hot horses

This stretch of muggy/horrid/hot and rainy weather we find ourselves in has been hard on all critters. We do what we can to lessen their discomfort, and ours. 

We take shorter dog walks, earlier in the day. Potty breaks happen between rain drops, whenever possible. Dog towels hang by exterior doors and water bowls are filled more frequently. Hummer feeders and bird bath water also gets swapped out more often.

My heart goes out to the farmers doing what they can to keep livestock from overheating. Our friend shared multiple calfs aborted due to excessive heat. I can only assume similar happens with wild life altho they may/may not have more options.

As for us, we are thankful for air conditioning! I come in/out often, to feel renewed. Gone are the days of spending time planted in front of fans. For fear of melting. I used all the tricks to keep a house cooler. The old farm house shaded from large oak trees was appreciated regardless.  

Our horses let us know it gets hot out here in sand country. When they really want to get out of the elements, our split herd uses the shared shed (with divider) or they hover around the gate. Swatting bugs with their tails/legs/nose. Hoping their staff will notice and bring them inside for relief, and OH what a relief it is! No plop, plop, fizz, fizz required. All you have to do is walk through the barn door to feel cooler air. Our arena stays amazingly cool. Without air conditioning. Nice for when Brad is working with Cierra and/or Hope. Which he has been doing more frequently.

We are not bath crazed equine owners and do let our horses be horses. Mother Natures showers are the best. However after repeated hot-n-sweaty days our horses do appreciate getting hosed off and faces wiped with a cool wash cloth. 

Even Ms. Hope. Who turns into sweet softness with a wash cloth rub. They all do to some extent. She is too funny! Hope wants to drink the hose water, and have water run onto her nose/nostrils. Hope does need to be reminded that big girls stand still, but is doing really well.

Below is a short clip of our trio coming in early from the back pasture. Not Harmony's normal response. It is usually a race and "whoa" can be heard. She must have been too hot to run. 

6.23.25 (26 secs)

Later in the day, Brad spotted light beams peaking out of the cloudy sky. By the time I grabbed my phone and got outside, the first beam that went straight up had all but faded. I enjoyed watching the sky morph, and wondering...

6.23.25 around 8:35pm

We woke up to close to 5" of rain in our gauge the next day. 

Have I mentioned it is **STILL** raining and hotter than blazes outside?!!

september sky

After a long hiatus from photographing the night sky, the almost full moon caught my eyes. It was flanked by the top of two pines, surrounded by a hazy glow. Oh so pretty! It lured me to capture it. Fully knowing the waning moon would have traveled higher, by the time I had my camera in hand. I decided to shoot the moon anyways. No cool composition, just an orb in a sea of darkness.

9/16/24

After my brief night sky shoot, I put my jammies on and sat down next to my hubby to read. Whatever he was watching on TV chattered away in the background. Before flipping any pages, I checked my phone. My eyes grew w-i-d-e as I saw the potential Aurora Borealis geomagnetic indicator was at KP 7. Um. Yah. Just like the moon *that* got my attention. 

It quickly turned to "should I or shouldn't I chase the fickle lights"? I've been skunked locally more times than I care to admit. Mostly during low solar activity years. False hope gets old. These days my sleep takes priority over any sky event.

As I am sure you know, we are currently in a more active Solar Maximus time period. I decided to take a chance. Got dressed and grabbed my camera. It was on stand-by. Like every crazy light chaser, you preset your camera and prep your gear any time there is a real possibility. 

We headed out the door full of wonder. Shortly after 9pm. My nice hubby came along and drove us about a half an hour away. We arrived to find one car already watching for the lights. 

9/16/24 9:45pm
(lightened for scenery)

It was a beautiful unseasonable warm night. It felt weird not to be bundled up in Winter gear! I not so patiently waited. I always say, I was in the bathroom when God handed out patience. After checking my phone a hundred times, I decided to wait until 10:30pm. I always feel guilty when Brad is waiting for my photography, especially on a chance. He was content in the truck, listening to tunes and likely playing games on his phone. I popped back-n-forth from my shooting spot to the truck, giving Brad updates. I was delighted to have the safety of his company!

Much to my surprise, the lights briefly came on!! Nothing spectacular, but it was fun to practice. The last time I tried shooting the Northern Lights, was on my 2018 photographers group trip to Alaska.

9/16/24 10:46pm

It was the night before a full moon and very bright outside! No doubt the moon washed the colors out. The only visible color to the naked eye, was a faint hazy red (less pink). Straight up. Above the dang power lines. What is a girl to do, other than shoot where ever the lights are. 

10:46pm

10:46+pm

10:47pm

10:48pm

10:49pm

back by our truck 10:50pm

fading 10:51pm

In less than 10 minutes, the Northern Lights were gone. Shortly after, we headed home. I have no doubt they became visible again, at some point. If not the same night, then early the next day. I zonked out until 2:20am. I tried SO HARD to talk myself into going back outside again. With the lights shining high in the sky, there was a good chance I could have seen them from our land. Our next door neighbors have.

Maybe next time. It could happen.

so many skies

Last night, I sat upon my moms bench. Like I do most every day/night. A place of great reflection and appreciation of things I love.

the clouds caught my attention
(7:48 pm)

Clouds fascinate me.

I love watching them travel and morph. My favorite are the lofty powder puff kind.

The clouds are different north of the river. They are closer. I don't care what anybody says, I know what I see.

You can almost reach out and touch the clouds. Almost.

I frequently say, we are a little closer to heaven.

As the day settled into early evening, I knew I was in for a treat. 

(7:57 pm)

Don't blink. The sky is ever changing.

a slightly different photo than above
(7:57 pm)

There is a new song and artist on the radio that resonates with me. So Many Skies by Caroline Jones featuring Matthew Ramsey (Old Dominion lead singer) with Zac Brown playing some amazing guitar. SO much talent intertwined with a powerful lyric.

A love song, about destiny and appreciation.

If this is all too mushy for you, than perhaps you will enjoy the last few sunset clouds marching off to whereversville.

Don't see the curiosity?
(8:36 pm)

How about now?
(8:34 pm)

Fred Bear
(8:36 pm)

Before the end of the sunset, I went out on our deck for a wider view. Wow.

backlit clouds, facing south

My phone turned the powder puff clouds a fake orange. They were actually a brilliant glowing light yellowish white.

(8:35 pm)

I sat on our deck, and turned my thoughts back towards the West. Mesmerized by the evolving rays. Brad was watching TV inside the house, while I watched a spectacular show outside our house.

(7:58 pm)



(8:00 pm)



I wonder who was beamed up?
(8:01 pm)

(8:06 pm)

"God I'm so lucky I've seen so many skies. Turning all shades of sunset and sunrise..."