‘Nona Winona

Reminds me of a pic I took of her as a baby …

The light on the grass makes it look  like she’s surrounded by fireflies. Last light high on the rimrocks.

Dream land

And we get to visit it wide awake.

Terra has a baby

It’s official: Terra is a mama! You all can say you told me so.

Can you tell that he has blue eyes? Just like Terra when she was a baby!

He’s a colt. Bay now but will turn grey. He has a big blaze and white on all four legs – like daddy Chrome!

Daddy Chrome. The timing of baby’s birth fits. She must have conceived immediately after Chrome acquired her and Winona after the roundup last year. (That’s one of the basin’s boundary fences in the background.)

The rest of his family: “Auntie” Winona checks out the little mister while he’s down for a nap. She is staying close to the new mama and baby.

New mama with her baby boy.

A storm was trying to move through, so I got sunshine and shade. The light was fantastic.

Love.

Worth mentioning: Grey/Traveler, Terra’s daddy, is granddaddy. He surely is a grandpa many times over, but this baby is the first I can confirm. A legacy worth preserving!

Mud games

Sometimes, even a little dip will do ya.

When it was Chrome’s band’s turn to drink at the trickle, they did, and then Winona decided there was more opportunity promised by the little mud hole.

Can you tell from this angle (uphill) that the pool at the trickle isn’t much bigger than Winona?

Size did not deter our girl.

Two seconds down, and she was up!

Yucky drippy muddy girl.

And proud of it!

Happy girl couldn’t  convince Chrome that black mud is the season’s new, well, black!

Terra and the belly saga

Busy, busy and rain, rain!

THREE ponds have been dug out, including the northwest pond previously featured (and it turns out that the panorama I posted earlier was NOT the finished product). There’s nothing too sexy about pix of dry, dug-out ponds, but I will tell you that the northwest, roadside and trapsite ponds all are dug out deeper now … just in time for the marvelous, glorious rain that (keeps coming today and) leaves me dancing for joy!

I am super grateful – again – to C and J from the Forest Service (Dolores and Durango offices) for doing such a fantastic job with those ponds!

And now, on to Terra. A friend and I were in the basin this last week and got a nice, close-up look at Chrome’s band, which were right by the road and Filly Peak as we left at sunset.

I know what you’re all going to say.

Go ahead and say it. It’s possible that it could be probable.

Winona-girl and Chrome

Always handsome!

Advantage

Chrome’s band is the only band that takes advantage of the water catchment. Not sure why this is, but I’m glad they know where the good water is!

Chrome’s band

For a couple of weeks at least, I’ve had photos of Chrome’s band, hoping to have time to tweak and share. They’re usually visible very soon after entering Spring Creek Basin, and many visitors recently are familiar with them. The only pic I think I’ve managed to post is the one of Winona peeking around the tree. But a recent comment asking about Terra’s pregnancy status decided me that I’d better get some pix of these photogenic ponies posted!

As for Terra’s pregnancy status? I truly don’t know. She shouldn’t be. I hope she’s not. She looks pregnant or in very great condition. She has looked like this for months.

Chrome – as usual – was doing his very best impression of a wild stallion. Loved the light on his silver coat and the dark hills in the background.

Curious George – aka Winona – was doing her best to hog the camera.

Darling girl.

‘Nona and Terra grazing.

Oh, but you really want to see the belly, don’t you??

Vertical view.

Horizontal view.

Thoughts? From a different visit, a straight on view:

From about a week ago. Round, but not abnormally so … and certainly not enough – or little enough – or confirm – or deny! – pregnancy.

Let’s talk udders: None to speak of.

Handsome Chrome

Winona – “buckskin and blue”!

Lovely Terra. I don’t know how she can look so much like her mother – but all the best qualities and not the bold Roman outline. Must be where daddy comes in.

Walking into the sunset.

Chrome is NOT the sire if Terra is pregnant. If Terra is pregnant, Terra’s sire is the sire. Not unheard of, but you see why I hope she’s not.

Peek-a-’Nona

Finding relief in the slim shade from a pinon:

In the late-afternoon light, she and the tree are the same color.

What a subtle sweetie.

Happy Independence Day!

Won’t you play with me?

Winona still has her playful streak!

One stick to play and one in reserve.

But Terra wouldn’t bite. Har.

I’m struck every time by her loveliness.

Close and wide

On our way out of the basin after working on the trickle, Chrome’s band blessed us with a visit right by the road. We stopped to admire, our curiosity matched by ‘Nona’s about us.

Winona and Terra

Terra and Chrome. The water catchment storage tank is visible in the middle background. Note also the cloud shadows. If it seems odd to note such “normal” shadows across the landscape, consider that our Colorado-blue skies have been nearly cloudless for nearly two months.

‘Nona walking across the road to get a better look. I took this out the passenger-side truck window. The weird vertical dark line on the left is the truck’s antenna. Isn’t she a most gorgeous creature?