Home

Our rancher neighbor finally moved the cows, which means, we can keep our gate open. But more importantly, especially to the Shelties, we can finally walk up to get the mail, and paper again!

Piper and Selkie are ALWAYS up for a nice, long walk.

They race ahead

then, turn back to make sure we're coming.

If we're really slow, they have to come back to get us

 before starting the process all over again.

Of course, there's always pets, and treats periodically along the way.

It was once we'd headed back to the house, that I decided to try my hand at a couple more panoramic photos.  My brother-in-law, Ed, has been encouraging me. You'll have to click on them to open them up. They won't look like much in the blog.

(this is where I rode Journey two days ago :)

If you open this up, way on the far right, you can barely see our house! The white/cream building is our barn.

and once again, through the gate, to home.

Home.

Isolated, yes.

But incredibly wild, beautiful, and certainly, the only place I'd ever want to live out my days.

The Shelties agree.

Wildlife show du jour

I first noticed her way out in the horse pasture. See her out there? 

A young, small coyote looking for a meal. 

I called to Bruce, and as we watched, we got to see her PLAY!

She would bite at a tall weed, then, play bow to it, run around it in circles, jump, frisk, and dart in to snap at it.  Bruce thinks she's this year's pup- inquisitive, playful and precious.

She even came into our yard to sniff around, and nose up some old leaves.

I noticed she had blood on her hip (if you open the photo, you'll be able to see it) but Bruce says no matter what the blood is from- a bite from another animal, a stick that poked her, a grazing bullet- it's not life threatening, as she was not, in the least, effected by it.

At one point, she spied Journey, and Journey spied her. They stretched towards each other, sniffing. The coyote gathered her courage and shot past the horse, whipping around to see the mare's reaction- which was nothing. I'm sure Journey thought the coyote was just another, quieter, Sheltie.  The little coyote, then, tried to play with Journey. More play bows, more tearing around in circles before she got tired, and flopped down in the pasture for a little nap.  

Bruce and I must have watched her for an hour. 

And of course, I fell in love with her.

And of course, I named her. :)

Vita

because she is so full of life.

I DO hope we will see her again.

I just hope the dogs and cats are inside when she comes to visit.