Going back almost exactly a month for this one from a gorgeous, peaceful evening in Spring Creek Basin. The mercury is edging up into the 50s, making it seem more like spring (or fall? leap ahead or remember the days of “yore”?) than winter. So for this morning, an evening pic that recalls soft, warm light and a trip to water for the ponies.
Because of the mud (baby, it’s muddy out there … !!!), I haven’t been into Spring Creek Basin for a few days. The freeze-thaw cycle keeps the ground pretty muddy during the day, and I don’t want to leave ruts (or risk getting stuck) let alone having to stomp around with the weight of the world (what is that in mud per boot … hm … ?) on my boots. 🙂 So this pic of Winona is from about a month ago, pre-snow. Currently, there’s not much snow on the lower levels, but there’s some still clinging to the sides of ridges and in shady (north-facing) places. Grateful for the moisture, in any form!
Who needs a nap?
🙂
All that lovely snow is gone now, melted into the needy soil. Temps have gotten warmer, and we have mud. Not too bummed about that as it all means one very good thing = moisture. 🙂
Flash looking handsome in the low light as he trails his mares through the patchy snow.
There was still a fair bit of snow, but it’s been melting rapidly. Here, Tenaz is walking down a trail to drink at snow-melt-trickling Spring Creek. Really! The bed of the arroyo is only about 5 or 6 feet below him, and to clarify, it’s not running as much as just one narrow little ribbon of a trickle right through this particular section. Having that nice, fresh, running-clear water must be sooooo nice for them.
Bia is all relaxation as she naps on a “warmish” day that had a lot of the snow soaking into the desert ground and hopefully giving all those roots a good slurp.
Gaia’s breath goes gentle into that good evening. The temp was in the upper 30s – perfectly pleasant! The snow is melting, but all that moisture is seeping right into the soil, and that’s super beneficial for all the vegetation.
To find horses yesterday, I had to go deep into Spring Creek Basin … but it was worth it!
Piedra and her band were moving comfortably through the snow browsing on whatever they could find.
Absolutely a gorgeous day! And the blue sky and clouds over Temple Butte weren’t half bad, either. 😉
Fingers, toes, everything crossed for a GOOD winter!
Looking east along Road K20E toward Spring Creek Basin at sunrise. Some of that clearing-storm cloudbank lingered well into the afternoon … even as the rest of the sky cleared to deepest Colorado blue. Deer (maybe elk, too?) and rabbits have been out and about.
Now looking east up Road 19Q toward the basin. This pic, in particular, seems deceptive regarding the amount of snow. The melting really got under way in the afternoon, but that is/was some great snow! Three inches or so? Not bad for our first (and second?) coverings of the season.
And I hiked through a fair bit of it to find some wild ponies. 🙂
Spring Creek Basin Mustangs 