She was just doing her thing, moseying after another, better, patch of something to eat … but that light on the side of her face and her mane and shoulder … ah!
I just adore sweet little Spirit. In a band of mostly greys, she stands out for her gentle self as much as for her unique coat pattern.
Can we do any better than to give them these wild-and-free lives, that they were born to live? It’s the least and absolute best we can do. I’m so glad we can do it in Spring Creek Basin.
April’s full moon is known as the “pink moon” for pink flowers in the phlox variety that bloom in April. It’s also the first full moon after the start of spring, which was March 20, which makes it the paschal full moon, which is the full moon before Easter Sunday.
Phlox (I don’t know the exact kind) is usually the first tiny wildflower that blooms in Spring Creek Basin. I haven’t seen any yet, but with the warm temps and the winter moisture, it can’t be long. Phlox here is usually white, but it also sometimes takes on a pale pink blush. … Pink moon, indeed. 🙂
The sunlight through clouds on the landscape a couple of evenings ago was sooooo beautiful. Aspen kindly consented to model the beauty of the wild view.
Sometimes, the horses just happen to be behind things (trees, greasewood, etc.) when I aim my camera in their direction. It’s hard to tell whether they really think they’re “hiding” with something between me and them. It does make for humorous thoughts/comments to go with the images.
But in this case, Chipeta stopping behind the tree most definitely was deliberate. She stopped on the side of an arroyo near where I was sitting and gave me the eyeball, then trotted down and through and up the other side – and stopped right as you see her and gave me another eyeball from there! Ha!
She waited a few moments, and when I didn’t move (other than to take more pictures), she walked on out to graze. Smart, beautiful girl. 🙂 (And such a character!)
Maybe instead of having April Fool’s Day in Colorado, we could have April-Snow-in-Colorado Day! Instead of being reliably on April 1 every year, it can be just whatever day in April it happens to snow, because, you know, it almost always DOES snow in April in Colorado. 🙂
Kestrel is still sporting her winter fuzzies. And a good thing because we’re supposed to get … you know what’s coming … more snow! Maybe rain. After a couple of days of super-wind, it’s hard to go back to snowflakes!
As I’m scheduling this post the night before, though, the wind is howling, and the dust is so awful and terrible, the sky looks like those pix posted not long ago that showed snow coming in the background. … I’d rather have the snow! Hopefully it will dampen this dust and return our glorious blue sky. 🙂
Beloved faces. 🙂
This image of Hollywood is actually from a couple of weeks ago, from an absolutely gorgeous day and evening in Spring Creek Basin. I was with the band a couple of also-gorgeous evenings ago, but I didn’t catch anything nearly as dramatic. It *did* remind me of this particular evening, and that I’d gotten sidetracked with more snow and other mustangs … and forgotten these of Hollywood – which did not (in my ever-so-humble opinion) deserve to be forgotten and not shared.
He was napping with his band (that’s the rump of one of his mares in front of him) and another band nearby, and the light from the setting sun was glowing on him in just the absolute perfect angle to light up that marvelous amber eye. I’ve always thought Hollywood has the most beautiful eyes. Sure, sure, you can say that about any/all horses (animals) … but really. 🙂 His see into MY soul, and I hope it reflects love. (I’m pretty sure his reflect something along the lines of “you again?” though, of course, I determine to see the wildness and purity of his glorious soul within. :))
Snow invading Spring Creek Basin from the northwest doesn’t seem to phase Temple. If the mustangs are in any way discouraged by the ongoing winter-like weather, they don’t show it. Life goes on, and one day – soon, really – spring will be here!
And that’s no April Fool’s joke (though more snow apparently is coming!)!
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 