Spring Creek Basin Mustangs

May we continue to heal and know that we are strong when we celebrate each other.

For the first time in a couple of tries, the forecasters got it right. For the first time since the end of December, we got snow!

When it first accumulated, the snow felt dry and powdery. Then the temp rose a bit, and even before the sun fought its way clear of the clouds toward the end of the day, that white moisture was seeping into that super thirsty ground.

It’s not all we need (we need SO much more), but it’s great to have snow again! Sundance, of course, makes it look even better.

On this evening, the horses were grazing some high ground along one of the basin’s main drainages. From the edge, they scouted ahead for dangers, then down they went to a seep in the arroyo below. Terra let the others determine the risk, then she followed for the trip to evening water.

On north-facing slopes, snow lingers on the ground since our last snowfall (more than two weeks ago) because those places don’t get the full press of sunshine that south-facing slopes get. We’ve had day-time temperatures in the 40s, which, with the full sunshine we’ve also had, is more than enough to melt snow quickly. Our overnight temps sink into the teens and 20s, so some snow still lingers on.

Our Monday-night-into-Tuesday-morning snowfall predictions are solidifying.

Did I mention that it has been more than two sunshiney weeks since we’ve had any heavensent moisture? We need some liquid gold … even if it’s temporarily “solid” in the form of gabillions of snowflakes.

Skywalker had been browsing around, then stopped to nap, and he was pretty determinedly paying zero attention to me.

And then he seemed to notice a pretty mare just ahead, and he perked up a bit. 🙂

He still paid me no nevermind, and that was perfectly OK.

Possibly other photographers would cull this image because of the dead – distracting? – sunflower stalk marring the lovely lines of Chipeta’s face. Maybe I’m just ornery, but I like it. Maybe it’s a reminder of summer, and given the awfulness of this winter (drydrydry), I’m in no hurry to get back to summer, but I still like it.

Is the rest of the image enough to draw your eye away from the bright, dead-center, dead-old sunflower stalk? Is Chipeta beautiful enough? Her coat fuzzy enough, the lift of her stepping leg strong enough, her nostril just-so-cocked enough, her pretty self aware enough … to focus your distraction on HER?

It’s enough for me. 🙂

Maiku, dear, did we interrupt your dinner? Please, carry on!

Lovely Maia, as pretty in winter as in the spring days of May, watches her band sisters as they browse through the trees near Round Top in Spring Creek Basin.

Chipeta found a patch of snow and was enjoying chewing it into liquid coolness. Fuzzy, fuzzy girl!