Untamed Beauties

The wild roses were so fragrant this morning, and so popular with the bumblebees and honeybees, that my garden roses seemed somewhat humbled.

"God made the world for the delight of human beings--if we could see His goodness everywhere, His concern for us, His awareness of our needs...just the little things He does for us...we just begin to fall in love with Him...you just can't resist Him." --Mother Teresa

Mirror, Mirror on the Ranch

The neighbor horses--and mule--looked quite stunning reflected in the canal-mirror this evening. 

"But we...beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory...." --2 Corinthians 3:18 NASB

Walk This Way

I'm sure you've seen ropewalks, moonwalks and spacewalks. You may have trodden sidewalks, skywalks, boardwalks and crosswalks. Perhaps you've even taken sleepwalks, racewalks, cakewalks or fitness walks.

Might I recommend goatwalks? You walk, but the ho-hum ends there. Your companions provide all the merriment and entertainment you could ever want!

"Come, let us walk in the light of The Lord." --Isaiah 2:5

Bull Shopping

Since our cows don't get out much (unless someone leaves the gate open) and don't have access to social networking, we have to shop for a sire for next year's calves. 

Yesterday's bull shopping excursion at Siggins' Polled Herefords was pure joy because we got to meet some wonderful stockmen, see some beautiful Herefords, and gawk at some gorgeous scenery (up the South Fork Road from Cody).

And yes, we did find some gents for the ladies.

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory...." --EPHESIANS 3:20-21 (NKJV)

15 Minutes with Finnegan

I went to Oxbow Ranch, home of Rainhorse (www.rainhorse.org), to find out more about Maria Lisa Eastman and her horses. Rainhorse provides several equine assisted counseling and learning programs in the area, and I couldn't wait to learn more. Maria was gracious enough to not only show me around the ranch and explain their programs, but also to allow me to experience some equine magic—er, therapy.

Somehow, the therapy horses know which clients need them. For instance, Emmy had a past full of abuse and neglect, so she often chooses kids or adults who need healing from similar trauma. She also suffers from arthritis and has been known to choose people who are living with chronic pain.

To my surprise, Emmy, Brego, Daylight, and Finnegan all chose me. At first, I thought, Wow, this is cool. All these horses really like me. Then it dawned on me that perhaps they thought that I was a real headcase and needed all the help I could get!

It was so difficult to select “my” horse from these dear volunteers. Emmy was sweet and pretty; Brego was charming and handsome; Daylight was beautiful and said to be a star therapist. But Finnegan, a sorrel Thoroughbred, planted herself right beside me and seemed to really want me to halter her, so off to the round pen we went.

Fifteen minutes with Finn revealed that she and I have a lot in common. We’re gentle, but certain triggers elicit fear, causing us to overreact. We’ve experienced rejection and exploitation. We lack confidence and aren’t always sure just who we are. We can’t get enough approval and acceptance.

My heart filled up and my eyes spilled over with an odd mishmash of relief, empathy, sorrow, gratitude, joy and love. I’ve worked with horses for years, but I’ve never made that kind of soul connection with a horse—or person, for that matter—in only 15 minutes.

My warmest thanks to Maria and Finn!

(For a wonderful read about horses as healers, I recommend Hope Rising by Kim Meeder.)

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” –MATTHEW 5:3 (ESV)

When the Desert Rains

Saturday we went for another run in the desert, which is rather like a botanical garden this year because of our unusual moisture. More species are blooming now than I could ever record on camera, so I just picked some of my favorites to show here.

Milkvetch

Groundsel

Beardtongue (blue) and Indian paintbrush

Scarlet guara

Locoweed (yellow) and Indian paintbrush

Sego lily

“The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,
And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.” –ISAIAH 58:11 (NKJV)

Mayzie

Calving season 2014 is officially and adorably wrapped up with a very late entry: little Mayzie.

When Hubby pregnancy tested Daisy Mae, he predicted that she wouldn’t calve until June. But when the sun came up on May 31, Mayzie was here, which is a good thing because I wouldn’t have wanted to name her Junezie. Besides her month of birth, Mayzie also owes her name to her maternal grandmother, our dear belated Maezie.

“Better is the end of a thing than its beginning….” –ECCLESIASTES 7:8 (ESV)