My Happy Place

Okay, I have about had it. Did the groundhog come out for a second time this year, and see his shadow for another 6 weeks of winter? I had My Boy's winter turnout washed, re-waterproofed, and packed away in late February and switched him to a lightweight rain sheet for milder spring weather. In March, we had unexpected snow and I pulled out the winter turnout again. I got smart and just left it in the garage unwashed this time. I put his rain sheet on for the blast of warmer air we had the last few weeks, joking, oh, we won't get any more snow! Hmmphhh! Who knew that I wouldn't be taking any pictures of riding My Boy because WE AREN'T RIDING in this weather? I need to go to my happy place. My. Happy. Place. Where the air is warm on my bare arms and I can smell sweet horse sweat as we climb the switchbacks. Here are some pictures from my trip to the California desert in February. While I was getting my camera ready, my loaner horse decided to take advantage of the unusually green desert forage! If you look close you can see the really cool elk chinks I wore. I borrowed those from my Auntie J, the one with the bigger-than-my-apartment tack room.




Bird's eye view of a palm oasis from the hilltop as we began our descent.



Approaching the palm oasis. There were flowing creeks to cross down there.


I thought it was awesome that although it was 75 degrees and we were riding in the desert, there was still snow on the mountain tops. Does using the word awesome date me? Do people
still use that word?

A really cool rock. Wait, it probably has some technical geological name. If I knew a petrologist I would ask them. Oh, but look at the blue sky!! I'm imagining how warm that rock must feel if I sat next to it......

Okay....I am feeling much warmer and cozier now. Daydream over....goodbye teddy bear cacti. Goodbye date palms. Goodbye desert swallows. Goodbye smooth Tennessee Walker. Goodbye wild sage and lavender. Goodbye rattlesnakes we never saw. I guess it's time to put on the down jacket and head out to spend some time with My Boy.