not stop his bullets, guaranteed.

Speaking of shooting, I never travel without my revolver (or two) anymore.  Too many weirdos, and I'm prepared if there's a horse accident.  I've wanted a cowboy drop holster for a long time, to hold it down and out of my way, but they're expensive.  I saw this one at a saddle maker's in Spokane a month or so ago, but John wanted me to save some money and make my own.  Then he suddenly remembered he'd never gotten me a 20th anniversary present.  I love it!!  So stoked.  It's so comfortable.  The bullet holder part of the belt is for a bigger caliber round, so I'll have to have that fixed, but other than that it's perfect.  Well, I might want to find a way to add a knife sheath...  It does make it hard to get into my pockets once it's on.

Okay, it only took me a couple days to get through writing this, how long did it take you to read it?  Or did you just skim and look at the pictures?  I can't help it, I love to take pictures.  :)  And write.  I've been writing a ton in a journal lately.  Even some attempts at bad poetry.  But mostly just working things out in my head - self psychotherapy maybe - and I write the type of article I'd never publish (thoughts on societal collapse, alcoholism, people who desecrate the forest) or letters I'd never send for various reasons, and a little bit of the sort of "this is what happened today" sort of journaling, but that's kinda boring most days.  

It's 4am and I've been up for an hour.  I'd already been in pain for half the night, up on and off, and then John switched on his phone, full brightness, right in my face.  I don't know why he's awake but now I am too because I hurt too bad to go back to sleep.  My neck is out pretty bad so it hurts, and I have a pretty good headache. The chiropractor couldn't fix it in one day.  I go back in a couple days. But still! I'm going riding this morning and then going to do some more learning on how to operate a backhoe.  Gotta keep moving and learning or what's the point, right?  My meds are already kicking in and I feel a bit better.  Thank goodness for Excedrin and Lyrica.

Scout and Buster go in for their yearly exams, Coggins test, health certificate to travel, dentistry and sheath cleanings tomorrow.  If I'm smart I'll remember to take their vaccines and give them while they're sedated.  Not that they're difficult but that would make it super easy.  It's going to be a long morning on my feet, I hope my back holds out!  I can't wait to visit with my old boss though.