Nothing like jumping back into life after a long vacation away from home. I’ll have to break this up or I’ll never get images/updates posted!
During my first visit to the basin after I got home, Jif and her baby were the second thing I noticed. The first was this:
Kreacher and Mona
Kudos to you if you recognize that Kootenai is missing from this picture; she was missing from the entire area. Changes like this always result in a clutch to my stomach, but I won’t leave you guessing as long as I was – she’s fine. But you’ll have to wait (or scroll down) to find out who she’s with now … You might be able to guess – like I did! That’s Filly Peak behind them. Not much of a geographic change for these ponies.
Grey/Traveler’s band was very nearby, still with Chrome, who’s still the bachelor on their heels. While the stallions aren’t fat because of their constant vigilance, and Houdini and Two Boots aren’t fat because they’re nursing foals, they all look to be in good condition. Jif looks wonderful.
Steeldust’s band was napping on top of the finger hills with bachelors Mouse and Comanche. Bachelors Hook and Twister were a bit down the hill toward the arroyo, and bachelors Cinch and Bruiser were very near the east-side loop road!
Cinch and Bruiser, Twister and Hook
You never know where these spotted boys will show up.
Let’s pause the program for a moment to talk about the ponds. Nope, they weren’t dug out; Ma Nature intervened. The pond north of Flat Top has water in it, but it’s not full and it’s not deep. I didn’t hike back to check the pond south of Round Top. The pond below the roller-coaster ridge and the pond near the entrance by the road to the old trap site also have water again. That must have been some rain the basin got that kept me from visiting before my trek north! This brings us to most of the water sources having water again …
Poco and Roach appeared on the other side of the roller-coaster ridge from the pond … and Hollywood and his band were nowhere in sight. They showed up east of the road across from the valley between Knife Edge and Lizard Mesa!
Sage and Piedra
Hollywood's band
Before I left the east pocket, I hiked back to check that pond – still water – and look for Seven’s – who I didn’t see. But up by the pond right by the road, a nice little surprise – and an answer.
Duke's band
All looks normal, right?
Kootenai
Ta da!
Did you guess? And how did it come about? Duke’s and Kreacher’s territories have been close – partially overlapping – but not that close. Duke and Kreacher did pal around in the not-too-distant past as part of the Bachelor 7. But I wonder if Kootenai wasn’t the force behind the change. Wonderful Duke. 🙂 He gets an instant family when (I think) he happens across Raven and baby Corona; now, his family has increased, randomly or …?
Corona and Raven
Corona and Kootenai
You’d think they’d known each other forever.
Corona and Raven
Raven
Who looks fabulous??
Nibbling Mama's ear
Any ideas on baby girl’s color? I’m still stumped. Love her curly mane. 🙂
Kootenai and Duke
Duke takes this addition to his family in stride. Such a gentleman.
Aspen was – alone – right around the corner. Bounce and his family were down by the arroyo at the northern end of the valley between Lizard Mesa and Knife Edge. Then it was back around to get a better look at Jif’s handsome little guy, and more pix will come later as I get them tweaked. The pinto band was visible from the Disappointment Road near the county line, so it turned out that Seven’s band and David and Shadow were the only ponies not seen during my return to my very own paradise, oh-so-close to home.
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 