Once temperatures get in the eighties, it's uncomfortably warm. After all, most of the places I ride are in full sun.
So morning is the time to ride. However, I have such an established morning routine, it gives me no time to ride before the sun is beating down with a vengeance.
Yesterday I told Cliff I was going to skip our morning walk and use that time to ride. I need the walk, and I miss it; but I'm tired of putting my horse at the bottom of my list of priorities. I was in need of seclusion, so I headed toward the Missouri River bottoms, my favorite haunt.
Cliff and I have been noticing lots of egrets lately, running with herds of cattle and horses. I spotted one on my way to the river road, but didn't think to take a picture, so I googled one from the Internet. I did remember, once I was home, to look up some information, and found out these are Cattle Egrets, and are relatively newcomers to this country. Recently we've see flocks consisting of dozens of the herons, interspersed among the cows; after reading about them on several websites, I now assume they were migrating toward some warmer climate.
That railroad worker was beside the track where Blue and I cross, spraying weeds. Upon seeing him ahead, I wondered how Blue would take to passing beside such an unusual sight and sound, but he wasn't bothered by it at all. Once across, I turned back and took this picture.
Every time I ride by this dead tree near the river, it catches my eye. It's just so white, in contrast to the grapevine-laden, living trees around it. I seldom ride more than ninety minutes these days; my aging bones nag me if I'm on the horse too long. But even in that short length of time, I can feel myself rejuvenated; I'm thankful to have a good-natured horse to ride, and so many secluded places to ride.
We have blue herons, mallards, Canadian Honkers, and red tailed hawks that swoop by from time to time. I wish we had some whip-poor-wills.
ReplyDeleteBesides birds, I made my husband leave a section of the pasture unmowed so we could keep the butterfly population fed, too.
It is great that you have Blue to ride and so many neat places to ride. I love that white tree. I saw 3 of them when I was at the Missouri River in NE. They were across the river in Iowa. I tried to get a picture but my horse refused to be still and the trees were too far away. I did get my picture but it's not a great one.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that I've ever seen an egret before.
90 minutes is about my limit too. Also as both the horses big enough for me to ride are getting old it's enough for them. Liked your alphabet meme!
ReplyDeleteIt will rejuvenate me too if I had Blue and such a peaceful surroundings to ride by.
ReplyDeleteLucky you. Have a good week ahead.