Happiness at the Horse Camp

Yesterday, the sun shone through clear skies, and bathed this little mountain valley in a golden glow, as it rose over the horizon behind Lost Valley Rock. At temperatures into the '80s, it turned out to be the warmest day of the year so far. Only three days ago I shivered in my blankets until noon, unable to get the inside temperature above 58 degrees, while the wild winds outside rocked my trailer and battered the branches of the huge oak trees that shelter me. A few intermittent warm days have given false clues to the wild flowers and flowering bushes, and slowed down the whole process of spring, making the floral displays last for weeks, instead of just days, as sometimes happens during very warm springtimes.

There were about a dozen horse campers here, including some children and dogs, enjoying every minute of their weekend on the edge of a BLM wilderness. Several times they galloped their pinto horses past my enclave, with their four large dogs racing ahead and behind them, and my dogs, Smokey Joe and Sherpa, under my loose control, looked on longingly.

At noon I forced myself away from my computer and my Gather friends, and drove to my daughter Jane's new rented home about eight miles away. It is a factory built house with interesting additions that allow her to stand behind a large window to look down on I-8 far below as it cuts its way through rock-strewn mountains on a perilous route down to the desert about 30 miles below. Her property has several yards surrounded by sturdy chain link fencing, topped with barbed wire. They make wonderful exercise areas for her three rescued pit bulls, separate from her four other assorted dogs. She used to live next to me, but Chief Elliott told her to get rid of the pit bulls, or move. She chose to move. It seems to be working out for her, but she is having to work double shifts at her medical transcription business, to make enough to pay her hugely increased rent and utility bills, and still be able to buy enough food and supplies for her dogs, cats and herself. I help all I can, and my visit yesterday was to bring a 50-lb. bag of dog food to tide her over until her next check comes in on Thursday.

Jane had good news for me. Her daughter, Penny, who was forced to give up driving two years ago because she is legally blind from the devastating effects of having diabetes since she was four years old, is giving Jane her beloved car. It is a red Beamer convertible. She wants her mother to have it so it won't go to strangers. That will be a big help, because Jane and I have been sharing my Toyota pickup.

Jane gave me some delicious ham and bean soup, and a jar of starter for sourdough biscuits. I thanked her, but I took the starter with some misgivings. Someone gave me something like it once before, and it turned out like the Sorcerer's Apprentice and the brooms. I soon had so much rising starter, I almost drowned in dough, because I couldn't eat it or give it away fast enough.

While standing talking to my daughter, I found a ten dollar bill in my pocket I didn't know I had, so on the way home I spent it on goodies - chocolate chip mint ice cream and Oreo's. Well, I did get eggs and celery too.

The trip home brought on spring fever as I drove through the village of Live Oak Springs, and admired the many beds of blooming daffodils, poppies, and a hedge of real northeastern type lilacs, that I stopped for a minute to sniff. I love that scent!

After crossing the cattle guard where the houses stop, for all the five and a half miles home, I could view the rocky hillsides covered with the various shades of blue of the large wild Ceanothus bushes, called Mountain Lilac here. There are also fine displays of the bright yellow daisy-like blossoms of Brittle Bushes that grow among the Mountain Lilac. And underneath it all, there were acres and acres of tiny yellow flowers called Golden Fields that cover the hillsides with a golden carpet. I don't have a camera anymore or a printer/copier/scanner, so I can't show you real pictures, but maybe you can imagine the beauty of it all. I was dazzled!