Today I came close to finding that elusive balance. Or should I say closer. Mid-morning, I first got Hrimmi out, and then after, got Raudi out. Pete then rode Tyra. The temperatures were in the high thirties -- I had my gloves but didn’t wear them. I stuffed them in my pockets. The trail was okay, just a little punchy; more punchy on the second ride.

Hrimmi is shedding, the others less so. The enclosure surface is, in places, specifically where the mares pee, soft. So I am scraping it up, putting it in the sled, and taking it up behind the hoophouse, where now the poop that was covered with snow is visible.

Brian crossing creek on way to Knik Glacier

No, it is not right that at this particular time in February, It’s this warm. It, in fact, is totally wrong. But each day that goes by is one in which we are closer to having warmer spring weather.

We are experiencing the now cliched new normal in terms of the weather patterns. Pete said, as we drove to Anchorage later in the day, that because we haven’t gotten much snow, that this could be a year in which fires predominate.

This, for us, might mean that we have to deal with smoke. I remember, in the past, worrying about Tinni. Now I will worry about Raudi, who will be 22 on April 14. There won’t be any snow in this year’s birthday photo. And once again, I will begin to speculate as to where we might take the horses. Before we had four horses and a three-horse trailer, and now we have three horses and a three-horse trailer.

I need to remind myself of such things when I begin daydreaming about acquiring another horse.

I also need to remind myself that time remains of the essence. After riding, I went to the former banquet room of the historic Eagle Hotel and continued what I started yesterday, after returning from Anchorage – I tidied up and got ready for another fun filled week. You see, if I take time off to do something else, then I have more to do on site when I get back. Pete went to the gym.

After, we went to Anchorage and visited our old friends Brian and Judy. I met them when I was doing my Fairbanks to Valdez bicycle trek. They took my sorry ass and my bicycle from the top of Thompson Pass down to the Valdez Bicycle store. I remember then that I hoped to find my friends Fran and Susan there – they were somewhere in the area, on a botany/photography field trip.

Brian and Judy spent the fall and part of winter in New York. Now they are home. We sat around their dining room table and played catch up. I blew it – I did not, when I was in Anchorage this past week, connect with them. Hence, Pete and I drove to their place today.

Tomorrow is going to be a dreadfully long day. I have to remind myself that like the days that preceded it, this one will go just fine.

Next: 55. 2/24/25: Losing Balance