SUMMERS HERE!!!!

Summers have been my favorite part of living on the mountain. Sarah hates (hates is an understatement...loathes would be better) the winter and snow! I love it. The brisk, quite, pureness of a freshly fallen snow to me is wonderful. The cold and snow only reminds me that there is something better in a few months. Summer! Its now here! Sleeping with all the windows in the house open. The fresh clean cool smell of the morning air. Kids playing in the creek. The entire neighborhood swinging in the big tree out front. Parades, BBQ's, Softball, Wagon rides. Up here it seems so much more personal and memorable then the sweltering heat of the Valley! The best part for me, as selfish as it may be, is the smell of sweaty horses hooked to a mower, plow, or wagon. The feeling of driving a dozen head of cattle across a dusty pasture on round up days. The respite of a shade tree with split reins in hand. Word are hard to find when summer hits the white mountains!!!!!! Wylee and Bird wanted to ride the girls last Saturday. They took Mattie and Star bareback around the pasture, around a block or two, and then we took them out for a wagon ride.

Wylee and Bird on Star and Mattie!

There is not a better smell then fresh cut hay and sweaty work horses. When I work the horses even the dust is tolerable. Sarah often tell me I was born 100 years too late. I would agree until we run out of ice in the freezer. I could not imagine a drink of water without ice!

Doc and Doll mowing hay

Mattie Doll and Doc disking

Mattie Doc Doll Midnight Delilah and Major disking

Legend and Mattie on the hay wagon

Midnight and Blue on the harrow

I cannot wait until summer!

Brutus

For the past three years I have had Brutus spend the summer at our place in Taylor. I have used him in a number of parades and around the farm for fun. He is 36 years old this year! Hard to imagine he was born when I was two. He is an old logging horse that has been in the Reidhead family for years. A few years ago my good friend Dean Reidhead asked if he could pasture Brutus at our place for the summer. I agreed as long as I could use him. He has been back every summer. He is a sweet old horse and as gentle as they come. I am sure like me the Redhead's have bought, used, and sold many horses and Brutus is the one that is part of the family. My Mattie is like that. I have had many horses go through our place but I could never sell Mattie. Maybe I will still have her when she is 36.

Sarah taking Winston and I for a ride.

Waylons Wagon

I found this picture of one of the rides I did for the Snowflake Taylor Heritage Foundation. Over the past few years we have provided this service to the town the Monday after Labor day, Memorial day, Forth of July, and Pioneer day. It has been a great opertunity to celebrate the history of our great little town. In this picture is Doc and Mattie.

In 2005 my wife and I moved our family of 4 small children from the crazy 'city' life to a very rural town in Northern Arizona. We never imagined that living here would change our lives completely.

In 2006 we built a lovely home on a small farming plot, added another child to our family and learned to love some BIG horses. These big (draft) horses have become a sacred part of our lives.

In 2008, we lost that sweet little child that came to our home just two years earlier. We felt it appropriate to give our little man his first and last ride in his very own big red wagon...
'Waylon's Wagon'. These magnificent horses pulled this precious son or ours to his final resting spot under a big, Pine tree in our little town cemetery.

Although our family was devastated by his loss, we understand the plan of salvation and that we will be reunited with our "Little Man" again...but, even though we understand this precious truth, there are still many moments each day that we grieve.

Since this tragedy, we have had many, sacred opportunities to cross paths with others whom have lost dear ones too. These horses have carried some very precious cargo to some very sacred places. These opportunities are very special to us. They have been, in many ways, a form of 'therapy' for us. We feel very blessed for the opportunity to be of service to someone else in their grieving moment.

Since 2008 we have added 2 more beautiful children to our home. Together we have traveled all over Arizona with these animals and Waylon's Wagon driving for parades, family reunions, Christmas Caroling, local town events, historical functions as well as funerals.

This blog was created for all of those whom love and value family, farming and "Big Horses"!