"Bird Watching With Kessy- What a Ride!"

Howdy Folks,

We paused on the ridge. Far below a Great Blue Heron stood frozen, head cocked, watching the still water. Kessy stood quietly as I peered through the budding Mountain Laurel to watch the grand bird. Suddenly behind us the woods erupted with the "rat-tat-tat-tat" of a drumming woodpecker. The hammering sound seemed to cover the air above and behind us. I could almost feel it. Backing Kessy along the ridge with my eyes searching the tree tops I searched for the bird I was sure would prove to be a Hairy Woodpecker.

 

Great Blue Heron

Over and over the hammering sounded. I kept moving Kessy this way and that along the trail bank as I sought a glimpse of the busy bird. Finally high on a dead branch I spied him. To my surprise it was the much smaller Downy Woodpecker. All that noise from such a little bird!

Downy Woodpecker

Kessy has become quite the bird-watching-trail-horse. It took her quite a while to learn to stand quietly and move gently every which way, up and down banks, into brush, over logs, all while I'm leaning sideways and stretching back searching for my feathered treasure. But she's a champion at it now. I'm even convinced sometimes she searching too!

We set off up the trail in Kessy's beautiful barefoot running walk shuffle, Saturday trotting with us. The trails we ride wind through the woods, tree walls on each side, and in many places a closed canopy above. We had already seen several Yellow Swallow Tailed butterflies but I was not prepared for what we rode into next. As we rounded the bend we road into a blizzard of Yellow Tails, perhaps as many as fifty, floated ahead of us, filling the air with soft black stripped yellow wings. It was like riding into a magical forest. One even brushed my face as we rode among them.

Ovenbird

On both sides of the trail the woods were alive with birdsong. All along the trail we heard Indigo Buntings. They will be regulars for the next few months. Rufus Sided Towhees called, "Drink Your Tea," and Oven Birds called, "Teacher, Teacher, Teacher." With Kessy's deftness at sneaking into the woods we did manage to spot a Towhee, but the emphatic and elusive Ovenbird evaded our prying eyes.

Eastern or Rufus Sided Towhee

Back into the sunlight we gaited, then we stopped at large patch of tiny blue flowers appropriately named Bluetts. Scattered among them were the equally dainty pink Spring Beauties. I was still admiring the wild bouquet when a Common Yellowthroat Warbler shattered the silence with his excited "Witchity, witchity, witchity." They are usually fairly easy to spot, and Kessy did her best, but the sun was bright and while we heard more than one Common Yellowthroat, we never found one.

Common Yellowthroat Warbler

Time to move on again, I asked Kessy for a little speed, and away we sailed. I watched our shadow as she glided along, sure footed, never stumbling. Bird song filled the air above us and around us. The sun warmed my back. Saturday trotted alongside. Then a new songster joined in the concert. A familiar tune it was, but try as I might I could not place it.

Yellow Warbler

Following the sound I moved Kessy up the bank and scoured the trees. The song drifted out from a patch of wild Dogwood and we inched closer. One tiptoed step at a time through the brush. The Dogwoods were thick here, but their leaves still tiny green swatches, and white flowers just beginning to unfurl. I asked Kessy to back into the sun so it would be on our backs just as the tiny yellow bird flitted to a higher branch only a few feet away. He thrust his beak skyward and let go his melody, a sweet shrill, "Tsee-tsee-tsee-titi-weet." Over and over he called. The sun sparkled on his yellow feathers and rusty streaked breast. A Yellow Warbler! We were so close I could see his beak open and close with each note! What a sight! … What a horse!

Pileated Woodpecker

We were still to see two more birds on our way home. A Pileated woodpecker flew directly over us as we sat counting the Yellow Swallowtails on a blooming olive bush. Over 20! And a Black and White Warbler flew across the trail in front of us. What a perfect bird watching ride! What great bird watching partners are Saturday and Kessy!

 

Black-and-white Warbler

Kessy, Saturday and I hope you enjoyed this ride as much as we did!

Check out more birds and their songs here at Cornell Lab of Ornithology - http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search -

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

"Songs and Flowers of a Spring Morning"

Howdy Folks,

Not so many days ago we were wondering if Spring would ever arrive, weren't we? I'm happy to report it has. At least here in Appomattox VA we are enjoying the bird songs, flowers and budding trees that make Spring mornings splendid.

A pleasant gray sky held the bird song low and somehow added ringing vibrancy to each note. And by golly there was a symphony this morning. Two Cardinals greeted Saturday and me as we strode to the barn. Kessy's sweet nicker even seemed to acknowledge the floating notes.

Chores done I settled into my Coffee Clutch chair, Tigger in my lap. Saturday, Zoe and Miss Kitty by my side, Kessy munched her hay, I poured a cup of coffee and took in the show. The Cardinals were still the main attraction, but they had plenty of backup singers. In the brush by the barn a Carolina Wren belted out his frantic chatter. Higher in the trees a Bluebird added his beautiful song. In the distance an Indigo Bunting offered his tune of sliding scales. A Titmouse called, "Peter, Peter, Peter." A red Eyed Vireo declared, "Here I am … Where are you?" … The breath taking moment came when a lone Wood Thrush sang one verse of his most splendid flute solo ... I did notice this morning the Juncos are nearly gone.

The Bloodroot along the fence line is nearly finished blooming, but the Bluettes and Spring Beauties are in full glory. Our Dogwoods, Fringe trees and Red Buds are simply bursting with flowers ... I'm getting anxious for our Spring Wildflower drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The Phoebes have finished their nest on their shelf in the barn rafters; probably have started laying their first clutch. Mrs. Bluebird nesting in the front yard is already sitting on 4 sky blue eggs.

Ravishin' Robbie's Hummingbirds haven't said howdy yet, but their feeders are up and waiting. They usually arrive between the tenth and twentieth of April here, so any day now. We did have a treat last night, when I went out to tuck Kessy in, I heard our first Whippoorwill call of the Spring.

Ah yes, what a glorious way to start the day. Hope you all have a perfect day! God Bless!

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

"Fun While Finding Neutral Position in the Saddle. A Diane Sept Clinic."

Howdy Folks,

Saturday I attended a fun gathering of good friends and fine horses at Marianne and Joe Jolley's, Stars and Stripes Farm in Finecastle VA on Saturday. The Jolley's breed, show and sell Rocky Mountain Horses.  The reason for the get-together was trainer extraordinaire Diane Sept's clinic on Connected Riding®, the main focus on Saturday was helping riders find their "Neutral Position."

Neutral Position, or Neutral Pelvis, is the position a rider assumes where they are free from bracing, resisting or restricting the horse's ability to move in its most natural and healthy state. It is a healthy and comfortable state for both the horse and rider. It is both very important, and not very difficult. It does require a bit of thinking and practice, but everyone can do it with a little practice. Riding in "Neutral Position" allows your horse to be off her forehand, lift her back and engage her hind legs.

Gathering at the barn

The day started with coffee and visiting on the patio at the barn, a few laughs and lots of chatter as friends caught up on old and new news. Diane started the lessons with a talk on the importance for your horse's long term health and of a rider's responsibility to learn the "Neutral Position" in the saddle. "Horses don't break down overnight, but years of dealing with riders who slouch, sit too ridged, too stiff or leaning front or back causing the horse to forever compensate, does take its toll, and eventually we begin to see health issues." Diane explained.

Martha Chatten balancing a rider in the saddle to demonstrate "Neutral Position"

It was then time for everyone to mount up and be "balanced," in the saddle, on the saddle stand. It was important for each participant to be balanced so they could learn the feeling of "neutral" on a stationary saddle, and understand how that can take away "resistance" in ourselves which allows the horse to move freely and healthily. There were lots of great comments from riders becoming aware of their posture, breathing and tightness, and finding the "lightness and release" of "neutral." (If you read my novel, "We'll Have The Summer" you might remember the scene when Sam brings all the guests to the corral to ride "Woody" the stationary horse. That scene came from Diane's teachings.) I was tickled to find that I was still really close to neutral having not been ''balanced" for a number of years. Proof that when you learn it you can maintain it. It's my belief your horse will help coach you.

Then it was time to mount up and practice "neutral in motion." Some mighty fine Rocky Mountain and Tennessee Walking Horses took center stage. I felt like I was at a first rate Parade of Gaited Breeds, as they strutted into the arena. I was in Heaven! They all looked beautiful as they took the rail. This happened to be an all gaited day, but the lessons learned here apply to riders and horses of all breeds and disciplines.

Diane coaching as riders discovered "Neutral"

Diane did her thing and began to offer suggestions and guidance to the riders, helping them to find "neutral" now in their saddle, on their horse. Now these were all accomplished riders on great horses who looked wonderful. Little by little, step by step each rider and horse began to change. The riders softened, the horses evened their strides and lengthened their bodies. The changes in the riders' and horses' postures was absolutely amazing.

 

Diane walks alongside helping riders find their "Neutral Posture"

After lunch Diane divided the attendee's into two groups, so each rider could have a bit more of one on one time to really fine tune what they had learned in the morning sessions. By the end of the day the transformations were simply amazing in both the riders and the horses. It was plain to see each participant learned something of great value they could take away and not only enhance their riding pleasure, but their horses' health too. And I had a terrific refresher too!

Thanks for putting this all together, Marianne and Diane! And thanks for the invite! If you'd like to learn more about the importance of finding "Neutral Position" check in with Diane Sept on facebook here -  https://www.facebook.com/djsept?fref=ts

You can also read all about it in Peggy Cummings lastest book "Connected with Your Horse From The Ground Up" you can order on her website - http://www.connectedriding.com/

Check out Stars and Stipes Farm and some beautiful Rocky Mountain Horses here – http://www.starsandstripesfarm.com/StarsandStripesFarm/Home.html 

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry

"Feature Friday – Sweetness- We'll Miss You"

Howdy Folks,

A dozen years ago she came bouncing up our lane, tail wagging, eyes shining and her heart looking for love. I was immediately smitten. My first words to her were, "Hello Sweetness!" I found out later that day she'd been hanging around a neighbor's house for a while, he had tried to find her owner, could not and did not want to keep her. Ravishin' Robbie was away for the day so I had time to settle her in, clean and shine her up,  then add my own pleading eyes to Sweetness' at just the right moment when Robbie came home. Of course Robbie melted and Sweetness joined our family. We did continue to try to find her owners thinking no one could abandon such a wonderful spirit, to no avail. Our Veterinarian thought Sweetness was about three at the time.

Sweetness took to Robbie right away and they became best friends in about 5 seconds. She was never far from Robbie and, unless trail riding with me, she could be found on Stripped Chair in the office with Robbie. For years she served as Robbie's sounding board.

Sweetness loved opening her Christmas presents

Sweetness was the most adventurous of all our dogs, ready to dive into any endeavor with her wagging tail and gleaming eyes, full of spirit and eagerness. She loved going away, and she went with us on our Competitive Trail Riding and other horsey adventures. She loved trail riding and logged thousands of miles trotting along, never straying. There were even a few times she kept us out of harm's way on the trail.

I remember a time when Robbie and I were riding alone in a new place, she on Mr. Dix and me on Diablo. We came upon an old car in the woods and Diablo was having no part of it. All at once Sweetness trotted around us and that scary old car, stopped and looked back at Diablo, danced a little while staring at Diablo and, catching me off guard, Diablo walked on right up to Sweetness. As soon as we all passed the car, Sweetness fell in behind Robbie and Mr. Dix. It was an amazing thing to experience. And she's done that exact thing on other occasions.

She and Tigger were best of friends too, romping about, laying in the sun together. Often they could be seen grooming each other. We would laugh when we saw them heading down the trail to explore together. A bit like Winnie the Pooh and Tigger.

Sweetness was a pretty good watch dog too, especially when it came to Robbie. Having our office in our home it was common to have sales people, customers and other folks drop in. If Sweetness was not sure about them, she never barked or growled, but would position herself firmly between Robbie and whomever she didn't quite trust.

She gave up trail riding a few years ago, not long after we moved to Virginia, but continued to be Robbie's devoted office pal and Tigger's best friend. And my Sweetness.

Yesterday Sweetness went to Heaven ... and for all the years of her love, trust and support we knew she should be this week's Feature Friday. Feature Friday is devoted to "People & Horses Helping Horses & People" and over the years Sweetness has helped many horses get comfortable with trail riding. She helped Robbie with that too, not to mention the hours of office help. She helped me too, to embrace sweetness. Everyone who met Sweetness always said, "She's so sweet." I know she's in heaven helping others now too. But we will miss her.

Sweetness loved joining us for Coffee Clutch with Kessy & the gang

Thank you for picking us when you were looking for a new home, Sweetness. ~ Dutch Henry

"Coming Home" Pt 3

Howdy Folks,       

Because we've had so many requests for more of "Coming Home" I thought it would be fun to post a few more pages. If you're just now joining our journey parts 1 and 2 were posted 4-9 and 4-10 … We pick up our story still in Chapter one, Billie has gone to meet Roy at Martha's diner. We will end in Chapter two, on page 10 ... They say you should hook your reader in the first 10 pages (or less) Let me know if Billie has you hooked.

 I hope you enjoy. 

                                                      Coming Home Pt 3

Billie looked at her watch. The second time in three minutes. Five after eleven. Roy's paperwork must have taken longer than he'd planned. She'd give him one more cup of coffee, and then drive to the Sheriff's office to discuss her employment with Sheriff Lovell. Actually she wasn't totally disappointed in Roy. Sitting alone in Martha's diner for half an hour gave her time to catch up on the local news first hand. Some of what she'd heard here, her mother had already told her, like what a shame it is that Barilla's Theater was closing. Now folks would need to drive forty miles one way to Dawson to see a movie. Dawson had a new theater though, eight theaters in one building. Folks here in Barilla, the Hondo county seat, thought that was a big theater. She smiled. In Nashville they had a Cineplex with twenty theaters under one roof. Still, Billie thought, the county seat should really have a theater. She made a little bet with herself that it wouldn't be very long until Barilla had a new theater. Maybe a mini-Cineplex like Dawson. After all, Barilla was starting to grow.

She thought about the statistics she'd studied in the package Sheriff Lovell had mailed her. One thousand new residents since the '00 census. A new courthouse, new high school, and a newly repaved four lane interstate with a daily traffic count of almost two thousand cars. Crime was up too. Last year the murder rate in Hondo County had doubled. Two murders. Of course it had only been a single crime. But there had been two victims. Billie had agreed it made sense for two counties to combine their sheriff's departments. Glad though, she could come in after all the inter-county wrangling was finished. Even if she would be the lone Detective covering eight hundred square miles. Eight hundred square miles, two courthouses, twenty-five thousand people – and five murders.

Billie checked her watch again. Eight minutes late. If Roy was going to be her partner he'd need a refresher on punctuality. Of course she hadn't given him her cell number so she couldn't fault him for not calling to give her a heads up that he'd be running late. From her booth by the big front window she had a grand view of town. She leaned to look down Main Street which was exactly seven blocks long and sported one traffic signal located in the intersection between the new courthouse and the only other edifice of any remarkable stature on Main Street, the Staked Plains Museum. Which had only two years ago moved into the old courthouse. The street was wide with plenty of parking; she noted the most favored mode of transportation in Barilla seemed to be pickups at least ten years old. She checked her Vette. Yea, that'll stand out.

The Sheriff's car slid to a rough stop behind her Vette. She jumped up as he leaped out and moved too quickly toward the sidewalk. She hadn't seen Sheriff Lovell in two years but he hadn't changed one iota. Except for the way he looked overanxious as he trotted around her car.

They met on the curb.

Sheriff Lovell offered his hand. They shook. Billie quizzed him with her eyes. "Figured that to be your car. Listen, we've got to go. Get in, ride with me."

"Where are we going? I'm ah – not…. I mean….Interview in the car?"

"Yea, something like that. Let's go, Detective Weston. Right now."

                                                                   Chapter Two

"I want your trained eye on this. There's going to be a lot of people at the scene." Sheriff Lovell shook his head as he drove the county's car at a dangerous speed. "A woman driving by called the State Police before she called us. They're already on the scene, messing it up."

"What scene? Sheriff, we haven’t talked. I'm not a deputy yet. I haven't been sworn in."

Without slowing, or shifting his eyes from the road Sheriff Lovell reached beside him, grabbed a paper bag and, not too gently, shoved it into Billie's lap.

She looked at him. Looked in the bag. A gold badge in a leather case, and a black hand gun in a leather holster.

"Raise your right hand."

She did.

"Do you swear to enforce and uphold the laws of Hondo and Dawson Counties? I forget the rest of it."

"I do."

"Good. You can put your hand down." He swerved recklessly around a grain truck and a wreck of a pickup with a slightly worse off camper on the back. "Like I said, there's going to be a lot of people at the scene. Ignore them. Do your job. Use the all the training the FBI gave you." He looked at her. "And listen Billie. You talk to me. Only me. There's something home-grown about this. The State Police'll try to mess it up. You keep it home-grown." He looked at her again. "I want answers."

"Sheriff, are you going to tell me what this is all about?"

He slammed on the brakes and slid off the road into the sand. Dust swallowed the car. The grain truck and pickup camper drove by. He looked at her. She could see he was tearing.

"Roy was ambushed." Sheriff Lovell dropped his head in his hands. "He's dead."

Billie gasped. She stared at the man next to her, holding his head, crying like any ordinary father would cry over the death of his son. She waited. A few minutes wouldn't make any difference now. Except for the damage State Police Troopers could do to a crime scene. She'd grown used to that over the past five years. State cops, local cops always stumbling around the crime scene, moving things, touching things. Just being in the way. The thought occurred to her – now she was the local cop. For almost three minutes already. Sworn in, in a speeding Sheriff's Suburban. By a well respected Sheriff on the way to the scene of his own son's murder.

He wasn't ready, but after a few minutes Billie knew it was time to go. "Sheriff, want me to drive?"

He wiped his face, snorted. "No. I'll get us there." He grabbed her knee and squeezed it. "You figure this out Billie. Don't let anybody get in your way." He wiped his face again, forced an almost invisible smile, "He was all excited about your date."

She nodded. Sheriff Lovell put the Suburban in drive and punched the gas. By the time the wheels were on pavement they were doing ninety again. In the seconds it took for Billie to remember Roy's eager face from earlier that morning they were swerving around the grain truck and pickup camper again.

Gitty Up~ Dutch Henry

To continue you can read Pt 4 here --  http://dutchhenry.blogspot.com/2013/05/coming-home-pt-4.html

To start at the beginning here are the links to Pt 1 & Pt 2

Coming Home Pt 1 - http://dutchhenry.blogspot.com/2013/04/coming-home-short-story.html

Coming Home Pt 2 - http://dutchhenry.blogspot.com/2013/04/coming-home-pt-2.html

"Coming Home-Pt-2"

Howdy Folks,

      Yesterday I posted the first few pages of Chapter One of "Coming Home" and over night I had requests for more, so just for fun I thought I'd let you have a peek at a few more pages, it picks up where yesterdays story left off. I hope you enjoy.-----

      Coming Home-Pt-2

       

The slow drive down the long lane gave her time to think about Dad, Mom, and coming home. It would be odd now, with Dad retired. He would be the one to sit across the supper table and listen to her stories about criminals and crime solving. She laughed, "crime in Hondo County." Wouldn't be much compared to Nashville. But Nashville hadn't proved to be what she'd expected either. Neither had marriage.

      

Billie let her Vette idol an extra second between the new barn and old equipment shed, enjoying the low rhythmic rumbling of three-hundred-fifty horses vibrating off the walls. She loved her horses, man-made, and God-made.

      

"Billie! I thought sure I had another day to get her all shined up for you! But by golly I'll take you ahead of schedule any time." Ty Weston hurried to her car leading a beautiful buckskin mare. And admiring his daughter's new Corvette. "Still like fast cars I see. That's good."

      

"Guess I always will. But I do come by it honest." Billie pointed to the dark brown tarp covering what she knew to be her father's vintage 1963 Corvette stingray in the equipment shed.  "Dad you look great!" She ran at him, wrapped her arms around his neck and hung on, nearly knocking him to the ground. She backed up, "and it's great to be home!" She snatched the lead rope from her father and hugged her horse's neck. "I've missed you too, Honey!"

      

Ty gave her a moment to love on her horse, while he inspected her Corvette. "They sure do make 'em big nowadays don't they?"

      

She smiled at him over Honey's neck. "And fast. And expensive."

        

"Ah well, everything's expensive nowadays. Got plenty of gadgets too I see. Just how did we find our way around Texas before GPS?"

       

Billie pushed her face into Honey's mane to hide her laugh, remembering his weekly letters during the time he'd been contemplating retirement. Those letters had a common theme, the world was moving too fast for an old crime solver like him. No time to contemplate when a cell phone could be hung around your neck and ring every twenty seconds interrupting your train of thought. Radios were bad enough, but at least a man could walk away from the car and think, he'd written. She remembered he never did accept the cell phone the department tried to give him. Told her he sat it on a fence post and shot it on his last day. Billie had inherited his dislike for most modern technology, she preferred her pen and notebook to smartphones and iPads. 

      

"Let's put Honey away and get up to the house, your mother has been rearranging your room twice a day since your things arrived Monday."

      

"Good idea, I drove all night and could sure use some of Mom's coffee. And her welcome home hug." Billie led the way almost skipping as she dragged her father along to dirt path that served as the rear walkway to the house. She grinned at the neat stack of red bricks that had been waiting for over five years to be laid in place. "I suppose you'll have time now to lay Mom's sidewalk." He eyes twinkled as she teased.

       

They sat at the kitchen table sipping coffee, dipping her mother's home made sugar cookies and catching up. Billie did more listening than talking. She looked around the room. What a marvelous old house. Funny how a person doesn't notice things, like how cozy the kitchen you grew up in feels, until you've grown up, moved away, and come back. Mom looks older than Dad now. How can two years make such a difference? She'd only missed one Christmas, the last one. But that was when all her own problems were going on hot and heavy. She'd thought about coming home then. Could've used her mom's comfort and dad's advice, but she was neck deep in divorce, and a high profile kidnapping. Neither had worked out the way she'd have liked. Well, maybe the divorce. Should have probably taken her dad's advice before the wedding. The Vette was a nice consolation prize though. She almost pitied Jack. FBI Special Agents don't earn that much. But he'd offered. She'd accepted. Besides her '04 Vette had a hundred-twenty thousand miles on it. She chuckled softly. Considerably more miles than she had on Jack.

     

"Sheriff Lovell hinted he'd make you a Detective right away." Billie's mother said, her voice had the same prideful tone it always had whenever she talked about her only child.

       

"Apparently he's got the okay from his higher-ups. I'll take it. Pays a little better than Deputy, and I can wear my own clothes." She smiled when she looked at her boots. Billie Weston hadn't changed her style of dress to suite anybody but herself, ever. Anne Taylor jacket, Cruel Girl jeans, and lately, Ariat boots. Sometimes a good looking pair of Justin's worked too.

       

Ty shrugged. "We didn't have Detectives in Hondo County Sheriff's Department when I ran things. We all did our own investigating then. Sure we teamed up when we had to, but I wasn't sure we ever needed a full blown Detective." He tossed Billie a proud smile. "I guess you'll show 'em how it's done." He paused. "We're dang sure proud of you Billie." He raised his coffee cup in a toast.

     

"We certainly are! … What are your plans for today? Any chance of a mother daughter day?"

       

"Well, Roy already knows I'm home. He caught me at the end of the lane and asked me to Martha's for diner."

       

Ty nodded. "Wednesday, spaghetti."

       

"Since I'm not dating, and if I were, I wouldn't be overly excited about spaghetti, but I did tell Roy I'd meet him at Martha's for an early lunch. At eleven. That'll give me plenty of time to catch up on local news and gossip, you know, things that might help me when I interview with Sheriff Lovell." She reached for her mother's hand, "How about a mother daughter morning?"

Gitty Up ~ Dutch Henry 

You can read "Coming Home" Pt 3 here --  http://dutchhenry.blogspot.com/2013/04/coming-home-pt-3.html