Rain kept me from visiting the basin as much as usual the past couple of weeks, and life has kept me from posting recently.
I made a very quick, short trip to the basin last-last weekend – almost got stuck but didn’t (and no, those ruts by the V arroyo aren’t mine) – and took pix only of Roach, which probably sets some kind of record. My main objective was to check on Two Boots’ baby, but as it turned out, rained chased me away before I could find them. Did see Steeldust’s band with Mouse and Comanche, Aspen, Chrome and Hook nearby, Bounce’s band (only Whisper appeared to see me, but he didn’t give me away), Hollywood’s band – with Poco and Roach – and Kreacher and the girls.
Fast forward to this past weekend. Rain again so I waited then hiked. Far. Long. Sunshine appeared between waves of rain, then dark skies again. Saw Duke, Raven and Corona up in the north hills and Kreacher and the dunnies by the water catchment. All the other ponies were back in the east pocket … including the surprise.
Some pix in random order:
Three generations
Houdini and her baby and her OTHER baby and HER baby.
Two Boots and her colt
Just for fun …
Before names
I dug this photo out of my 2007 archives. That’s Houdini and Two Boots from April 22, 2007, when they were with Junior, before the roundup. Two Boots was just a day or two old there, I figured.
2Bs boy
Two weeks old.
Hello, silver
Jif, ever-expanding, was playing mountain goat up on the hill in front of Grey/Traveler. He came around the hill and looked up – before I knew she was there – and that’s how I knew she was there. She didn’t come down, though, so a little later, he went around the other side and up, and pretty soon, here she came, back down to the meadow with the others.
Piedra and Sage
Pretty girl and her little boy.
Gaia and Whisper
Pretty girl and her little brother.
When did my babies grow up into yearlings?! They all look so big … and more than one young lady was being investigated by the stallion of her band, who is NOT her daddy, biologically. How do they know?!
Did you notice the shift from sunshine to shade? Clouds moving in, thunder booming; time for the long walk back.
Another day, and I was back. Lotsa clouds early gave way – without raindrops – to lotsa blue sky over paradise. I didn’t find Grey/Traveler and his band, but the news was that Jif still hadn’t foaled. But it turned out to be better luck for getting pictures of our newest herd member.
Pied piper
Test your knowledge. The surprise is the wee-est in the middle.
Studly Seven
Have you made the ID now? Molly was VERY disinterested, but she finally stood for him.
Ze
Almost 2 months old now; what a handsome little bugger!
Baby makes nine
I was in stealth mode because this band is one of the most wary (and rightfully so). Based on my feeling that the baby – a filly – was about a week old and basically confirmed by Seven breeding Molly on her foaling heat, I’m giving the foal a Memorial Day (May 25) birthday (which also happens to be the birthday of one of my uncles!). So I asked my dad, a 20-year Army veteran, to name her. Welcome to the world, Liberty. 🙂 (Is that not perfect?? Thanks, Dad!)
Sky ranger
Seven could hear my camera shutter but wasn’t quite sure where it was coming from. Molly and Roja and the foals were down in a wide arroyo, browsing on greasewood.
By the way, Molly’s surprise comes from the fact that she got the PZP in 2007. Her foal Starla died in August 2008 (after the band was chased by that moron, but there’s no proof he had anything to do with it); she should not have had a foal this year. Ninety-percent effective, I believe?
Roach
Looking toward the band.
Poco
Round Top in the background.
Sage
He’s standing on the road; the Round Top intersection is to the left.
And that’s all I have for now. Haven’t had a close sighting of Duke, Raven and Corona for a while, so I’ll be looking for them. We’re down to just one pond holding water – east pocket. It’s very shallow, and it was clear Sunday, so the horses hadn’t been there recently.
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 