Another pic – this time of dear Aspen – as the fog was clearing from the bowl of Spring Creek Basin a couple of mornings ago. He’s showing his age and moving slower these days, but he’s doing all right, hanging out – sometimes – with another bachelor and/or sometimes trailing a band.
The National Weather Service has this to say about the formation of fog: “Warm air, moist air blows in from the south and if there is snow or cool moisture on the ground it will come in contact with the warm, moist winds. This contact between the air and ground will cause the air blowing in to become cool. Then dew point rises and creates high humidity and forms fog.”
That describes our conditions the last couple of mornings to a T.
It might go without saying that in the high-desert country of Southwest Colorado, we rarely get fog. 🙂
One of the coolest – and picturesque – things about fog is when it’s starting to clear in favor of that strongest of atmospheric conditions (especially in Southwest Colorado): sunshine. 🙂
Above, I happened to catch sight of a few bachelor stallions trotting across the landscape, with a hazy spotlight of sunshine casting light particularly on the rimrocks above Spring Creek canyon. Oh, so very pretty.
Whewwwwwwwww, Nellie! I would NOT want to be on the receiving end of THAT look of menace!
But a few paces later, all was well.
Sometimes, all it takes is a look and a bit of a stompy stride. 🙂
While upper/higher elevations got some snow yesterday and the previous night, Spring Creek Basin and the lower parts of Disappointment Valley got rain, which resulted in sticky/muddy ground. The moisture, though not a great amount, is always welcome. But season-wise, we’d kinda like some snow!
Apparently, Colorado may have a white Christmas! Hopefully that includes our little corner of the state.
From my vantage point with another band, I saw these lovelies lined out walking toward a pond in the distance.
We’re really all just small critters in this great, wide and wild world of ours.
See them?
See the other thems? 🙂
With winter coats like those, mustangs can nap comfortably even with a nippy wind swirling.
And with a view like that, who wouldn’t want to peacefully linger?
The clouds were playing tag with the lowering sun, and while I was waiting for a bit more light on the scene, the subtle light was just divine.
Despite the sharp wind, Sundance was perfectly at ease. I was perfectly glad of all my layers!
Storm. My handsome heart.
I mean, really!
Oh, I do love a rich bay mustang against the glorious white of pristine snow! Madison the beautiful.
(This post refers back to fresh-snow scenery from the last storm. I have this one and another that I’d like to share before the next snowstorm hits Disappointment Valley!)
Shadow approaches the running stream that is Spring Creek for a drink.
With daytime temperatures at or slightly above 50 degrees, there’s liquid water for the horses to drink from shady-spot snow still melting.
Love her natural (probably greasewood) mane adornments!
(Although this is down in the Spring Creek arroyo, you can see the lack of snow, which is the current land condition. There are still infrequent patches of snow in the north-facing and/or shady areas, but mostly, the basin is free of snow, though still damp to muddy in most places. We have snow in the forecast for Friday.)
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 