Riding with Olivia

The Weather Channel forecast included random thunderstorms
for today. The sky was clear at 9 am so restless for adventure we
went up to the barn. My 13 year old daughter Olivia and I saddled up two
of the horses and headed out the gate into the hills.

Olivia loves the Roan, he's 22, tall and stalwart. He has a tendency to
look around command the territory. I rode Cactus, aka BeanBelly. He's
a copper penny sorrel, an easy keeper with a perennial big belly and
a good disposition.

Riding along with Olivia I was reminded of myself at her age. I had a
17 hand sorrel gelding with a flaxen mane and tail named October's
Country Gentleman. Tober was 1/2 American Saddlebred and 1/2
Arabian. He took long steps, had smooth gaits and was a perfect
companion for my all day excursions in the hills of Marin . I loved
to head out in the early morning and just let a trail beckon me. I learned
my geography from the back of a horse.

Olivia spotted a rattler hunting its prey, we saw lots of mushrooms,
antelope, mule deer bucks and does, elk poop and a couple of white tail does.
Olivia pointed out the funneled webs a spider that made its home in
holes in the ground. From atop Cactus I could look down thru the web and see
the holes brown resident spider - looked to be about 1 1/2 inches across
from the tip of one leg to the opposite leg. The grass hoppers were jumping around.
The cactus was looking green, the thistles had dried up and the grass
had greeneed up after last weeks rain.

We saw many different kinds of hawks, lots of meadowlarks and bugs of all
sorts. The clouds started coming in and the wind picked up so we headed
back to the ranch.

Sun in Summer

Things are heating up in Otter, it's 93 in the shade with
thunderstorms in the forcast for this afternoon.

Just gotta trust that my garden is not in the hail path
and that the cats are standing guard...

The spinach, lettuce, chard, radishes are all up and
growing like wild fire. Have planted basil and oregano
in my tomato patch. The tomatoes are a bit lazy but
they will catch up. Have Better Boy, Minnesota Heirloom,
Roma, Lemon Girl, Sweet 100's and a couple of other varieties
planted. The plants are all about a foot high with small
tomatoes on a couple of plants.

I love the names of tomatoes. Makes me wonder who named
them; where did they originate from? Who grew Minnesota
Marvel in their garden and how in the heck did I ever
notice the seed packet at the bottom of the seed rack at
the hardware store in Broadus, Montana?

Have grown the Sweet 100's for years, they take the heat
and produce the sweetest, tastiest little 'maters anyone
could ask for. A neighbor in Concord, California turned me
onto them when Olivia was a baby. Kids just love picking
them. I like to freeze them and then pop a dozen of them in
a bag and give them to kids to eat out on the porch. Kinda
like a popsicle without the mess.

Why is Better Boy better? Are Roma tomatoes grown in
Rome?

I've seen purple tomatoes seeds but figured I'll try them
next year.

Bees Buzzing on Otter Creek

Summer has blossomed on Otter Creek. The swathers are out cutting hay,
leaving tidy windrows in their wake. The blue flax continues in bloom along
the roadsides, yellow mustard and sweet clover fill the air with a heady scent.
The bee keepers are out putting the supers on the bee boxes in the fields.

The meadowlarks are calling, a slight breeze lifts the cotton that floats
in the air set against the clear blue sky.

Bulls restless in their pasture, call out for their intended lady loves.

Its a fine day in paradise.

Full Moon Over My Shoulder

Left the house at first light this morning,
most amazing mostly full moon
still awake in the
morning sky.

February

This winter has had more snow than most, the roads seems slicker and most
of us are hankering for spring.

We've had some sunny days that have melted a lot of the ice. There are vast
ponds of water in the afternoons that become skating ponds at night for the
moon beams.

This last week the temperatures have gotten up to the low 60's in the afternoons.
There is green grass popping up in lawns and up on the hill tops. The cows are
out fanning the pastures in hope of finding a tender morsel or two.

The cowboys are talking about "Cabin Fever" or maybe its "Calving Fever"
if I listen closely.

Don't know if the prairie dogs saw their shadow on Ground Hog Day or not.

SLip SLindin' ALong

Walked out of the house just as the sun was edging over
the hill. Grey and a bit on the bleak side.

The windshield was covered with snow so I went around the
car to dust it off and was surprised that under the snow
was a sheet of ice. I don't skate any more after breaking
my leg. I made my way back to the car door slowly,
praying,
gathering my wits and steadying myself.

Pondered my path up the driveway, stayed over on the
edge of the road hugging the snow, praying for traction.
Slipped and slithered as I approached the cattle guard.

There are 8 cattle guards to cross on my way to work,

12 miles of icy gravel road to cover,

2 creeks,

18 hay yards,

several herds of very cold cows

and one post office.

Diamonds in the Snow

Left the ranch before dawn,
sky dark grey,
road way sparkling with diamonds
no tracks,
no cows.
just silence.