Wish granted!

13 12 2022

Mother Nature blanketed Spring Creek Basin with at least a couple of inches of snow! The amount varies a bit, but I’d guess there’s an average of at least 2 inches of the golden white stuff covering the range. It came in on a fairly warm wind, and the snow was nice and wet. Now, our temps are going to drop significantly, with highs in the 30s – much more seasonal for Colorado in December than the 40s and 50s we’d been enjoying lately.

Mostly, the horses seemed to be sheltering in out-of-the-way places, and I didn’t see many bands, but Cassidy Rain and her family were happy to visit briefly (well, maybe *I* was the one happy to visit?). 🙂

Now, let me take you on a little tour around Spring Creek Basin, seen under a pristine cover of fresh snow:

From near the original water catchment looking northwest over the rimrocks above Spring Creek canyon over northern/northwestern Disappointment Valley. Utah’s La Sal Mountains are usually visible along the horizon in the distance … but it was still snowing over them while the clouds over us were breaking and giving us that brilliant Colorado sunshine.

Our newest water catchment got a good dose of snow to start melting and filling the tanks!

From the north(ish) part of the basin, looking southeast toward McKenna Peak and Temple Butte. Look at all that pillowy white frozen goodness!

Approaching the basin’s east pocket: Juniper and her family – and the rest of us – got our snowy wish. 🙂

As I was heading out of the basin, just as the sun was sinking into a cloud bank above the valley’s southern ridges, I stopped on rollercoaster ridge to photograph a wild little snowburst over western Disappointment Valley beyond Spring Creek Basin – from a single crazy cloud! And yes, in the foreground is a pond, still – still! – nearly full to the brim.

Despite the coming frigid temps, I think we’re all pretty happy about the snowfall. 🙂





Walking into the night

28 11 2022

Rowan and her band make their way to the original water catchment in Spring Creek Basin on a recent soft evening.

We have had more than two weeks again of dry, dry weather (which has been helpful for things like finishing the new water-catchment project), but we have a very good chance tonight of SNOW into tomorrow. After those nice little rains/snows earlier this fall, our dirt is turning to dust again, so it will be good to see the land covered in the glittery white stuff, with moisture that seeps slowly into the thirsty soil. Even in the high deserts of Colorado, we look forward to winter’s life-giving snow!





For love of a place

20 11 2022

Every day is a day of thanksgiving in Spring Creek Basin. … Maybe we appreciate it just a little bit more when quiet is restored after a time of chaos. 🙂





Layers and layers and layers

3 11 2022

In the high-desert mountain country, mustangs are … perfect.





A little white, a little grey

30 10 2022

I couldn’t choose between these two pix of Mariah … so I didn’t, and you get to see both!

And yes, that’s snow in the background. We got another couple of inches of the white stuff a couple of days ago, and just like the first time, it melted really fast. But this time, I got out in the mud to “chase” some ponies. 🙂 Fortunately, Mariah and her group were right near a road.

As always, we’re grateful for the infusion of moisture!





Doin’ the mosey

2 10 2022

Maiku was doing a little visiting the other day. Just checking out a couple of neighboring bands. He and two bachelors had a friendly chat, and then they all went back to the business of grazing – and drinking. In the background are the rimrocks above Spring Creek canyon, and Spring Creek was running that day after a rain.

We all love it when water is so convenient!





Fleeting time

6 09 2022

Sometimes, it’s even harder than usual to find words to convey the beauty or peace or contentment I feel while with the mustangs. Sometimes, neither words nor images can quite do it … and not words and images together. But if even a little is conveyed … I consider both well worth the time spent, with the understanding that no time in the company of mustangs is even a second wasted.





Bitty bits of light

3 09 2022

Tenaz keeps his eyes on a bachelor pair associated with his band and a lone bachelor. … Just in case his presence and wisdom is needed, you know.





Nowhere else to be

1 09 2022

Skywalker grazes with other bands nearby – and no need to ask why. Look at that grass! Mostly galleta and grama, intermixed with other yummies.





Full to the brim

22 08 2022

Have I mentioned the recent GREEN in Spring Creek Basin? Yes? Oh, good. … ‘Cuz it’s there. 🙂

Along with a little of this:

Two perspectives of Spring Creek, flowing with rainwater, the day before yesterday. The first image is directly as the road crosses the creekbed/arroyo; the second is just to the right – water flowing toward us. Interestingly, the road was dry to this point, but clearly it had rained in the northern and eastern (at least) regions of Spring Creek Basin. By this point, the major arroyos of the basin have converged (though there are still some that feed the creek’s westward drainage). The water was neither high (deep) nor terribly fast, but I didn’t cross. There are times to respect Mother Nature’s obstacles, and I deemed this to be one of those times.

Also a good bit of this:

This is the pond near the hill we call Flat Top. It’s rare to see it so full of water that it backs up so far to the right.

And this is the east-pocket pond, way back in the far eastern region of Spring Creek Basin, also full to the gills.

The pond pix were taken the day before those of Spring Creek running, which was the day after I got soaked going into the basin and getting caught in a lovely little drenching that did NOT go ’round. 😉

All the ponds are so excellently full; the above two are just examples.

So grateful. So very, very grateful.