Uhhh guys.. I hear Something!

 Seriously, I told you I heard something!!!

 My beautiful boy ❤

 Taking some pics with high tech sunglasses! J and Sedona

 Fun in the tunnel

 Beautiful trails, if a bit sloppy today!

 J noticed something was off with Sedona so she started hand walking her, then noticed her cell phone was gone! The darn bag just ripped right off and silently disappeared. J had a long haul back home and was concerned about her horse, and to really cheer things up, it was starting to rain. I told her to keep walking for the trailers and Blaze and I slithered our way back down the trail in search of the little black case. We had a spanking canter along the good footing on the gravel road along the river, then spotted the case lying plain as day, asking to be retrieved. Another good canter back towards the trailers and a few more miles and we caught back up to J and Sedona.

Heading back again, love all the red berries out

 J hand walked Sedona the last 3 miles or so back to the trailers, which was of course all uphill. I hiked with her, out of solidarity, and because I could use the narrow trails to keep Blaze moving forward straight ahead as I kinda-sorta taught him to Tail. He was eyeballing me suspiciously as I lurked next to his rump and played with his tail, but he’s such a good natured sort that the worst he did was circle back around me a few times when he found the space to pull it off. Incidentally, hanging out at his rear is a MUCH easier way to get a good forward walk out of him–if I lead him from in front he walks like a dying farm plug!

Anyhoo, we aren’t sure what is up with Sedona, a possible shoulder/muscle pull of some sort. Send positive thoughts and prayers out for her, please!

Blazer boy wearing his girlfriend Desire’s blankie

…the rest is easy! 

I got home this afternoon from my Coastal Christmas with my family on the Mendocino Coast where I grew up. In case you’ve never been to or heard of the Mendocino Coast, let me educate you. Quite simple:  It’s. Gorgeous. 

Taking Highway 20 out of Willits through the redwood forest to my childhood home on the coast always both fills and constricts my heart. It’s just so ridiculously picturesque and memories and worries and pain and joy all wrestle for top billing in my mind as I drive back towards Home.

Fortunately Christmas is a time of family cheer and my sister’s ebullient clan of 4 kiddies kept everyone in high spirits for a delicious Christmas dinner and lively gift giving session.

Yesterday I had a fun day out with my mom, including lunch where my sister joined us, and dinner where my step-dad joined us and we 3 went on to see the movie Lincoln in the local cinema. It was a great movie, by the way, I highly recommend it and may just forgive Spielberg for War Horse yet!

This morning I made the 4 hour drive back inland and immediately got to work with my new toy. It was already bitterly cold at home in the foothills in the afternoon so I motivated the second I pulled into the driveway and got a full trim done on Desire in no time. Wow, with the right tools life is soo much easier–thanks Ma!

 Oh, one of my Christmas presents here at home was getting my ankle tattoo fixed up! I got the W and tiny pale anklet done when I was 14 years old, the year my brother Will joined the military–and a few months later, 9/11 happened. Fortunately he emerged safely from service a few years later. I am proud of the tattoo’s sentiment but have never been happy with the tattoo itself; I really liked the tattoo shop that did my barefoot hoof tattoo a few months ago, so I made an appointment last Friday–and I’d say the 4 hours of PAIN was worth it!

If you are at all like me–and if you’re reading this blog you probably are–you wake up to faces like this on Christmas morning. Happy to see you, warm and cuddly–and soon ready to be served! My gang of critters and I wish you all a warm, merry, and well fed Christmas, and hope you all head into the new year with hope and joy in your heart.

 The next morning dawned with rain forecast, but instead we just got lots of very cool clouds. I had lots of errands to run and squeezed in a workout on my way to meet riding buddy N for a horse-less lunch in town. She lives in higher elevations and was facing black ice to trailer down for riding, so we decided on a more sedate catch up session over some hot food.

 I’ve seen some sights in the last few weeks but the foothills of Northern California are pretty damn beautiful still

 Everything was dressed in a warm green glow and sparkling in the morning sun with the remnants of last night’s rain

 Blaze thoughtfully looks both ways before crossing 

 I got a new brain bucket and shades! 

I had a spanking good ride on Blazey boy, who snorted and balked and even thought about bolting away from terrifying things like new fences and old traffic cones. After a few miles he settled right into his sky-high trot and much more enjoyable canter, even collecting up nicely with light contact. My grin was a mile wide to be out on my boy again–see there it is:

 Blazer in the Trailmaster, staring down Cows

 Creek was over the road last night but luckily no icy wading to cross this morning

 We made pretty good time considering the amount of pavement traversed at a walk and were back just in time for Desire, who wishes me to always remember that my #1 job in life is expedient delivery of bountiful edibles–because as you see, she’s a veritable greyhound and could really afford to gain a few lbs…..*XPdisguise*

 After settling ponies with warm mashes I cleaned and organized my open air and thus now very damp tack area, and discovered my Eurolight seat was molding! There was nothing to be done but to completely clean and organize my long cluttered Woman Cave/office in the house so that my saddles could take up dry and comfortable residence in it. What, sweaty leather is like perfume to me 😉

 I got the report that Joey was a naughty uncatchable boy the whole time I was gone but he trotted right to me and stuffed his head in the halter this morning! He snuffled me the whole time I groomed him and stood nicely to have all FOUR hooves cleaned right out of the gate. Hard to believe it but my scared little prey-driven shy boy seemed quite happy to see and be handled by me! Earning trust is such a good feeling.

There is lots of rain in the forecast but I have good raincoats and hey–a new saddle to get fitted to my steeds! A nice used Specialized Trailmaster made it’s way home with me from Utah and joins my Eurolight in the tack room, lucky me 🙂