Change of Plans

On Friday we loaded everything into the boat for a weekend of camping on the lake, but when we arrived, we found this: smoke. 

The Air Quality Index was at 393: Hazardous. 

There were fires going all along Lake Roosevelt, with a big one, the Rattlesnake Fire, burning exactly across from where we were going to camp. The smoke was filling up the canyons that hug the river. 

My husband, ever the optimist, still wanted to camp 😳, but there was no way I was going to stay there in hazardous smoke and fire conditions. We went home. 

At home, alone, we unpacked the boat and made the dinner we had planned for our camp out: steak, potatoes, salad, crackers, dips, and wine. 

The next day, still smoked in, we decided to take a road trip to Bonners Ferry, Idaho and stock up on homemade chicken pot pies from The Gathering Place. 

These savory pies will help get us through fall and winter when you don’t feel like cooking, yet want something super yummy and comforting. 

It was a two hour drive to Bonners Ferry, almost to Canada, and we never got out of the smoke. So, when we got back to town, we went looking for color at Spokane’s Manito Park. 

The beauty of the late flowers cut right through the dismal dark smoke surrounding us. 

Never have we appreciated color like we did yesterday. Roses, dahlias, cornflowers, —so much beauty and fragrance. 

Once again, life gave us Plan B, C, D, rather than A, and we got “us time” anyway. 

Dreaming of ‘Us Time’

I sent the hair samples via FedEx On Tuesday and they arrived at the lab in New York this morning. Hopefully they are able to get Cowgirl’s DNA from it so that we can move onto the next phase of Epona’s registration. 

Life here in the Northwest is currently blazing hot and smoky. We are hovering around 100 most days, but an end is in sight this Sunday, and I have trail rides planned for Tuesday and Thursday. 

My husband and I are going to take advantage of the weekend to do a solo camping trip on Lake Roosevelt.  I’m more of a B&B woman nowadays than a camper, but I’m kind of looking forward to spending more time under my favorite spot in the world, Whitestone Rock. (And there are no B&B’s that offer the same experience there.) Honestly, I need some quiet time to rejuvenate. 

This will be our goodbye to it until, hopefully, we see it again next spring/summer. 

Since the theme of today’s post is dreaming of cooler days and free time, we have also been planning our anniversary trip for October and have rooms booked for the San Juan Islands. The first stay will be on Friday Harbor. (Above)

The second stay will be on Orcas Island (below). The Inn we will stay at there reminds me of the old Wayside Inn near Boston, where we stayed in 2019. 

I can’t remember what ‘us time’, ‘me time’, feels like, but I have a vague memory of it being wonderful. 

DNA Testing Horses

When Epona was born, we got preoccupied keeping her alive and didn’t get her registered with the APHC. Four years later, we are starting the process and it begins with getting her dam’s DNA. 

I paid for the kit and it was emailed a week later with the instructions to send 75 hairs with the root bulb attached. (Photo above). 

I took the samples from her mane and pulled straight up as close as I could to the roots. She didn’t seem even slightly concerned. 

I truly can’t tell, however, if there is enough of the bulb in this sample. 

Should I pull tail hair instead?

I know some of you have done this before, but this is my first time. Any help would be appreciated. 

On the Road Again

With my trailer fixed, I was on the road again for that Monday, now Wednesday, trail ride. 

I had my new trail halter from Knotty Girlz. 

It fit nicely under his bridle. 

When we arrived, my trainer was there with another student. I was able to say hello and get some before-ride tips. Tweed was relaxed (no need for ground work) so she suggested I do some basic collection work in saddle. 

As I was at the mounting block I saw this creepy skeleton hanging on the arena. I was like, is this some kind of voodoo stuff? Yikes. Probably a kid’s toy. 

Anyway, we warmed up and then went out to say hi to friends and get Tweed used to new horses. They are part of the mounted patrol. One of them is a close friend, part of my cowgirl group, and she offered to go out with us. 

I was like, sure! And off we went. 

As usual, Tumbleweed is very confident leading and he keeps up a good trail pace. My friend said she was very surprised it was only his 3rd trail ride this season. 

He balked once, and it was at this stump. (Remember his aversion to freaky stumps?)

I asked her to lead past it. And then we switched back again. 

I took him down a steeper hill that had loose rock to test out the new working length rein and long, straight legs. My friend said that she finds her leg position by lifting her feet from the stirrups and letting her body balance naturally. That worked for me, too. 

Tweed did great, but he is still getting the feel for rocking back and letting that hind end dig in. It will take more practice, but so much better than before. 

Another great ride under our belt and more technical work this time. I’ll just keep building his confidence a little at a time. 

Oh, I almost forgot we came across riders on the trail and he did well with them. 

They had a little mare in the group who stopped in front of Tweed and refused to go forward. I told you he’s the Mare Whisperer. Her rider finally kicked her into gear. 

I am so proud of Tumbleweed. He constantly checks in with me and he has such wonderful trail manners with other horses. He doesn’t freak out or speed up going home. He’s steady Eddie. I just couldn’t be happier to see how he has matured. 

August: The “Thick Paw of My Life”

August

When the blackberries hang
swollen in the woods, in the brambles
nobody owns, I spend

all day among the high
branches, reaching
my ripped arms, thinking

of nothing, cramming
the black honey of summer
into my mouth; all day my body

accepts what it is. In the dark
creeks that run by there is
this thick paw of my life darting among

the black bells, the leaves; there is
this happy tongue. (Mary Oliver)

I did not make it out on a Monday beat-the-heat trail ride. During our weekend water excursions our trailer connection developed an issue and a warning light came on, shutting down other aspects of the truck. So, Monday morning brought a trip to the dealership to get it fixed. (It was a loose wire.)

Since it was a blazing hot day here in the Northwest, I was okay with that. 

I’m not a summer person, but this has been a fun-filled August. Until this week it has been relatively mild and smoke free. (They are predicting smoke from Oregon coming in today though, ugh). 

I realize I haven’t shared photos of myself much, so here is one from Sunday (a selfie) and you can see my husband’s head in my sunglasses. We took the waverunners up to Metaline Falls and checked out four waterfalls, one of them being the magnificent Peewee Falls. 

This next photo was Friday on Lake Roosevelt by Whitestone Rock. We call our waverunners Seahorse 1 and Seahorse 2. Haha. 

Another fun August development is the maturing of our grandson. He is now able to join us at restaurants and converse. He can even order his own food and show appreciation to the staff. He is developing impeccable manners. So, that means we get to stop and eat after all our adventures. You know, do grownup stuff. 

Here he is trying fried pickles in Davenport, WA after our Lake Roosevelt trip. 

He has loved our water adventures. When we’re all together we call ourselves the Four Musketeers, and speaking of four…he will turn four in October. I’ve always called that the golden year. It kind of all comes together and they can do so much more for themselves. 

—-

I was thinking about my last lesson with Tweed, trotting downhill, and realize how wise it was for my trainer to concentrate on that since, on past trail rides, Tweed has picked up speed downhill to catch up with a lead horse. There were 3 things she wanted to accomplish: 

1. His balance and attention.

2. Checking his speed without pulling on the reins.

3. Exposure to what it feels like to carry himself at a different gait, in case he does it organically on a ride. When they pick up another gait their energy can come up, too, causing you to lose your connection. 

——

So, here’s to August 2025 and all the blessings it has opened up to us. 

(Random August happenings)

Metaline Falls 

Peewee Falls

Lake Roosevelt 

My barn garden

The summer “volunteers”

A trail ride

Fly Away Little Birdies

I had a day off from babysitting yesterday, so I met my trainer early to beat the heat. We worked on the same things we did last time, balance on hills and checking speed and attention going down hills without over handling the reins and getting in his way. 

Going down hill I was to sit back, hold the working length steady and low, at the D-rings, and check his speed by lengthening my leg, squeezing the inside of my legs, and making a V of the reins. 

We practiced it on flat ground first, and I had to correct my legs since they were moving slightly forward. They needed to truly go straight down and in line with my hips. When I squeezed with the inside of my legs, Tweed was confused and thought I wanted him to run. When I checked his speed and he figured out what it all meant, he totally got it and slowed down from trot to walk. We put it to the test on hills at a walk, and even though there was a lot of coming and going of cars and an ATV hauling a maintenance wagon, Tweed did great. 

We then moved it up to a trot that began on the flat bluff above the hill, then rounded and right down the hill at the same trot. Tweed picked himself up and slowed himself down, but maintained the gait. It felt like I was floating down it since his power remained in his engine which gave him much more balance and control. 

He did so marvelously well that we ended it there. Regina said it is unlikely I will be asking for him to trot down hills like that, but if he ever has to it is better that he is confident and been exposed to it. She said he is doing great and well prepared now for trail riding. 

Fly away little birdies. Time to leave the nest. 

 

That afternoon we took the “seahorses” to Lake Roosevelt to visit our favorite spot: Whitestone Rock. 

I don’t have babysitting duty Monday, although there is a heat warning in effect of 100 degrees. My hope is to get up early and do a solo ride before the heat sets in.

Once this heat wave passes, we should be out of the woods and ready for lots of beautiful fall rides.