I am trying very hard not to think about it – that a year ago Pete and I were in Del Norte, Colorado, and heading north. I was really enjoying the day-to-day challenges of being on a long distance horseback trip, and didn’t want it to end – ever. I was later cheered by the fact that Pete and I would return and continue the adventure this summer.

Life has an odd way of taking unexpected twists and turns. Unexpected twists and turns are a good thing, otherwise, we’d remain on the same old path. It would be a straight line from birth to death. Such a life (if you want to call it a life) would be excruciatingly dull.

We have a foal to tend to this summer. I have no complaints about being here. We live in a semi-rural area, and are surrounded by mountains. And we aren’t having to live with the dull roar of the highway in the background. We also live on a semi-residential dirt road that has minimal traffic. The adjacent trails are somewhat trashed, but at least accessible.

The best thing of all is that our animals are still driving force behind our enterprise. Raudi and Siggi are getting a summer in which they can, in small bits, put to use what they learned last summer. After all, they are still both quite young. (Raudi is 9 and Siggi is 8.)

Then: Antelope Creek Campsite about one year ago

Now: Morning walk with Signy, Hrimmi, and the dogs

Siggi used to barrel down hills, probably because his back and leg muscles needed to develop. He’s of late going down inclines in a more steady fashion. Sometimes my heart swells with pride, for Pete’s done an incredible job with a horse that I had at one time been relegated to companion animal status.

For the past month, our world seems to have revolved around Hrimmi; however, Raudi is still the apple of my eye. I took her out last night, at 9:30 p.m., and we did arena work in the driveway, trotting over poles, going downhill over poles, and backing around poles. We then went for a trail ride, doing the same with natural obstacles. On the final stretch home, we encountered a moose. I turned Raudi around, and she walked quietly back to the adjacent road. I recalled that prior to our trip she would have bolted.

Tinni is the apple of my other eye. He did not go with us last summer. No matter, he seems to be getting better with age. Earlier, Pete and I went for a trail ride and Tinni did everything he was asked to do, including going downhill at a snail’s pace – this in an attempt to get Siggi to go even slower.

Rainbow and Jenna are also enjoying having us take them out for shorter jaunts—and the goats seem to be enjoying the warmer weather and the new greenery. And the chickens – of which there are now just two—are enjoying rolling in the dirt in the goat pen. Watching them, I too almost feel like taking a dust bath.

Yep, I have to say that so far, it’s been a good summer on the home front.

Next: 176. 06/2/12: Drawing on the “right” side of the Brain