Mustangs Visiting the Fence Line....

The fenced -yard has turned the garden into a zoo for humans.  This is one of four small herds that visit during the early morning.   They stop to enjoy the salt lick, carrots and apples and stare of the dogs and me.  One of the mares allowed me to touch her filly as her youngster stood by the fence carefully eyeing the dogs.  Then as suddenly as they appear they continue on their journey down the dusty trail just beyond the fence.  We see them here staring in perhaps once a week.  Occasionally they come by after dark but I rarely venture to the fence line at night as the tarantulas are out on their nightly hunt.  Those huge hairy spiders are not poisonous (in these parts at least) but the sting hurts like heck.  At night the humans and dogs listen to the nickering from the safety of our house-zoo...

White on White....Times Two

Simone meditates in the garden...the evening breeze is the only distraction...

Nearing the end of summer

We are in the last weeks of summer.  Enjoying puttering in the garden in the cool of the morning.

More on the wild horse...

 "God forbid that I should go to any heaven in which there are no horses"  ~ RB Cunningham-Graham



Not all the mustangs in this area fare well.  The two in the photo above are part of a herd of five.  One can count every rib on each horse.  Their bodies are covered with scars and small sores.   We humans are living all over the space that use to be the  domain of wild creatures.  That is what we've done since realizing that we could stand and move about freely.   The West, like the mid-west is suffering from unrelenting drought.  It adds to the burden of this long-suffering creatures.

Rescue is not necessarily the answer.  Take a look of this site from one of Willie Nelson's charitable foundations:  http://willienelsonpri.com/animal-rights/6107/captured-nevada-mustangs-suffer-pigeon-fever.htm

Many horse people try to help by putting out salt licks, hay bales, grass clippings and so on.  Some small herds thrive and others do not.  Rain would help as well.  I don't think the humans are going to leave.  The fate of the mustang is fragile at best.

Wild mustangs

The drought has driven wild mustangs in suburban neighborhoods for food

Moved again and as it has been 8 months since the last post it seems I forgot to mention it.  :(  

The sweet green country that is the Northwest is no longer home.  Now I reside in the high desert of Nevada.  A far cry from sea level of the last home, we reside in a desert home at 4700 feet of elevation. Nothing is or looks the same.  Still I like this new environment.  I also forgot to mention that I retired.  So much has changed.  

My youngest son married in March on St. Patrick's day.  It was a wonderful wedding.  A photo or two will eventually be posted.  The eldest son returned from China and has now returned. 

My parent is living with me.  She is slowly losing her memory.  She sleeps all day and watches FOX news all night.   She can not follow a plot so reading a book is impossible but her command of individual words remains intact so she is able to win at Scrabble and Words with Friends.

I do a bit of long distance consulting, continue with violin,  garden and am picking up photography again.   

This house is on the edge of a wilderness.  The country is experiencing a severe drought.  My gardens are nourished with a careful drip irrigation.  Have started a compost pile as the soil is poor and the plants need all the help they can get.  We are surrounded by wild life.  Several herds of mustangs stroll down the street at all times of the day and night.  Coyotes, snakes, birds of prey, lizards and others visit daily.  Most are driven down the canyon by the persistent drought. Wild rabbits haunt the garden whenever there is an opportunity to grab a quick take-out meal.  The herbs are not touched but the veggies are now a mere memory.

In case anyone thinks I died...the answer is Not Yet!  The journey continues.....