Wednesday, August 11, 2021 —(In 11 days, August’s full “Sturgeon” moon will rise nearest to earth.)

The wonderful header photo is of Sunni trotting through the Conestoga Hills. My friend, Julie, is with me in the cart. We’re enjoying yesterday’s beautiful morning.

The trip to Conestoga was for more than just driving. That was a real-time opportunity to unload and reload the horse cart that I had modified. The changes altered how that cart unit fits into my horse trailer.

Julie’s husband, Dave, helped load and unload the cart. He offered good suggestions for improving the processes. After we assembled the art and hitched Sunni, Dave rode along, his first time in the cart.

We looped the neighborhood for a couple of miles before returning to our starting point. There, Julie climbed aboard and Sunni took us several more miles.

Conestoga Hills is a lovely development east of the city with quiet streets. There, the Gilberts have a home. Just down the road from their place is a BLM trailhead with miles of horse trails. They ride horseback there often, and several times I’ve joined them.

Conestoga’s local streets are perfect for driving a horse. Periodically, that will be my plan.

In a week or so, I hope to take Sunni’s sister, Rosie, and drive her there. A good way to introduce her to street driving somewhere other than our local neighborhood roads. Rosie is a fun driving horse, but slightly hyper-vigilant and less easygoing than Sunni. She will move nicely through quiet Conestoga streets.

Finally, a last capture by Julie. We love this pony.

Thanks to the Gilberts for helping with the cart and for riding along. From my driving perspective, it’s always more fun with a passenger along. Especially one who can appreciate and enjoy a fine horse doing its work.

Dear Friends: A fabulous way to enjoy the city, behind a horse through quiet neighborhoods. Diana

Tuesday, August 10, 2021 —(In 12 days, August’s full “Sturgeon” moon will rise nearest to earth.)

This is a quick “Good morning!” I’m about to go feed the horses. Afterwards I’ll load one and haul away for a driving adventure. Our destination is a semi-rural, east-of-the-city neighborhood.

Yesterday I did manage to get the horse cart loaded and secured in my horse trailer. The loading process needed a little re-engineering. My revised cart-stand needs minor modifications, but everything looks okay for later this morning. I’ll be able to unload, hitch, and drive my horse.

The horse will be dependable Sunni. Our passenger will be my long-time friend, Julie, another horse fancier. We going to drive in her neighborhood.

For me, this will be the beginning for driving in other local neighborhoods. Some areas nearby are paved and have relatively quiet streets. They’re older neighborhoods. A few boast small properties with horses and other large farm-associated pets. That will become a new way to adventure with my horses.

Right now I’m off to feed pets. Several famished, farmish-types impatiently await my appearance.

Dear Friends: Have a great day creating memories, choose an adventure and take pictures. Diana

Monday, August 09, 2021 —(In 13 days, August’s full “Sturgeon” moon will rise nearest to earth.)

For days I’ve been modifying a stand that supports the horse cart. The stand, created by a fabricator, couldn’t remain upright on its own. It had too-small wheels that couldn’t be moved easily-enough over gravel. I wanted an enlarged stand support, so it independently remains upright. I wanted on the stand larger wheels for rolling over gravel.

Experience has taught my lack of the abstracting skills needed to visualize end products. I just work step-by-step, deal with trial-and-error (do-and-re-do), and hope for desirable results. This time, winding up with something unattractive and a little difficult to work with, I didn’t take pictures. Anyway, it’ll probably need rebuilding, perhaps becoming more photo-worthy.

Today, I’ll use the revised stand and load the cart into my horse trailer. Renewed configurations call for a few different loading steps. But now, I can roll stand and cart over gravel to the trailer and into position for loading. My loading ramps need to accommodate the larger wheels. Once inside, the cart needs new ways of securing.

I’ve thought long about changing this stand, but last year during the pandemic didn’t bother bringing the cart from storage. Now starting again to drive the horses, I began on the stand. Plus, I’ve been motivated by a self-imposed deadline. My plan tomorrow to drive a horse east of town demands loading and hauling.

The current modifications might not work, and luckily, I’ve friends who do visualize effectively. Maybe they could offer bailout advice to help me rebuild better.

Dear Friends: My plan to drive tomorrow is seeming like, “Get me to the church on time!” Diana

Sunday, August 07, 2021 —(In 14 days, August’s full “Sturgeon” moon will rise nearest to earth.)

Ohmigosh, I’ve just “rediscovered” Nina Simone. A new album, “Nina Simone: The Monreux Years (Live)”, newly out this year, is an amazing compilation. Simone was/is one of the best-ever musicians! I listened to her live performances through most of yesterday, and more than once the entire album, even while working with my horses.

Thinking back, it’s funny how long it took me to appreciate Simone’s musicianship. For years now, I’ve been able to recognize her incredible talent, her superb training. She’s primarily a pianist, but also a singer. She has an unique voice and perfect pitch, her ear closely is tuned to all accompanying instruments and voices.

Simone was very political, intensely angry over social conditions for American Blacks. She grew up during the Harlem Renaissance, the period that produced works by James Baldwin, Lorraine Hansberry, and other highly talented Black Americans. Those years introduced the music of Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Fats Waller, Duke Ellington, and John Coltrane, among others. The Renaissance provided a baseline for Simone’s intellectual and highly creative approach to musicianship, and for amazing others, like Miles Davis.

If you’re a Simone fan, download “Monreux Years” to appreciate anew her piano, voice, and politics. Today, I’ll again listen, applaud, and enjoy her.

Dear Friends: Fine art thrills, it educates, enlightens, and intertwines as essential memories. Diana

Saturday, August 07, 2021 —(In 15 days, August’s full “Sturgeon” moon will rise nearest to earth.)

Rosie is twenty-five years old, she’s quick-moving, elegant, and a wonderful driving horse. She has a mind of her own, a good one and not dangerous, but she can be a lot of horse and will test a handler.

Even after I had been trained to drive Rosie, she seemed frightening. She’s also irresistible. Rosie is an experienced carriage horse. She visibly lights up in harness, carries herself like a pro, is a balanced quick mover and exudes energy.

She seemed frightening because I’d never before driven a horse. Her quick responsiveness called for a more experienced handler, so I dropped a dream of driving her. A couple of years later, someone suggested having Rosie’s younger sister, Sunni, trained to drive. Driving Sunni would familiarize me with the basics.

Sunni is agreeable, easy to get along with, and likes people. I decided to send her for training and a month later began learning to drive her. Handling Sunni seemed a piece of cake, which never changed. After bringing her home, driving her regularly, I became comfortable in various settings and on different terrains, totally enjoying this horse.

I wanted another go at driving Rosie, had a trainer refresh her, and began taking lessons. Rosie’s energy differs from Sunni and calls for more handling. Now, I was ready for the challenges.

The caption photo, of Rosie’s workout, is from my neighbor, Frank, and taken shortly after Rosie’s return from the trainer. I practiced driving her until I became courageous enough to leave the dry lot, when we begin working on neighborhood streets.

Sunni’s dependability and consistency taught me to drive. Rosie’s energy increased my perceptiveness and strengthened my handling skills.

Ever since I’ve routinely driven both horses. We’ve begun again this summer, and by now, both mares are showing increased strength over distances. After driving, their breathing sooner is achieving normal.

Driving requires mutual trust between horse and driver. It’s a wonderful sport, fun and thrilling.

Dear Friends: There are rewards from routinely interacting with more than one horse. Diana

Friday, August 06, 2021 —(In 16 days, August’s full “Sturgeon” moon will rise nearest to earth.)

Pimmy is a great pet. She loves above all else being with her horse buddies and receiving food treats. As for being with me, she’s gentle, kind, and smarter than any horse. As for myself, never near a live donkey before she arrived unexpectedly (long story), Pimmy’s the best.

My lead mare, Rosie, makes sure the younger mare, Sunni, knows who’s boss. Rosie refuses to let Sunni share her food, makes sure Sunni’s always a few feet away and undemanding. Sunni doesn’t care. Her middle-of-the-pack temperament allows Rosie to be herself. Despite space rules, the two are family and mutually groom one another.

Equine relationships are complex.

Enter Pimmy, not quite a horse but savvy. She’s wheedled her way close to both Rosie and Sunni. She eats Rosie’s food, eats Sunni’s food, and squeezes into shelter or horse trailer with them. When I take the horses into the forest to ride, Pimmy follows loosely and dependably, wears bells that reassure she’s behind us.

A donkey thinks. For example, Pimmy sees no reason to trot endlessly in circles, or be subjected to repeated commands to do one uninteresting thing or another. Basically, Pimmy’s not easily trainable, nor easily exercised. Proved by a pot belly from all the hay and grass she freely consumes.

Pimmy needs work.

The header photo is of Pimmy being exercised. Daily, she’s hitched to the Gater and forced to trot, circling the dry lot for one mile. She insists on resisting through that mile. Although I can’t exercise her on a rope, she doesn’t win against the Gater. After she’s accustomed to the mile and her resistance eased, I’ll extend her trotting distance. Hoping to reduce her belly fat.

Another hope is training Pimmy to drive. Someday, and surely very different from training a horse to drive.

Also, from yesterday, a beautiful sight.

Hay is very expensive this year. Farmers’ yields are very low because of this season’s crazy weather, wildfires, and drought conditions. My hay supplier doled portions to his customers. I felt lucky to get one, although less than desired. Fortunately, I’ve hoarded over previous years and have enough hay for my animals through the winter.

For next summer, it’ll be important to find multiple sources for hay. If the yields again are low, feeding large animals becomes a brand new ballgame.

Dear Friends: Ongoing routine rancher challenges, housing, feeding, and managing large animals. Diana

Thursday, August 05, 2021 —(In 17 days, August’s full “Sturgeon” moon will rise nearest to earth.)

I researched to identify this tiny green critter that I spotted in the garden. It’s most likely a Small Grass Emerald Moth. This photo catches it with the wings fully spread (its entire wingspan is 22-26 mm). When its wings are folded, the moth looks like a small leaf particle.

I thought I was spying an unusual bright green leaf and was looking closely, when suddenly it spread wings and lifted. A moth! It flew and landed nearby on a lava rock to rest. I had to use a zoom camera to enlarge and capture it, but truly, this photo does little justice to bright emerald wings with delicate patterns.

Nonetheless, it’s a find that’s worth sharing.

My little garden has produced many delights. Besides supporting flowers, damp environments attract wildlife. This frequent visitor spends lots of time under my small deck. It’s becoming less afraid of me.

I know from experience that wild bunnies aren’t tameable. A seriously frightened bunny can scream loud and sound like a human who’s under serious assault. Anyway, I’ve no interest in taming. Just seeing is enough.

Now I must be off to feed my horses. I’ll carry a camera to try recording more of the richness surrounding us all.

Dear Friends: Everything’s free in nature, and it’s all right in front of us to enjoy. Diana

Wednesday, August 04, 2021 —(In 18 days, August’s full “Sturgeon” moon will rise nearest to earth.)

I tossed into the bed of my ranch vehicle a muck fork and empty bucket, fired up the vehicle’s motor and rolled off. My destination was across the road at John’s place. He’s a kind neighbor who lets my horses graze on his pasture. These days, the horses go there daily for one hour on fresh grass. Any longer and that sweet summer grass will add on each animal too much weight.

As the horses and I were walking home, they had mucked-up John’s gravel driveway. John doesn’t care, but I do and intended to clean up. I maneuvered the ranch vehicle into position and while looking backward noticed the buck, quickly moving. Immediately, I switched off the motor.

That jaw-dropping magnificent buck was a gorgeous seven-or-eight-pointer.

I stepped from the vehicle, picked up a camera and slowly walked in his direction, talking softly constantly and keeping a distance. The buck stood still, intently watching. He didn’t flinch when I raised the camera.

We stayed like that for quite awhile. He gave me lots of chances for pictures.

Besides wanting pictures, my other single thought was the Disney Movie, “Bambi”. I saw it during my childhood eons ago. I felt as of the buck and I were reliving a scene from that movie–the one in which Bambi suddenly reappears after a time lapse. He has matured, is grown up and fabulous.

This buck hasn’t been tagged. He’s a perfect match for wild doe, Tag #55, a browser in our neighborhood. If next spring #55 shows up followed by a beautiful fawn, a guess as to its daddy would be this guy.

Dear Friends: It’s a wonder that some wild bucks survive long enough to generate many points. Diana

Tuesday, August 03, 2021 —(In 19 days, August’s full “Sturgeon” moon will rise nearest to earth.)

In my neighborhood, this summer’s superb Raven parents raised these pictured kids. For generations, local Ravens have been teaching their babies to drink from my horses’ troughs. These youngsters patiently are waiting until I move away before they drop to drink. Actually, they’re not particularly worried that I’m only several feet from them, also pointing a camera.

Ravens are very intelligent. The infants while learning to drink from my tanks become accustomed to seeing me around. I make sure to appear very non-aggressive, and gradually distances between us shorten. Sometimes the birds even seem to be playing with me.

They’re incredibly noisy. Scientists have captured Raven vocalizations, the sounds and contexts, into something like thirty-three distinct categories. Ravens constantly are announcing that they’re flying, landing, or waiting in a treetop and watching. To untrained human ears, all their sounds are similar loud and raspy mutterings. But each family has unique sounds, communicating an individual’s activities and whereabouts to other members, holding everybody together.

Parents often park babies at my water troughs before taking off to hunt and leaving them. The kids obediently understand and stay put, although parents might not return for quite awhile. Gradually the waiting babies become familiar with my presence. Once they’re reasonably comfortable being fairly near me, I’ll think about pointing a camera at them.

These birds are fun and funny. Some images of them are wonderful.

Dear Friends: Many of these kids often reappear, and eventually as parents themselves. Diana

Monday, August 02, 2021 —(In 20 days, August’s full “Sturgeon” moon will rise nearest to earth.)

We go for a walk, Peaches and I, on a hot summer afternoon. He watches everything, says “Hello” and “Goodbye” to others we meet out walking.

Peaches is a distinctive character, alert and carefree. Best, he’s finally showing signs of maturing. He’s lived with me four years, is turning sixteen, becoming easier to live with. He seems now a more relaxed bird, although still very noisy.

He’s a Citron Cockatoo, the smallest of the breed, considered perhaps the least talkative. Nonetheless, he has screaming sessions that produce hugely annoying racket. Especially when I’m trying to focus on something particularly interesting in a book or on television. It’s impossible to ignore the bird’s demanding outbursts.

I know that Peaches has a superb vocabulary, even if Citron’s do talk less than the larger Cockatoos. Peaches uses his vocabulary at his choice, not necessarily when someone’s encouraging him to talk.

On a signal that I might leave the house, like opening a drawer that holds my wallet or rattling a car key, Peaches always announces, “Bye, bye!” I nod and answer, as if to a human, and who wouldn’t? Whenever I return, he’s offering a cheery, “Hello, hello!”

His condominium cage is beside large windows. On seeing an approaching stranger, a delivery person or visiting friend, Peaches screams out alarms. My dogs rush to the windows, add their noises to his, and I’m duly alerted to possible danger.

There’s always clamor around here. If the dogs are outside, if they notice activity that makes them bark, Peaches joins in with his own effective barking sounds.

I’m certain of his giant vocabulary, because sometimes Peaches launches into loud talking. He spills a string of words revealing an amazing variety of stored sounds. Previously, he has lived with women and with men, and so, changes his voice to mimic the gender he’s copying.

It’s great fun when Peaches suddenly breaks into loud laughter. He sounds exactly like a human in the middle of belly laughing. Always, it’s impossible to resist responding. I laugh along loudly.

I love this bird.

Dear Friends: By definition, a bird’s a reptile. Amazing creatures, those. Diana