2010 - 2020, The Decade ~

I've been looking through my photos from the last ten-years...  It seems like yesterday!  Ben, our first Grandchild, was born in 2000, Mason in 2001 & Cassidy in 2003!  Busy years!

1-29-2010 Cassidy, Mason & Ben

2010 - Our favorite three Grandkids visited Papa in Redmond at his construction site.  Visiting job sites was one of the field trips the kids enjoyed most!

4-10-2011 Jentry & Skyla Jean

 2011 - After ten-years, Jentry & Joe presented us with a beautiful Granddaughter!

7-27-2012 Papa with Josie Lynn~

2012 - About eighteen months later Jentry & Joe welcomed another daughter & bundle of beauty!  We call the girls our second generation of Grandkids!

7-27-2013 - Josie & Grammy

2013 - Josie, our youngest, turned one!  We had a wonderful party at the Wright's on the river.  It was a year filled with good family times. 

1-14-2014 Moon over Three Fingers Peak, from behind the barn~

2014 - The above photo had over 5,000 likes on the Seattle KOMO 4 News web site.  A "Wolf" moon.  

It was another busy year Butch.  He was building a high-rise storage facility in Ballard. Long hours - with longer commutes - leaving me with plenty of ride time.  (Farah & I traveled over 1,400 miles.)

11-27-2015 Cassidy, Connie, Nika, Butch, Ben, Rascal & Mason~

2015 - We made time for three-day camping trips with both families.  Logistics were convenient, with two of the grandkids 35-miles south of us & the other three about the same distance north!

10-11-2016 Courtney, Connie & Butch - Duvall, WA

2016 - In October, accompanied by daughter Courtney, we packed up the Homestead & moved 1,732 miles - to the Home Place in Iowa!

8-21-2017 Eclipse, Indian Caves State Park, NE

2017 - Our oldest daughter Courtney, grandson Mason & granddaughter Cassidy came for a visit!  We enjoyed every day they were here.  Besides two days at the Zoo & stopping by Sugar Makery for the grand opening, we drove to Indian Cave State Park in Nebraska to view the solar eclipse!

9-16-2018 Venice, Italy

2018 - Daughter Courtney & I take a trip to Italy!

2-14-2019 Cassidy, Connie, Courtney, Mason & David -
Leaving Children's in Seattle~

2019 - Grandson Mason beats Cancer!  Our Superhero!

2-16-2019 Skyla, Connie, Ben & Josie - Fort. Stevens ~

Even our youngest two - are growing so fast!  How long will it take for them to be taller than I am?  Ben is grown!

A new year & a new decade!  For couple who book-ended the 50's - we've marked the passing of the years - watching as our five Grandchildren grow.  I know they're going to do more of that!  We're loving every minute!

Here's to 2020!  

Happy New Year!

Into the Wind ~

 At the stable I was asked to keep Farah out all day - so that her run could be scrapped.  No problem at all, since my plan was to see the fall colors at Waubonsie.  Dazzling sunshine - a strong wind - at 20 to 30 mph with 40 mph gusts.   Since rain is forecast for tomorrow, today was the day to get out!

Quiet when we arrived, just as I had bridled Farah, a group of four riders returned to the trailhead.  I had my camera off the saddle & caught the image below.  As the years have gone by & I've watched the gold girl mature, I keep thinking she can't be more beautiful.  I'm biased - yes - but with good cause.

Farah~

 Stately & aristocratic - with so much presence - truly a one-of-a-kind mare.  She's adjusted well to life here in Iowa - the bugs, heat, cold etc.  Certainly, a more extreme climate than the one she was used to.  The wind doesn't even bother her - in the spring & fall we get plenty - she hardly twitches an ear.

To the trails!

 I couldn't believe how colorful things were once we were into the timber!  The golds, rusts, oranges, all on a backdrop of the trees that still held onto green leaves.

Down the Trail~

 I let her go at her own pace - the footing was perfect & having her barefoot is so nice.  The trails were littered with the colorful fallen leaves.  It had been a while since we'd done all the hill work, but Farah attacked them with her usual style & tossed in a buck just to keep me on my toes.

Top Trail~

 We'd just rounded the corner when two hen turkeys came out of the brush & started up the trail in front of us.  I slowed down & a second or so later a big tom took flight right over our heads!

Far Views~

 Now, the views are opening up & you get more of the feeling of being up on the higher ridges of the park.  Not really territorial - but pretty none the less.

Trails edge~

 The day went from sunshine, to partly cloudy later in the afternoon.  The filtered light turning the colors of the leaves almost a neon against the gray backdrop.

Ms. Farah~

 We made as many miles as we could, doing each loop twice in both directions & the pretty section I call Tall Trees to finish up the ride.  It was warm, probably upper 70's.  Farah worked up a decent sweat with her newly thickened coat.

A typical yawn~

She asked to stop once & spent a few minutes yawning - something she's done forever.   Back at the trailhead there was only one other rig parked at the far side.  Since the Asian Beetles have hatched out this week & they'd been thick here last year - I was surprised they weren't bad today.  Farah got a bath & dried dry almost faster than I could get her wet!

Farah & Nika~

I made the drive home & turned her out in the yard.  Nika actually laid down nearby for the first time!  Usually, she moves further away.  Back at the stable, the run had not been scraped - with rain tonight - I can only hope it will get done next week.  Another gorgeous ride, I'm hoping to go to Indian Caves before all the color is gone.

Solar Eclipse!

View from the park~

Like everyone else, we were excited to see the solar eclipse!  At our house, we were in the path of about 98% of total.  Butch took the day off & since the Grand-kids were visiting we decided to go south.  We wouldn't have to travel far to find a spot where it would be total & decided to go to Indian Caves State Park, NE

A busy place!

At the Park's suggestion, we purchased our day passes on-line.  On the drive down, there was probably the most traffic we'd ever seen on I-29.  At the park entrance, we were surprised to see all the volunteers, very well organized & just a short line of cars.  We handed over our pass & were looking for that perfect spot within minutes!

Cassidy, Courtney & Mason

With the most people I've ever seen at the park, everyone was courteous, friendly & the atmosphere was one of subdued excitement.  The cloud cover was heavy, but the clouds parted off & on while we watched.  Each time, the crowd would cheer & we could see a larger & larger chunk being taken out of the sun!  The photo above was just a few seconds before total - which lasted just under 2.5 minutes. 

"Sunset"

I think we all expected it to get darker earlier in the eclipse, but once it started - it came on Fast!  Seeing the Sunset - was the most beautiful part for me!  It never did rain & was the coolest day of our Summer!

At the Cave~

We packed up & headed over to show the kids the caves & have a tail-gate picnic lunch.  By then, the sun had burned through most of the cloud cover & once we'd parked, we again got out our glasses to watch as the Moon's shadow left the Sun.

Petroglyphs

Here too - there were many visitors from as far away as Canada, Texas etc. all enjoying the unusual day.

Portion of the cliff face above the caves~

A little too crowded for us, we went on down to the river - so the kids could say they'd been on the banks of the Missouri!

Mighty Missouri River~

Soon, we were on the road for home & that's where we sat in a very long line of traffic.  There had been a big fender bender at the intersection before Brownsville.  We took a gravel cut-off & once back on I-29 traffic was about normal for the area - i.e. none!  :-)

It was great to have the opportunity to see the eclipse with the kids & experience a couple minutes of total darkness!

Spring at Indian Caves State Park~

I didn't even think about Friday being the early start to the 3-day weekend when I loaded Farah for the trip south!  In WA, I wouldn't even have attempted a 200-mile round-trip to anywhere!  Here though - there was no traffic on the way to Roxi's.  We caravaned to Indian Cave State Park.  It was a beautiful day that became very warm & humid.

Farah & the Missouri River~

Roxi invited her cousin Jackie & friend Cathy to ride with us - both interested in trying out endurance riding.  Mounted on two of Roxi's accomplished horses - they took direction on the finer points of staying topside while moving out :-)

Cathy, Roxi on Sovereign & Jackie

We did quite a bit of stopping for tack adjustments on the first loop :-)  Stirrups up/down - wherever they needed to be.  The horses of course were more than game for a fast ride & very competitive!  I took point, the size of Farah's stride makes it easier on me to have her in front & not have to hold her back.  

On the shaded trails~

Having seen the park after a fresh burn on my first visit, it was nice to see everything so green.  I did recognize a jack-in-the-pulpit, but it looked like all the other ground-covers were more sprouting weeds than native plants...

After our morning loop - we had lunch in the shade.  Our friend Shannon was here too - camping for the weekend.  She gave us directions as Roxi & I went out again - for a faster loop.  Jackie & Cathy left for their own ride at a slower pace.  As Roxi & I busted up one of the nice long climbs - I heard Roxi say; "Hi!"  A little girl was standing in the middle of the trail to our left!  Her eyes were as big as saucers as our horses crested the top of the hill!

Making friends~

We were impressed that this family had hiked all the way up onto the ridge to camp!  I retreived Farah's carrots from my pommel bag.  Both girls held their hands flat & gave one to each horse.  Not sure where we were going; we continued turning uphill & ended at the top of ridge trail again.  Those views are some of the best anywhere - it was a great place to be.

Bend in the Missouri~

We had a blast!  I even had to pose for "view selfie" :-)  I took my electrolyte's all day & even with the temperature hovering near or over 80 & what felt like high humidity - I felt fine.

Here we are :-)

After our ride, I washed Farah down & checked her for ticks.  Thankfully,  I didn't find any.  She rolled in the grass.  Afterward, I sprayed her again.  I'd sprayed myself down from top to bottom before we rode, then wore a bug band.  Butch rode out to the barn with me to drop Farah off.  Dinner in Mineola ended the day.  At home I found a tick under my bra line!  YUCK!  A desperate yell to my husband - he couldn't believe how hard it was attached!  I dabbed the spot with alcohol.  Next time even my bra will be sprayed!

Indian Caves State Park, NE~

The weatherman had promised a sunny day.  I'd heard about Indian Caves State Park - but had thought that it was quite a distance away.  Shannon & I had been trying to get together for a ride for a while now, but we'd been stopped either by snow or cold.

Entrance~

This time, the weather cooperated & we were both excited to get out!  We discussed our meet-up plan & I couldn't find the exit # in Iowa?  No!  It was in Missouri & Shannon actually lives in MO!  :-)

Farah patiently waits~

Butch was up for taking us - he likes to see the new-to-us riding places as much as I do.  It's always a relief to me!  Google maps on my smartphone took us right to where Shannon was already waiting in just over an hour.  From there, we turned west & next thing we knew, we were crossing the state line into Nebraska.  It was a three state day!  By the time we arrived the day was going from wonderfully warm - to almost hot!  We filled out the form at the Ranger Station & wound our way around to the horse area. 

On our way!

Sitting up high on hills, this park is beautiful, with the miles of trails lacking most places we've been.  The only disappointment - if you can even call it that - was the park had just experienced a planned burn.  This must be done to control the brush & invasive plants - but I'm interested enough to look into it a little more.  Everything was charred & still smoking in places.  I didn't take a photo of the sign - but I was amazed to read the park is home to the Southern Flying Squirrel! 

Lower view point~

Shannon told me this was her favorite conditioning area - with lots of very steep hills.  I had to think she was pulling my leg.  After all, this is the mid-west, not the mountains.  Boy was I wrong!  We did nothing but climb & climb again!  Even Farah asked to stop to get her breath on the steepest - called; "Thigh master"!  The trail went along the top edge of the bluff - with steep drops off both sides.

Along the high point~

As Farah admired the view here, I reminded her she is probably one of the very few horses who have seen both the Columbia & the Missouri!

At the Columbia River - 5-2-15

The wind had been blowing when we started out & was really whipping up on the ridge.  You could see for miles & miles!

Farah & the Missouri

To say we did some climbing was an understatement!  Shannon's pretty mare Haily & Farah seemed to have an understanding.  When Farah stopped - at a large, burned tree - Haily moved forward & right past it!  If either was in the lead - the other was not to be left behind!  Put two endurance riders together & between swapping stories & riding - we had a ball.

Still on the Ridge~

The ridge went on for quite a way - the signs of Spring we'd hoped to see just weren't there.  The landscape had a stark look due to the burn.  It did open up views that will be gone once the tree's leaf out & things do get a chance to turn green.

Heading down~

The footing here, as you can see, was perfect for our unshod horses.  While we were out riding, Butch & Nika were hiking around the park & went to see the caves!

Petroglyph of Horse & Rider

 Butch got this great photo of one of the several amazing petroglyphs of unknown date or origin.  This area is rich in history.  After seeing Butch's photos, I want to go back & do some more exploring.

Our route~

When we returned to the trailers, both mares were sweaty with their winter coats soaked.  The wind if anything had picked up & we heard a large tree crack & fall.  Both mares had a good roll in the grass & good drink of water.  We'd only found one place on the trail that had water, the other spot was dry.  Once I got home & downloaded my Garmin I was amazed to see we'd had over 1,700 feet in elevation gain in the ten-mile ride!  I won't doubt Shannon again!  Great ride at a super great place!