Saddle Time~

Heavy clouds, cool breeze~

I was very happy to be heading north today to meet-up with Linda for a ride.  I was hoping that saddle time would help.  There is the healing process that occurs whenever you lose someone - it takes time, lots of time & each day has to be taken at face value.  Riding is invaluable to anyone who appreciates just how much good a big, warm, horse can do for our soul.  Count did his best!

Count & Linda

Linda managed an almost smile & we enjoyed every mile.  At least as long as Linda's phone didn't ring with another problem that she was supposed to solve for someone.  Funny - when you need people to step up - it seems you end up giving them a hand anyway.  Regardless - we caught up on the local news & enjoyed what ended up being a decent day.  No rain!

Farah enjoys her fresh Salmonberry leaves~

As I took this photo - Linda reminded me that no indeed - this was not random browsing...

Count too~

It's "Trail Clearing"!  OH!  That makes all the difference - it's your state-of-mind!  What great horses we ride!  Not only do they take us miles & miles - they clear trail!  With all the use the trails that are supposed to be closed are getting - it's a good thing that someone is doing some clearing!  :-)

Prunus emarginata

 Today - we enjoyed the Wild Cherry trees!  Now in Full Bloom & smelling so sweet that they fill the air with their richness!  This time of year it's as if Washington explodes with Green!  You think this state is green - then comes Spring & you learn that what you thought was green - really wasn't! 

In Honor Of~

Looking up~

This morning I received news of the passing of good man...  He had the luck to be married to one of my longest & best friends...  She had the luck to have picked one of those men who's presence is felt & will continue to be felt - by all the trail users in the Arlington/Stanwood area, whether they realize it or not.  George Brown was instrumental in cutting many of the trails that have been enjoyed by horsemen for many, many years.  As an active member of BCH Traildusters - George ramrodded many a trail clearing adventure.  When his wife & I went riding & ran into issues, George was the one who heard about it when we returned :-)  The above trail was one of the last he cleared & it's a critical link to a large loop.

The Monument - one of George's favorite views~

In the early years - when Butch & I started Competitive Trail, Linda & George were the first people we met.  My favorite story - revolves around Khari.   When we purchased her - she wouldn't load in my trailer.  My friend & mentor Dean Essex, DVM - suggested that we raise the roof!  Literally!  So we did & she loaded forever more without any problem.  But - with the roof having gone up 8" - it left a nice wide area above the rear door.  Khari took full advantage & terrorized motorists who pulled up too close behind us!

We leave through the dark woods~

As I pulled in for a ride one day- George came out of his shop & saw what Khari was up to.  By the time we came back - he had welded a bar across the door, dividing the space in half - which no longer gave Khari room to stick her head out!  I loaded her & in an instant she realized not only that her fun was over - but she looked Right at George & let him know that SHE knew who'd done the deed!  :-)   We all had a good laugh at her expense!

Petasites palmatus - Palmate Coltsfoot

My ride today was subdued, but long, far & beautiful.  I'd been out-of-sync for a couple days & when I told my husband last evening - he said that they were talking about just that on the morning radio!  Guess I wasn't the only one!  Strange though & have to wonder if it's something in the air?

Incredible cedar snag on my long loop~

We kept moving - the only trailer in the parking when we left - by the time we returned, it was almost 5:30 p.m. -late for me...  Yes, I washed my smartphone & it wasn't feeling well enough to take with me...  So I didn't realize how quickly the afternoon had gone.

The natural beauty of nature~

We covered some ground - Farah enjoyed her gallops & I'm so thankful that Linda's saddle is working as well as it is - since the latest news on my tree wasn't what I hoped.  Randy had again run out of rawhide - so we're delayed another week...  Hopefully Everett will receive it by the end of next week.  Next will be shipping everything over to Mike.  Good thing - since I started this the first of Feb.!

Coming to Terms ~

Rascal & Mischief watch a pair of Seagulls

The going has been tough - each day a struggle.  I cancelled Cassidy's ride on Farah in the Snohomish Easter parade.  After months of being stalled, I felt that she's just too full of energy to be a reliable mount for our young Granddaughter - inexperienced at riding, in a parade setting with all the noise & commotion.  Instead, we worked at home all day on Sat.  Butch burnt the brush pile that had been accumulating all winter & cleaned out his truck.  I raked up at the top of the woods, finishing the last trail.  We both hauled more of the debris from the storms down & burned it too.  We sat out & watched the fire during the nicest evening we've had so far this year.

Butch & Mischief

Easter Sunday, both our girls had plans with the "other" Grandparents, we could have fit in by doing a morning brunch, but I couldn't motivate myself, knowing that they wouldn't have had time to spend the day & that it would have been more hectic than restful.  Instead, we put the Beagles in the back seat, stopped for breakfast on the way & drove to Whidbey Is.  It's been our favorite "get-away" for almost 30-years.  Close enough that we can do the drive & still have time to relax.    We hiked the beach for a couple miles, enjoying the sunshine, breeze & smell of salt air.  We stopped a couple times to watch boats going by & I found several small agates.  

A pair of Seagulls flew circles overhead, then settled on a rock just off shore.   Something made me think of Rowdy & Kitt, maybe they were letting us know that they were near...  We stayed until late in the day.  A week since Kitt's passing.  On the drive home, Rascal came up front & laid down in my lap.  He somehow knew that I needed him... 

Losing our Golden Girl ~

Kittaka was special from the very beginning. Sweet, loving & smart - quick & fast. Beautiful as could possibly be & rare.  At her very first trip to the Vet for vaccinations, we were warned that she was a either a wolf or coyote hybrid. 

 I pulled up to our gate one afternoon to see something thrashing at the north pasture fence. It was a deer Kitt had hamstrung. I got the rifle, asked Kitt to get away & shot the deer. She also loved to hunt Squirrel - then eat them! I understand Squirrel meat is actually very good. Since ours live on the nearby walnut trees, I'm sure they were!

Raised by our 7-year old Beagle, Abby --  Kitt did her best to dominate :-) As she grew taller, she would stand over Abby & the two of them looked like a dog with 8-legs. When we took the two of them with us to the Alpine endurance ride camp - she spent the day hopping around the pasture catching grasshoppers :-)  She also learned to hunt for grubs. Each spring & sometimes in the fall, she could be found sniffing around the yard. Stopping, digging a bit with a paw - then eating whatever grub it was. I attribute all that fine protein to her longevity.

Kitt & Abby - 2-25-1999

The only time she had an "accident" was when she found & tasted slug-bait. We raced her into Pilchuck Veterinary Clinic & she survived without any problems. That was the end of slug-bait on the Homestead. 

She grieved with us at Abby's passing in 2004.  When Rowdy came home with us, she took on the responsibility of teaching him our routine.  She loved him as though he were her own & spent hours playing with him - he could get away with almost anything!  We were amazed...

Rowdy & Kitt - 2-10-2004

The two were an almost inseparable pair.

Kitt & Rowdy - 1-9-2005

At the age of twelve, she suffered with us when we lost Rowdy.  We were all so lonely, we again searched to find another Beagle & came home with Rascal.  Kitt tolerated him, but he couldn't replace Rowdy.  He had to make his own way & find his own path to our hearts.

Kitt with Rascal - 11-1-2009

 We had Coyote's around in the early days, some evenings they would start to howl, setting off the dogs in the valley. Kitt would walk out to the center of our driveway - puff herself up & send off her own howls. They were so incredible - you felt you were listening to Wolves in Alaska. After her first howl, there would be utter silence!~ Not one more bark, not one more howl, nothing. She would finish her song with a flourish & strut away - Queen.

As she aged & lost her hearing, the howling stopped. We have no idea why - but it was a terrible loss to us. My first cell phone with a video mode, I managed to catch her song one morning when emergency vehicles went by down the hill.  I think I somehow knew those songs were numbered.

Here. I'll share with you - as a final tribute to the finest canine companion any mere mortal could ever possibly hope for ~