The Golden Light of Autumn

November 30, 2025
The boss was able to slip away unnoticed.  Just as well.  The last thing she should have been doing was looking at horses.  But she was just looking.  No harm in that, right?  Actually, the first young lady was not a horse at all, but a mule molly.  She was lovely, but a bit shy and retiring,   She didn't seem to have any particular interest in making acquaintances.  Perhaps for the best, the boss thought.

Then the mare.  She was nice.  She would make a versatile mount for someone.  Little need to worry about her immediate future.

The stallion was intriguing.  Supposedly pure Friesian.  The boss wasn't entirely convinced, although he did have a lovely way of going. No need for another stallion, she told herself.  

Dude surveyed the land to the northwest of the ranch.  Using the rock formations as a natural barrier for the capture of the wild horses seemed like a logical, even foolproof plan.  The reality was a bit different, however.  Where the landscape might have been an asset for trapping horses, there would be no way to bring in a stock trailer.  

Where sheer rock monoliths jutted impressively skyward, they drew more hikers than horses.

At last, Dude found what he thought might be a suitable location.  The landscape would lend itself, after a fashion, to a funnel fence.  It would take some skill, but backing in a stock trailer was possible.  The ground actually had some soil, not just loose rock  It was closer to the ranch than he would have liked, but it was also relatively isolated from view, which was desirable.

Skye saw the print as she and Grace got out for a short afternoon ride.  Just one single print in what had likely been wet soil.  The partial print of a bear, or the slightly distorted print of a mountain lion...they couldn't be sure.  It was on the ranch property.

"Is there rain in the forecast?"  Skye asked.

"Looks like it, huh?"  Grace replied.  "Honestly I haven't looked at the weather."

Grace rode up on a rock ridge to survey the land to the west.  Nothing stirred, save for a breeze  that grew colder snd stronger as night approached.

The colors of the sunset revealed the nature of the bodies in the sky.  Despite their thickness and their expansive cover, they were not moisture bearing clouds.  The colorful show faded into the night's cool silence.

December 7
The boss saw Rain Man first.  She drew her lens and aimed.  He reared up like a scene from an old western movie.  

The horses were spread out, the sun about to set.  She found Lady Godiva, her foals, the strawberry mare.  They moved in and out of brilliant light and cool shadows.

Then at last, she saw Crazy.  The boss kept thinking any moment she might also see Grace and Skye.  They were usually keen on the presence of the wildies.

A flash of red on a spent yucca stalk caught her attention.  She tried to recall her woodpeckers but she always got them jumbled.  Was it a red-head, a Nuttals', or a hairy? Or something else?  

When she turned her attention back to Crazy, he was closer, moving toward her, moving through the shadows of evening.  She was between Crazy and his mares.  Best to move, she decided.

Reunited with his mares, Crazy and his herd moved away.

Rain Man brought up the rear, offering the boss a few more photo opportunities before becoming one with the landscape.

Golden light and golden flora dominated the last moments of day.

Moving swiftly through the deep shadows, Dude saw horse-shaped flashes of grey, brown and white.  He didn't recognize them.  He'd seen with his own eyes or through the considerable volume of images most of the horses in the region, and few of them had much white or grey.

He followed, but his eyes fell upon only the glory of last light, and ears ears upon silence.  They were gone.

Back at the ranch, the very last bits of sunset lingered briefly in the pines.

The girls had found the Christmas things more or less by accident, and decided to bring the out.

"Good thing we're starting early this year"  Skye said.  "It might take a few days to get this untangled..."

The boss's voice startled both Grace and Skye.

"Wow!  What a surprise!"  the boss exclaimed.  "This is looking great!"

Skye smiled.  Eventually, hopefully, it would look great.

December 13
Four pairs of boots dangled over the rock face.  Skye's seat on the stone was slightly precarious.  She considered backing up a little.  Especially since they were eagerly viewing an empty landscape.  There were no wildies to spook tonight.

"So where are you thinking of setting up your...equine bait trap?"  Skye asked of Dude.  He smiled.  It wasn't a bad description.

"To the west.  But not in the rocks.  And not as far away from your property as I'd like to be.  But.  There's no point trying to catch horses if you go where there aren't any horses."

Skye nodded.  "What are you going to do if you catch Petrichor?  You know, Applejacks?"

Dude was silent for a long moment.  Then, shaking his head, "I don't know."

The evening was lovely.  In another moment or two the sun would sink below the horizon.  It was just a little after four o'clock, but the outdoor portion of the day would be done.

"Are you keeping the collie?"  Grace asked Anoush.

"We are.  I think my daughters would lock me out of the house if I found a home for her.  We named her Lady.  It seems perhaps a bit feminine for her when she's in action, but she is very lady-like at home."

"Do you still have the shepherd?"  Skye asked.

"Yes, the German and the Anatolian.  And the deerhound.  I'm a bit particular in that regard.  They are good dogs and they deserve exceptional owners...and yes, the boss has made it clear she'll be happy to take them off of our hands should the need arise."

Grace laughed softly.  "She certainly will.  Along with your spare cats and horses."

Skye chimed in.  "She'll also take bulls, old Jeeps and model horses, any scale..."

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