The other woman is a mule

This is Liz. She is Sam's mule. She LOVES Sam. Not me. I am the OTHER woman. (GASP) Many people have told me that mules have a favorite. Well, She has always loved Sam...and like me, I suppose she always will. ( I just hope she will share!!!) For the longest time when I would feed her she would turn her butt on me. LOL!!! She would go to the very back of her stall and turn around. She has so much character. She, like Sam...loves to be alone. Up on a mountain with no-one around. She is very anti-social...another endearing trait that Sam possesses. They are like two wallflowers that were just made for each other. Both stubborn, both loners, both cute!

Luke and Ellie

What can I say? This is where Ellie loves to be. Cross-legged at the foot of her horse. It cracks me up. Luke likes Ellie the best. He likes to follow her around and she already has him around her stubby little finger.
Every day Ellie helps Sam with chores. She loves to lead Luke, feed him and of course, give him lots of love. It is sweet to see a little girl so full of love and kindness. And to see her interact with creatures great and small fills my heart with great joy!

The rest of the story

This is a sheer rock cliff that is in the vicinity of the Coral Pink Sand Dunes. This is off the beaten path in the State Park of the same name. It was simply breathtaking. the trail winds through sand, rock, some tricky to navigate turns and falls straight down. Just amazing. I really appreciated the contrasts not only of the land but of the light and color. The white of the snow, the green of the trees, the red of the sand and the blue of the sky... all thrown together in a tapestry of light. The pictures really don't do it justice.
This was my favorite spot. The rock I am sitting on was shaped like a giant heart. I found solace there from the wind and others in the group. I do like to be alone. The valley below stretched out for at least 100 miles. It was so amazing to me to sit there and be able to watch the next storm roll across the way. Awe of nature, for sure.
This is opposite of the sheer cliff face. That is Sam on the edge. He always does like to play the edge. You can't even imagine how far that drop was. And flat rock the whole way down. Wouldn't make for a soft landing...But amazing to see.
So this is what pretty much all of Friday looked like. A blizzard. It was bone chilling cold with sustained winds of 61 mph. The snow hardly stopped, and the sun rarely shown. I can honestly say that it was the coldest I have ever been in my entire life!

Into the great wide open

Into the great wide open...under a sky of blue... The beauty and majesty of nature is all around us. Often, I wonder how many of us take for granted that the sun rises and the gift of a new day is given to us. How many of us run out the door and greet the day with joy and thanksgiving? I must admit it is much easier to do when you are on the edge of nowhere...

Sam the man. On a rock. Honestly I was impressed. There was NO WAY I was climbing up there for a picture. He crawled up that rock with blinding speed and no fear at all. So tall rocks beware...Sam is not afraid!

Yes, that is me doing a little yoga on the edge of a cliff. Yes, I am laughing my head off, lots of joy on the edge of that plateau...*smiles*