Having a Ball; TBT

CB has a new blow-up buddy.

It came in two postal packages this week.

Once I stuffed the ball inside its colorful cover, Bill did the honors of inflating it.

Then, the fun began.

Actually, the horses' reactions weren't too lively as they first saw the 40-inch "jolly" ball while taking their afternoon "full-belly" naps.

Still, the colorful new orb rolling around in the barnyard either on its own or with help from CB woke 'em up.

CB got acquainted with another jolly ball over at my sisters' while he was going through basic training.

Since he was in a pen by himself, the ball kept him company and he kept things pretty noisy while playing.

In fact, Laurie attributes CB's constant banging of the ball against metal fencing as a plus for helping her young mare remain calm during horse shows.

Kids racing up and down metal bleachers during a class:  no big deal when you've gone through the CB and the ball crash tests next to the arena every day.

We're expecting some entertainment now that CB has his ball.  I have figured out at least one safety issues needing attention:  no ball in the barnyard overnight. 

We don't need it to end up in a stall in the dark to scare the beejeebers out of an unsuspecting horse.

This morning I had to put the ball away so CB would come into the barn to eat his breakfast.

He was just having too much fun to stop.

Fun and crazy times ahead, and I'm figuring if those horses get used to the antics that go along with the ball, they'll soon be pretty bomb proof. 
 

There are several forms of dressage these days:  traditional, Western, cowboy, etc.

Lefty has decided to take the disciplined sport a step further.

His version will be known as barnyard, freestyle dressage.

He has already mastered the respectful salute given to the judge with each test.

Now, to learn the rest . . . .

Thursday Throwback Day . . . .

Actually, the photos are not old. 

They were taken last night after dinner when Bill asked if I wanted to go up Grouse Creek.

Grouse Creek is northeast of Sandpoint.

As we were driving up the road, I suddenly realized that this could be the 50th year since I began a few summers of working for the Forest Service.

That first year, our major job involved collecting engineering data for nine miles of the Grouse Creek Road. 

My partner Mary "Sis" Ballenger and I were novelties as Forest Service field workers.  Even got a write-up in the local paper. 

We spent several days with engineers and engineering techs like Jim Stark, Dick Creed, Dave Lee, George Agar, "Reuty" Reurterdahl, Grant Vess, etc. 

That summer job, which I was fortunate to have, thanks to Esther Lines, a shirt-tail relative who worked as secretary to the engineers, had a major impact on my life. 

In addition to gaining some wonderful lifelong friends, I learned how to drive on mountain roads and, more importantly, gained a deep appreciation for the back country. 

Fifty years later, it's still fun taking a drive up Grouse Creek and looking both upward and downward at slopes where we did our engineering work, pretty much every 50 feet.

Some were easy; some rather challenging but getting to do that kind of work agreed with my love of the outdoors. 

Last night, as we drove the road clear to the end where a trail takes off, we were amazed with this year's crop of bear grass.

I've never seen it so abundant, especially in Grouse Creek and especially at fairly low elevation.

Anyone wanting a good look at bear grass and lupine oughta take a drive up that way.  

Tis amazing. 

Grouse Creek holds a dear place in my heart and also Bill's.

For him, it's the evenings ahead of fishing the pools along the creek and its tributaries. 

Lots of great memories up that way.

Happy Thursday.