Pinto foal

8 06 2011

More of Kiowa’s baby and the pinto band.

Kiowa and three of her babies: Newest baby, yearling Maiku and 4-year-old Reya (who seems to also have lost the foal I’m sure she was carrying). Her babies Milagro (2) and Spook (3) are out on their own this year.

Kiowa was on her foaling heat, and Copper (band stallion) was quite interested.

Copper, Kiowa, Reya and Maiku

Because of Kiowa in heat, the stallions were roiling, but it makes for a fun picture!





Kiowa has a baby!

2 06 2011

I wasn’t expecting Kiowa to foal until the end of the month … which makes for a couple of realizations: She conceived last year on her foaling heat, and she’s now foaling within a month of when she was foaling before she got the PZP-22 in August 2007. Makes ya go hmmm.

From this side, baby looks a lot like big brother Maiku with that white slash over her withers …

… but a little more white on this side!

The wind today was brutal. By early afternoon, the La Sals were visible only as a bare outline against the horizon. The dust in the air wasn’t as thick as I’ve ever seen, but it was a rough day. That said, I saw almost all the horses, including this newest treasure!

What a sweet little spotted baby! Maybe a filly … but maybe not!

Kiowa’s in heat, and Corazon is not happy being odd man out …

With that kind of chaos, they didn’t need me around, so I got some documentary photos of the new baby and left the ponies to the wind.





Extended family

20 09 2010

No one’s curious about Mona and Shane and their new band? No one at all?

Good – because this post is not about them. 🙂 It’s about the wonderful little family of spots and solids and very black-dark turning grizzled grey: The pintos.

Minutes before sunrise, looking toward the unnamed promontory (left) and Brumley Point (right); the pintos are grazing on the hill behind me.

Mama Chipeta and Puzzle

Band stallion Copper and 2-year-old Spook

Mama Kiowa and baby Maiku

Isn’t she adorable?

I’m not often confident enough to pan with a slower-than-normal shutter speed, even though I love the effect. In the shade of pre-sunrise, the ponies gave me a good opportunity: Maiku and Spook and Chipeta ran a short way down this little finger of a hill when Mesa popped up behind them.

I watched the rising sun light the hills to the west in a slow creep … then the valley below … but when it hit our hill, it seemed like it was all at once – wow!

Milagro – and yes, I think that’s a prickly pear spine in his little face. He looks so much like daddy Copper.

Milagro is Maiku’s yearling big brother (probably full). Spook, pictured here with Maiku, is his 2-year-old big half-sister.

Big girl loves the little brother.

Maiku had been napping in the sunshine while mama and his sisters grazed around him. Here he’s stretching as Puzzle walks past, following mama.

She’s a little too little yet to interact much with him, but I’m sure they’ll become great pals, these (likely) half-siblings.

Once upon a time, in the wilds of Spring Creek Basin, Colorado, there lived a beautiful spotted princess and her mother and daddy and extended family.

She was strong and beautiful and well-adapted to her hilly home.

Her mama knew the importance of feeding the princess well to build strong bones and muscles so she could run with the wind in her curly little mane on strong little legs and flinty little hooves.

Mama also made sure there was plenty of time for baby to nap in the lovely warm sunshine.

The little princess knew the value of appearing graceful and poised at all times.

She knew she was so well cared for she could sleep safely in the presence of her mama, a princess in her own right, and the queen and her brother, and that all would be well when she awakened.

So the little princess slept soundly on her bed of grass and earth on the hill near the top of her beautiful world.

And when she had awakened and stretched and turned for mama, there she was, watchful and protective and waiting for her daughter, the littlest princess of Spring Creek Basin!

Not the end. 🙂 Some more:

Baby girl nursing surrounded by family: Kiowa and Maiku at left, Spook and Copper right of Chipeta and Puzzle, and Milagro at bottom right.

Ty and Copper – do you see the little sunflowers in front of Ty?

Ty

Mesa

Kiowa and Maiku grazing while Puzzle naps.

Puzzle and Chipeta, Maiku and Spook

Family: Left to right: 2-year-old daughter of Kiowa, Spook; band stallion Copper, sire (likely) of Milagro and Maiku and Puzzle; Maiku, baby son of Kiowa; Kiowa, dam of Reya, Spook, Milagro and Maiku; Reya, 3-year-old daughter of Kiowa; and Milagro, yearling son of Kiowa and Copper, in the background. Milo’s ears are up, but he’s half-asleep, but how’s that for getting six pairs of ears up at the same time!

The gang’s all there. Mesa at lower left. Chipeta and Puzzle, then Corazon, then Spook, Copper (you can just see his face), Maiku now lying down, Kiowa, Reya and Ty, and Milo in the back. This was their after-sunrise nap, and they enjoyed that wonderful sunshine as I bid them another “thank you” and farewell – only until next time!





Wet and dry, green and rain

6 08 2010

The basin is greener than I think I’ve ever seen it – even in spring. And it’s not just the “false” green, looking over the countryside and seeing the green of greasewood and saltbush and pinon/juniper – there’s also grass. Bright green tufts of it. Everywhere. Evidence of insane amounts of carving water iseverywhere – in some places, it was at least 3 feet deep. It’s been over the county road – and a(t least one) big mud flow prevents safe travel into the basin.

But hiking in from dysfunction junction was no problem. Not totally dry, but much drier than I had warned visitors it was likely to be!

Our wonderful friends Karen Keene Day (see her website in the blog roll) and her husband, F, and their friends R&K (and collectors of their art) visited the basin this week – from the lowlands of South Carolina! K&R said their house is at 16 feet. The basin is roughly 6,000 feet higher than that! I’m pretty sure I swatted at four mosquitoes.

I should have taken more pix of the wild and awesome evidence of the power of Ma Nature, but we were late to the basin already, and I wanted very much for them to see horses – if any kind of luck was with us.

The last time I was out – also with Karen – I was driving along the herd area, marveling at the water running in arroyos, thinking “look at this water! I wish horses were here to take advantage …” – and shazam – there were Shadow and Wind and David!

Would you believe luck struck again? I was thinking, “Please be visible for these folks from South Carolina. They really want to see you, and so do I …” – Can I say it again? It’s so much fun! SHAZAM!

David, our David. Isn’t he a handsome boy?

Shadow was perfectly content on the other side of the big arroyo, “hiding” behind greasewood, and this is the only time while we watched that I saw her actually look at us; I never saw her even lift her head.

Neither did Wind! I can’t believe how much he looks like Liberty, in color, at least.

There was still a possibility we’d see the pintos up the next drainage … and as we proceeded down the road, I spotted a pinto I thought at first was Corazon. But when I looked through the binocs, I realized it was Bruiser! He’s still by himself … but Lady Luck was completely on our side, and the pinto band was nearby. He’s keeping his distance, but he’s also keeping an eye on them.

With the second storm wave since Karen and I arrived passing across the north end of the basin (rain might have fallen on the north hills), and lightning flashing – but us in partial sunshine – we hiked in – on dry land. The side arroyos were dry, but the big arroyo that comes through that drainage was still muddy. No standing water that we saw in our brief glimpses, but I’d be astounded to learn that any possible “pond” in the basin is not holding water right now. We’re right smack dab in the middle of our normal monsoon season … but this isn’t quite normal!

We got up to within hailing distance of the ponies, and Ty, then Mesa finally saw us as they trailed after the band, slowing grazing along the base of “their” hill (really, aren’t all the hills theirs?!). Mesa came out between us and the band, not alarmed, and Corazon, before he knew what Mesa was looking at, came out to meet him.

Kiowa finally saw us – Maiku took advantage of her pause to grab a snack. Copper in the foreground, Chipeta behind Kiowa and Spook at right.

Back to grazing.

No foal yet from Chipeta …

Bruiser stayed near the base of the hill across the arroyo where I found the band last time, just watching.

We kept our eyes on the lightning and pretty soon decided to head back.

No agenda; just luck. Amazing.

Just amazing.

It started raining about dawn the next morning, and two hours later, it was still raining, so I thanked my lucky stars and headed home. A few weeks ago, it was so dry, all the ponds were dry, and the horses were relying on little trickles in secret pockets for their water. Now, it’s like a second spring in August. Monsoons in a Colorado summer – gotta love ’em!

Teaser:

Disappointment Creek (outside the herd area)





Spots after rain

24 07 2010

Chipeta is – should be – very close.

So when I saw her – standing oh-so-still way out yonder – across the muddy green gloriousness (I swear the greasewood are greener), the sacrifice of my shoes was a foregone conclusion.

As it turned out, she was just resting, not standing over a small something I couldn’t see across the distance. Doesn’t she look – ahem – *glowing*? Radiant, even?

That light WAS sublime.

And so was every glimpse of this in the big arroyo:

Looking down from above, after sun had set.

As I was about to walk across. Two notes: Can you imagine what my shoes looked like? This is why we didn’t drive into the basin!

OK, so it looks like the mud pots of Yellowstone, but it’s running water. See the riffles? See the trickles? See the life force of the desert? Of the horses that call this slice of desert home?

*Shutter click* Well, hello there, big. While I was focused on the band, I managed to “sneak” up on Mesa, browsing along the edge of the big arroyo. He didn’t seem to know I was there until he heard the click of my camera shutter and turned his head to smile for the camera.

Big bro and little bro – Milagro and Maiku.

Corazon, on guard. I’m not sure why he seems to have “preferred” status with the band. He’s walking away from Ty here … to scuffle with Mesa … and later with Ty … They both seemed to have the upper, uh, hoof, but they also both walked away.

And Ty seems to “have” Chipeta … except when he doesn’t. When I first saw them, they were slightly apart from the band (Mesa even farther), both standing, napping. Chipeta ended up with the band, and Ty walked on … past Milagro, who stood facing him, ready to clack, ready to be submissive, very curious in the big grey boy … past Corazon the first time … In this photo, he was actually walking back up toward the band from grazing down the hill toward the arroyo.

Milagro at bottom right; Spook, upper left; Kiowa and nursing Maiku and Copper behind them.

Milagro and big sisters Reya, center, and Spook.

Milagro and daddy Copper. My, don’t THEY look alike?! Almost the last of the sun before it slipped below the near hill …

Chipeta and Spook and mama Kiowa

Kiowa and Maiku. That little jag over his withers – see his tuft of white mane? – is the only “pinto” he got from mama.

Just a tiny bit on this side. Big baby boy!

Reya, 3 (big Chipeta grazing away at left)

The sun had slipped away by this point, so then it was just a sweet, quiet visit with these seldom-visited ponies.

More rain that night … the next morning … with it, cooool breezes. Oh lovely days.

Heaven.





Kiowa has a little boy

15 07 2010

I figured she’d had her foal … but I haven’t seen the pinto band since before I went on vacation. I don’t know where they’re finding water – somewhere obviously. I couldn’t find it.

Chipeta, Ty and Mesa were visible from the Disappointment Road on my way out with the fire management officer, but the other horses were not. We watched them for several minutes, but if the other horses were in the arroyo, out of sight, they were there longer than we were there watching. Makes sense if there was only a little water, and they had to wait for it to seep to the surface then take turns.

I climbed Round Top to look for the pintos (check), for David and Shadow and Wind (nope), for Poco and Roach – and Bruiser? (nope). Nice and windy – and windier from there – gnats were few. Ty and Chipeta were close to the pintos, which again makes me think they may have been close earlier. They had followed a drainage – and Ty and Chipeta had climbed a hill – and were only partially visible to me: Mesa, looking very, very dark in the very, very bright sunshine, and Copper, and, for a few moments, Milagro, and Corazon, I thought.

I had seen most everybody else – mostly from a distance – so I drove out and around and hiked in at dysfunction junction – maybe my first serious hike in from there since the summer before last when it seemed like I was hiking in there every other visit to visit the pintos on their hill. Made a decision at a confluence of arroyos near their heads … picked a hill to climb … and there they were, napping in that bright, hot (96?) sunshine – Ty looking down on them from a nearby hill. As it turned out, that brought the short visit to a quick end. Copper added to the stud pile nearby, and Mesa came over to investigate that, and Ty trotted down to investigate them, and Corazon, standing sentinel against the cloud-studded horizon, pretty as a picture, trotted over to warn him off, meanwhile, Chipeta used the diversion (clever mare) to make a run back to the band (aka Kiowa), which caused Ty and Corazon to break off their manly event and go racing off after her, which caused the whole band to decide nap time was over – long over – and they should be far away. Copper snaked and lunged – at the mares, at Milagro and Spook – at Mesa and Ty – at Corazon – and Kiowa led her baby – and the rest – to the grey far hills, away – naturally away – from my long walk back.

I usually fill my cooler with Gatorade and then put half the bottles back in the fridge upon my return … I drank them all this visit. Hot and warm and dry and dehydrating was the wind and sun – the hottest of the summer, so far, by my visits. And how must the horses fare, with temperatures so high, water so scarce?

I thought of the news of the Tuscarora horses, dying of dehydration, running in the summer heat ahead of the relentless helicopter … no relief at the capture site. I know someone who wants a return to the “good old days” of mustangs. You mean, where they chased them from pickups, roped them with lassos knotted to tires at their ends? Was that less inhumane than what occurs now? I’m not there. I don’t know the details. Common sense seems so scarce …

“Well, *I* wouldn’t drink that water.” Said with a laugh. Talking about our horses. Spring Creek Basin horses.

Unforgettable deeds and words. Unforgivable.

There are plenty of sites dedicated to wild horse and burro news – I read them – my purpose here is different. But my heart is crying … even while I celebrate the gift of another life.

Welcome to your delicate life, little one, Maiku (“my-kuh,” “a friendly greeting” in the Ute language). Be strong and swift and fearless. I will help you until I can’t.

The story in pictures:

Spook, Kiowa, Milagro, Maiku (see him?) and Copper; Corazon on the ridge.

Zoomed in – see the baby on the ground?

Reya, closer, looking up from grazing.

Ty, on the hill, looking down at the band. Mesa has left them and walked down … Chipeta is behind Ty, out of sight …

Copper prepares to add to the stud pile (see how massive it is – I guess I know where the pinto band has been hanging out!) …

Copper (kicking) and Mesa discuss their territory.

Corazon watching … just before Ty decided to join the discussion, which led to Corazon’s involvement.

Corazon thought he’d take advantage of the diversion and head toward Chipeta – Ty is in pursuit. Corazon, so chunky and stout. Ty, so spare and long-legged. Sleek. Going about the business of being wild.

Their discussion reaches its peak and provides its own diversion, which Chipeta (close … so close) takes advantage of …

And which brought their “discussion” to a near-immediate end as they fastened their attention back on Chipeta – too late.

Maiku – just barely a pinto pony – and mama Kiowa

Milagro looking back … See Maiku’s legs through Milo’s? Kiowa, and Spook past her.

And then up and over the ridge … I walked to the top of it and watched Copper snaking his family to, snaking the boys fro, Kiowa with baby tight to her side, leading her family this way and that to escape the snake.

Kiowa is the only mare with babies this old all still with her: Reya, 3, was released with her after the roundup (nearly a weanling at the time),  2-year-old Spook, yearling Milagro and baby Maiku.

Isolated, this band – segregated by geography – not without family drama.

Chipeta is due to foal the end of this month. I hope this year has a happier outcome.

I hope for happier outcomes …





More spots – and three bays and a grey

5 06 2010

The pinto gang was my last sighting of the visit – right off the Disappointment Road. Although the solids almost equal the spots now, I’ve always thought of this as “the pinto band” because, although Copper seems to be at the top of the hierarchy, there are three other stallions mingling and following. Truth be told, it’s really Kiowa’s band – girls rule! This girl certainly does.

Mama Kiowa and Milagro. She’s looking right “on (new) schedule” to foal the end of this month or early July. (It’s her new schedule since she – apparently – got just enough  PZP-22 to  delay her last pregnancy two months but not prevent it altogether.)

Milagro is still very fuzzy. I have noticed that the youngsters are always the last to shed out, but goodness. The little boy still looks like a fuzzy teddy bear! It was pretty warm in the basin – into the 80s both days. Mid-50s at sunrise – that’s crazy warm for us!

Band stallion Copper with 3-year-old Reya and 2-year-old Spook (Kiowa’s daughters). Reya looks as slim and girlish as 3-year-old Baylee – I don’t think either of them are pregnant.

Chipeta, also on her “new schedule” looking pregnant. She foaled the end of July last year.

And the hangers-on:

Corazon, with his “tell-tale heart.”

Ty, very most definitely going grey.

And easy-going Mesa, bringing up the rear as usual. 🙂





The faraway ponies

3 04 2010

Some horses were far away when I saw them. Some were mere horses … some were mountain goats!

From a ridge above Steeldust’s napping band, I saw deer … then the two pinto bachelors Bruiser and Cinch with orphan Twister. The pinto band was nearby, but David and Shadow, who had been close to Bruiser, Cinch and Twister the last couple of times I’d seen them, were nowhere in sight. While I watched from faraway, Mesa, lowest man on the pinto band totem pole, watched then walked out to have a little howdy-do with the other boys.

Veteran Bruiser makes “first” contact. Mesa, Cinch and the other stallions with the pinto band used to be part of the “southside boys” bachelor band.

From left: Corazon, Copper, Spook, Kiowa, Milagro and Chipeta

This made me go “hmm.” Reya, almost 3, stood napping over Ty, who was lying down. Interesting.

Bounce’s band were almost the last horses I saw: up on the flank of Lizard Mesa.

Do you see everybody? Can you see the steepness of the hillside?

How ’bout now?! 🙂 Bottom to top: Alegre, Whisper, Liberty, Bounce and Gaia!

Around another bend or four, I found these lovelies with their fawns of last year:

Good thing it’s not hunting season – the silly girls were not too worried, and I was able to photograph them, then drive right by them.

The last band I saw was Kreacher’s, on my way out.


Corona, Raven and Mona – Kreacher and Kootenai were back to the left. Snow lingering on the back eastern-boundary ridges makes for a dramatic background … defines one of the natural boundaries of the basin.





Spots at the end ‘o day

1 03 2010

This may have been the longest day ever, judging by how long it has taken to get the pix selected, tweaked and posted.

When I left Bounce’s band, the youngsters were moving from grazing mode to play mode.

While I sat with Bounce and Alegre, the babies had grazed their way farther along the slope. I turned from the ultra-relaxed mare and stallion to see the three playmates kicking up their heels down to what must have been a crossing spot over a shallow arroyo that ran just behind Bounce and Alegre and come back toward us on the other side. I wanted to include these couple of pix to show some behavior but also again to show the size difference between Whisper and Liberty.

This “initiation” has been going on since Molly briefly lingered with the band. What is it we say about human little boys who “torment” and harass human little girls …? 🙂

Meanwhile …

Mama and Daddy are nearby and unconcerned. Alegre was a few feet behind Bounce, but I liked the juxtaposition of their faces, so I cropped in.

I had seen most of the horses I had particularly wanted to see – not Poco and Roach – and I think they remain the horses I haven’t seen in the longest time, since early winter. I headed out of the basin and saw Grey/Traveler and Houdini and Terra on my way out. I debated driving down the county road to try to spot the pintos again – and/or David and Shadow and/or Bruiser, Twister and Cinch. The sun had dropped below clouds, and end of the day in the basin is always so gorgeous …

I thought, no way will I get lucky two visits in a row and see the pintos right off the road, but I decided to drive down anyway, just to see what I could see.

Deer were out by the hundreds, at least – all does and last year’s fawns from what I could tell. With the lack of snow, the Disappointment is a friendly place for them right now.

Shot right through the window of the Jeep from the Disappointment Road.

I drove on down … and who do you suppose I saw, not only right off the road again but even closer to the road this time??

Kiowa leads Milagro and Copper through the mud, which was sloppy-messy in the southern part of the herd area.

Chipeta was buzzing around trying to incite jealousy or I’m not sure what … Mesa was mostly just annoyed …

… especially when it worked on Ty, right (this pic taken immediately after the pic above).

She calmed down a bit when she got back around to Kiowa and nursing Milagro. That’s almost-3-year-old Reya in the background.

Spook in the middle now (isn’t she a big girl? 2 in May) and widened to include Copper.

Sometimes the older “babies” just aren’t ready to give up Mama … Spook, cutting off Milagro to be close to Kiowa.

Corazon is still with the band; I just realize he didn’t make it into my pictures this visit.

And there you finally have all the pony sightings of that lovely day last month (can you believe it’s March?!)! The horses are all wintering extremely well, I think, as you can tell by their luxurious coats and ripe little bellies!





Threat of snow

7 02 2010

In reality, it was less than the weather man predicted, and I was able to drive into the basin. For all the snow where I live and all the snow out to the rim of Disappointment, the valley and basin have less than I expected. But the soil is wet – OK, it’s downright muddy – so I hope it still bodes well for our moisture there this year. And more is coming … it’s only February, after all!

I found little man Hayden and his family for the first time in two visits … and Iya, who was not with Grey/Traveler when I last visited two weeks ago, was not with them. Gone back to her mama? I don’t know; I didn’t see them this visit. In fact, with the cattle spread throughout the interior of the basin, it was difficult to spot horses at all. I do wonder how much the cattle disperse the horses. Report is that at least four cows have calved, and they’re being checked at least every other day, so there are good eyes watching. I still hope they’re all out on time this year.

Also found Kreacher’s band. Wait till you see Corona! Oddly enough, I didn’t see Steeldust’s, so I also don’t know whether Duke is still following them, but it made me realize it has been a long, long time since I’ve NOT seen Steely Dan’s band during a visit! But I did see a threesome I haven’t seen since better weather: Cinch, Bruiser – and Twister, still with them! They were close to David and his Shadow. And not close to them but close to me, on the road, the pintos. And a handful of deer and elk for good measure. Anyone know when deer and elk drop their antlers? I thought it was around now. Both the (young) bucks I saw still had their antlers (all the elk I saw were cows and last year’s calves).

Kreacher and his girls.

A little closer …

And a wee bit closer. Gotta love a zoom lens. 🙂

Can you believe how she’s changed?? No doubt who her daddy is! Check out that wavy mane! Daddy must be Corona of Sand Wash Basin, otherwise known as “Fabio”! Oh, she is destined to break some hearts, isn’t she? 🙂

Her “aunties” clearly adore her. Here, Kootenai is upset she’s not the one right next to the baby, and Mona is giving no ground.

But a few steps later, they were happy again.

Krazy Kreacher and Mona

Mama and her girl

Spent a little time with Chrome’s band next.

Welcome from the boys!

As mentioned, Iya was not with the band, and I wondered if she’d gone back to mama … Couldn’t confirm because I didn’t see Grey/Traveler’s band this visit.

Note the new scars on Chrome’s face. From scrapping …?

Snug as a baby bug in a fuzzy fur coat!

These two little boys are, well, typical little boys. Hayden has no idea he’s the baby of the family and is completely confident as first son of first mare. And he has the ‘tude I would expect of Grey’s son!

The innocent approach …

He just can’t resist …

Cuatro is a very tolerant “big brother.”

Hey … what are you doing there?!

Cute!!

Check out Cuatro’s lip.

But before long, the little couldn’t resist brother’s fuzzy cheek.

See how tolerant?

I can hardly stand the cuteness. 🙂 Do you see the darker hair on the front of Hayden’s face? It’s like a long horseshoe-shaped whorl. I think Jif has it, but otherwise, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything like it before – and it didn’t show up until he was full into his winter coat.

And again, he can’t help himself!

Sheesh. 🙂

Cuatro finally crossed the little arroyo to the left, and Hayden followed – actually right beside him – and THAT finally irritated Cuatro, who laid his ears back and snapped at him.

Meanwhile, mama Two Boots kept an eye on the proceedings but didn’t interfere. And Jif, who already had crossed, trusted her cheeky boy to follow her … eventually.

The boys finally settled to the business of filling growing-boy tummies. All the horses seem to have gotten into the habit now of eating snow. A little farther up this drainage, they paused in a particular place to take advantage of a particular drift.

Not far as the raven flies, Cinch, Bruiser and Twister were grazing close to David and Shadow … and a few elk and deer.

One big pretty girl. Doesn’t she look to be in great shape?

Two more beautiful girls.

And then the pinto band was very near the road!

From left: Spook, Kiowa, Mesa, Reya, Corazon and Chipeta, Ty and Copper.

Independent Milagro was just a bit to the left out of the frame of the first pic, facing away from the band, standing slightly uphill, taking a little nap!

I sat in the Jeep on the road long enough that three muley does started walking toward me on the road. The horses took quite an interest in them. At one point, they jumped the fence into the herd area … but within just a couple of minutes, they jumped out again.

Chipeta set herself as guardian, while the other horses mostly ignored the deer in the beginning. Ty, in the background, watched them, but he had stopped grazing and was just kind of dozing.

There’s everyone but Mesa, most now clearly watching the deer. I’m not sure where they came from exactly, and they didn’t seem to know where they were going.

So it was quite a nice little visit! Utah was visible all day, but by the time I headed home, my Colorado views (Sleeping Ute, Mesa Verde ridges, La Platas) had completely disappeared. My grandma’s favorite views were always farmground views – flat, low horizons – but I like my views “cluttered” with hills and crags and mountains. No views here means low clouds, which, now, means snow. Sure enough, about 10 miles from home, the flakes started hitting the windshield. I definitely offered some thanks to Mother Nature for the little weather window that allowed me to visit my ponies. 🙂