Bringin’ the sky-magic

12 07 2023

For the last very long – days and days and days and weeks and days and weeks – we’ve had solid blue skies. Every. Single. Day.

We finally got some clouds. And when Disappointment Valley does clouds, boy, does it do spectacular clouds.

In order of appearance from around 5:30 or close to 6 p.m. to after sunset:

Looking west.

Mustangs grazing and napping under the relief of clouds.

Silver linings.

Do you see the rainbow?

Rain – or at least virga – to the west.

More mustangs. More napping.

When I left the bands pictured above, I thought I might have a chance at any late surprise light with the bands pictured higher above. But they had moved quite a bit, and the clouds were heavy, and sunset was imminent. But as I left Spring Creek Basin, rain was drifting eastish along the southern ridges of Disappointment Valley. Then I dropped below the rimrocks (the basin’s western boundary), and holy rainbow! You’ll have to take my word for it that it was SUPER intense, and the photo above doesn’t do it justice.

By the time I got to the main road, that “surprise” light was glowing, and the rain had moved away from the southern ridges.

Meanwhile, to the west … this!

Bit closer view of the mountains.

Back to the southeastish, rain was actually falling over the southern/southeastern part of Spring Creek Basin.

And THIS happened. I’m not sure I’ve ever been so glad and grateful to have a cell phone that doubles as a very wide-angle camera.

We ended the day with some post-sunset magic.

And 0.01 inch of rain. 🙂 Enough to make part of the road … actually … WET!





Golden at any angle

7 07 2023

Beautiful Kestrel. ‘Nuff said.





Growing up mustang

6 07 2023

Baby Bia has made a couple of appearances on the blog, but older baby Odin hasn’t, and he should because he’s growing into quite a striking colt. Usually, they’re back in the far reaches of Spring Creek Basin, but recently, they were right in the western region, supremely accessible for an evening photo shoot.

All but two of Hollywood’s mares are still together, and they seem to be getting along in their new band just fine (which probably is because the two bands would come together now and then previously). Mustangs are nothing if not adaptable, and Odin and mama Shane are taking it all in their stride.





All those layers

13 06 2023

Some more photo-geekiness for you all: The horses were a LONG way away from me when I saw this scene unfolding. If the best camera is the one you have in your hand, the best composition is what you have in your viewfinder, at any distance.

Buckeye’s band watches a band led by Lieutenant Tenaz up a ridge. Buckeye’s had already been to water and had left, and Tenaz and family were on their way to water.

All the layers of canyon rimrocks and ridges of northern Disappointment Valley and all the way to Utah’s La Sal Mountains look compressed and so *right there* because of my long lens.

That’s a lotta-lotta country … the most magical, of course, the closest at hand. 🙂





‘God rays’

24 04 2023

We know we’re blessed. 🙂





With gratitude

16 04 2023

Long live the beautiful, protective, bay mustang mares – in particular, our lovely Madison.





Handsome on the range

13 04 2023

Handsome Flash is getting more grey and – if possible – more handsome.

He and a pal were grazing peacefully, far from chaos.

Dust in the air … we need some rain on the land again (though what it will do to our roaring creeks, I don’t know!).





Grey-day grey

1 04 2023

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!)!





Tousled

8 03 2023

With that thick fur coat, ferocious wind may tousle her mane, but it never ruffles Kestrel’s feathers! 😉





Changing fast

4 03 2023

Let me be clear: Spring Creek Basin does NOT look like this currently. It DID look like this Thursday morning – for a couple of daylight hours after we woke up to a couple of inches of fresh snow, after the previous fresh snow melted (a few hours after we woke up to THAT snow).

So think of the basin and lower Disappointment Valley not as covered with snow but saturated with mud (damp to downright soupy) … and imagine, if it please you, spring green and a profusion of wildflower blooms. Especially if you’re still covered with inches to feet of snow, it should be a happy vision!