Wildlife in the City Life

Ok, here is a weird thing.  Yesterday afternoon I'm sitting at my computer on the third floor of my office building.  It sits in front of a window.  It was almost 5 pm and I often look out that window as I sit.  There are several buildings outside my window and I see mostly rooftops.  On the roof top, of the 15 foot high building across the street yesterday afternoon was a gray fox strolling along.  There was NO doubt it was a fox, fluffy tail and perky ears.  He was much bigger than a cat and truthfully was nothing like a cat.  I have seen foxes in town before, once running down the street actually right next to this building.  But that was months ago.  I also one in the cemetery once.  She was sun bathing. This one was ambling along from one A/C housing unit across to another one.  I was in shock.  I grabbed my prescription sunglasses so I could see him better and my camera phone.  I was ready for the photo but the fox did not come out from behind the A/C box on top of the building.  In fact, I think he went INTO the A/C. There is no one housed in the office part of that building.   I watched for the fox for another 45 minutes…nothing.  As I looked all around that building, the ONLY way that fox could have gotten up there was to climb a tree.  Do foxclimb trees?  Then he would have to have jumped from small branches of the tree onto the roof.  And they are oak trees at least 12 inches or more in circumference.  And on top of that, WHY would he want to go on top of that building?  Why would a fox be on top of a 15 foot tall building?  Does he have a den in that A/C housing?  Can he get down into the office space?  Is he a SHE?  I started to call someone else housed in that building and tell them about it.  Then I decided to just keep quiet.  I'll just keep watching and see what happens.  So stay tuned.  I mean what if I get to see that fox again?  I'll have my camera phone ready next time.  What if the fox is up there again this afternoon?  What if she does have a den and has pups?  So oh no, I'll never tell on the fox.  It'll be our secret.  Well, I did post it on Facebook!  Does that count?

Encourage one another

Horse of Another Color

What I saw between the ears of the red horse was totally different.  It was what I remember from years and years of riding. It was truly a ride of "going home".  There have been a couple of times that I have been able to "go back" and ride at the ranch.  This weekend was different.  The weather could not have been more perfect…sun shining, 53 degrees, light wind.  My favorite riding attire was perfect, riding tights, long sleeve shirt, a vest and my seriously old 4X Resistol hat.  "Solo" was calmer this time.  He saddled easily and did not swish his tail as he has in the past.  I circled him in the round pen a couple of times just to be sure but I could tell he didn't need it.  We headed out, with Claire, the cow dog, in tow, but she eventually headed back.  Though she loves me and wants to go, she is crippled and just can't get around like she use too.  She could tell we were headed for along ride.  We rode down through the creek where his feet are much more tender than many horses.  When you get him on gravel he tiptoes, and all he can think about is his feet.  I try to avoid that but it is good information to have about a horse.  Should he try to act up, get him on gravel and thinking about his feet.  He's very alert and has his ears pricked forward at all times.  He still walks with emotion and intent, however, he did not trot or prance or try to get ahead of himself.  He is somewhat impatient and in a hurry to get back to his friends, but he would tolerate my stopping, listening, looking and watching.  As we rode past the big oak where several well loved dogs are buried, memories flood my mind.  I linger for a minute, send blessings to heaven and move on.  Solo quietly allows me to open the gate this time, willing to move his body to my feet.  "Good boy".  From between the ears of the red horse the scenery is different.  My usual ride, between gray ears, includes dirt fields and cotton patches.  I can see miles at a time, nothing blocks my view.  This time I riding off into the brush, the forest some might call it.  This time I'm seeing flocks of ducks fly off the pond.  They've stopped here while flying one direction or the other for winter.  Solo doesn't flinch.  Off we go stepping through water in another creek which he takes like an old horse.  He has had some issues with that in the past.  It's quiet in the brush, the thick trees.  You can hear the rustle of the leaves and the sounds of the birds.  We stop to listen.  I love that quiet.  There is just nothing like it.  Off in the not to distant trees I see three doe.  They stop, look, then run like crazy.  You can hear the twigs popping and the brush rustling as off they go.  Seeing wildlife while horseback makes me feel a part of nature.  You are in their home.  Most everything is gray or brown.  However, since the rain, there are green sprigs of rye and winter grass peeping out of the ground.  The animals love that.  As we ride up to the next pond I see a buck on the other side.  He stands very still for a moment, but as we ride into the clearing he too races off into the denseness of the trees.  I can't really say how large an area we ride.  I usually chalk my riding time up in minutes.  This ride takes about 1 ½ or 2 hours.  As fast as Solo walks, we make it around quicker.  On this ride I don't see any cattle.  I'm covering quite a bit of country so I don't really know why.  The next thing we ride up on however are some hogs.  Solo has never seen any hogs that I know of.  Most horses will smell them first.  That ought to tell you they don't smell very good.  These hogs were off in a creek turning up dirt looking for insects and grubs and whatever they can find.  They love must; you must know that already!  Hogs generally run off as fast as a hog can and these hogs were no different. They don't usually stop and look they just go. These were pale brown in color, not black, which is a little unusual.  Solo was a little startled, but then just stood and watched.  "Good boy".  Since this horse is on virtually all new territory (he is new to the ranch) he's not really sure when he is on the way home or not.  So his pace is just always quick, hoping that the barn is just around the next corner.  From where these hogs were, we were over halfway home.  On the way back to the house I heard hawks calling and saw them soaring in the blue sky.  They are looking for something to eat.  Soaring hawks are a favorite site of mine.  We have a couple more "stop and stand still" lessons as we stroll back to the barn.  We traverse down some hills, through another creek, back through another gate.  He does fine.  "Good boy".  Unsaddling him he is quiet.  Once I get him back in the barn though he begins to knicker deep.  He has a very low voice.  He's hollering this time…"feed me".  So I do.  I give him and his buddy some grain and a whole bale of hay.  They are good at "chowing down".  So until tomorrow old friend…see you then. 


Encourage One Another

Life on the Trail #1

Truthfully, you just never know what you might see on any cool, breezy west Texas morning. Sometimes it depends on the attitude of my horse. He gets a good brush down before we do anything. He loves his face brushed with the soft bristles of the small brush. He closes his eyes and appears to be dreaming. When I get to the inside of his ears, he twists his head sideways and pushes into me a bit. He usually cocks a foot up as I travel down the rest of his body, his neck, his sides, his belly, his butt and his legs. He thinks he's on vacation. Once I get all the knots out of his mane and tail, we’re ready to saddle up. He stands patiently while I get everything even and straight and tightened up. He turns his head to me and opens his mouth to take the bit, almost like he likes it, like he is looking forward to the next best thing. As we amble off, I stop him and tighten up the saddle again. Once I get it to the right hole, he gets to stretch…his absolute favorite part. I ask him for his left leg first. He lifts it and I pull it way out in front of him. It allows him to give a big ole stretch. Then we do the left leg. He usually squeezes his eyes closed on this one. I step in the stirrup and off we go. I can generally tell what kind of day we are going to have before we ever get out of the yard. He is either dead headed and quiet, just minding his own business, or he is ears perked and eyes watching every leaf that floats by or grasshopper that jumps. If he’s gonna get a little “jiggy with it” I’m in for a more stressful ride.

On the quiet days, he just plods along, nothing gets his attention; nothing stirs him up. We generally never break a walk on these rides. I just listen to the sounds of the morning, leaves rustling, train horns sounding at the crossings, cars zipping by, pump jacks whirring, gravel under tires, high lines crackling, tractors plowing, horses nickering in the distance. I’ve always got my eyes open for a jack rabbit, a prairie dog, a coyote, a lizard, or a horny toad.

This past week I saw three baby horny toads. Their bellies weren’t bigger than a nickel. I stepped off and even tried to catch one. However, when I reached down to catch him, as he flattened out to spit on me to protect himself, he disappeared. I just wanted to hold him and stroke his back. Word is, as long as there are big red ants, their dinner, there will be horny toads in west Texas . Hope that’s true.

Prairie dogs are prevalent in this area of Texas . They make this shrill chattering sound to ward you off if you get to close to their mound. They will stand their ground on top of their home especially if they have pups down below. Mosey has great respect for that sound and stays clear when a mom warns him to “stay back”. Isn’t nature interesting? Here he is, a zillion times her size, and he is fearful to cross her. Isn’t God amazing?

Coyotes will see you from a distance. Once they do, they turn and run or lumber across a field as fast as they can go. It’s odd to see them out during the day. They usually travel in packs of course, but I see them alone or in twos most often.

The cotton fields are really growing. The plants are full and green. There is lots of irrigation out here in west Texas . Those fields show the best growth. Right now you’ll see anything from pink or yellow blooms, to green bolls, to white cotton all on the same plant. Weird! We no longer ride between the rows since they are so bushy. Whoever thought I’d be talking about cotton?

On the days where everything from a simple quail flying up off the ground to a white trash sack minding its own business sends Mosey into a tizzy, the ride is a little different. I am consistently trying to keep him calm and get him to just relax. Sometimes when the wind is blowing harder, he is just uneasy. On those days he thinks the farm equipment that has been petrified in its place for years, that he has seen day after day, is going to reach out and get him. He looks at everything. His ears are all over the place. On these days he has to work a little harder. By loping and trotting him I try to distract him and get his attention on to something else…or just wear him out. It’s a different kind of ride. I’m more alert, more aware, more conscious of the surroundings that might stir him up. It’s just not as peace filled.

But truthfully, I’ll take any kind of ride I can get and any day I can do it. I just love to ride. After losing my passion for horses and riding for several years, and finally getting it back, horses are at the top of my friend list, especially Mosey. He knows what to expect of me. He knows I’m going to take care of him and protect him. And he expects me to. And I do.

Mosey and I will make the same ride, the same miles, almost the same trail, most days. It’s sort of like a ritual. While the scenery appears different every time, the consistency is relaxing. We always hope to meet someone on the trail. Occasionally we do. However, most days, it’s just me and Mosey, ambling along, thinking about family, about God and all our blessings. While I have had a few bumps in the road lately, I remain grateful. Life is still full and family is still the most important thing. My grandson should arrive anytime. He will rock my world. I’m looking forward to it. Happy trails!

Encourage One Another

Now THIS Is West Texas

When your driving down the road and you see wind powered windmills and oil well pump jacks in the same landscape, you know you are in west Texas. Add a couple of deer stands, some mesquite bushes, and a cotton field and you are in the dead center. Driving through the green rolling hills between Big Spring and San Angelo, this is what you see. Who are those fortunate Texans reaping the harvest of wind power and oil wells? They must be living in God's will. Their blessings abound. When you watch those windmills they turn in a slow methodical rhythm that almost puts you to sleep. They all turn in the same direction, clockwise. One after the other they turn, though not always in the same sequence. They sort of appear like a kaleidoscope and they go on for miles and miles. Up close they are huge. No telling how many feet to the top. No idea how men get up to the top to work on or repair them. No idea if they have an elevator or a "dumb waiter" devise inside to get to the top. No idea what the view is like from the top of one of those. I bet it is fantastic. I bet you'd feel a little like Don Quixote, thinking what would a person do with all those windmills? Attack them? Climb them? Or would you just try to cash in on them. Sometimes our vision is a little skewed like Don's. Sometimes our vision is not clear. Sometimes we have visions of grandeur when truly what we have and what we need are just your basic everyday things, an average life. And truly, average is still a blessing. Generally all we have is all we need. Count your blessings. There are many. Be blessed. Keep dreaming though; life is full with hopes and dreams. Next time your roaming the countryside either by car, horse, or foot, enjoy it. Whether you are enjoying what God created or what man created, enjoy the mighty power behind it all. Take it all in. Let your eyes see the beauty.
Take a drive through west Texas. You won't be disappointed.

Encourage One Another