By Patty Wilber

While we were on our road trip from Boston to Montreal, I re-read Anne of Green Gables.  It is on Canada’s Prince Edward Island, which is located in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The story is lovely, and the author’s descriptions of the landscape, trees, and flowers, especially during spring and summer, made me want to visit the island and look more closely at the beauty here in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains.  I think fall instead of spring, might be my favorite season.

We have had some crazy rain, and this moisture has nourished the late summer/early fall wildflowers. The air has gained a hint of coming winter coolness, which makes riding very pleasant! The vibrant purple asters alongside the shining yellow of the cowpen daisy and the lower-growing yellow snakeweed frame the trails.

The latest crazy rain topped off the spadefoot pond.  This will probably be the last monsoonal fill of the year.  The hundreds of tads that were still in the pond just before we left appear to have “legged out” while we were travelling and have departed to presumably dig their lairs and wait for next year’s rains….unless the raccoon (given away by its tracks) ate them all, which seems unlikely… The mint with tiny pale blue flowers that grew around the pond is going to seed.

The rain caused such massive runoff that the normally dry canyon to the east of us was running with a small stream. There were even side tributaries! We got to do water crossing practice without driving anywhere!

Arrow was not at all concerned.

Chica was not at all concerned either!

Trigger (with Jessica taking a picture) got a drink!

Happy Friday!

No blog next week as we will be at elk camp, hunting grouse, and tending the livestock! LT, Penny, and Cometa are on the list to go.