sun recovery

Miles is done with it

The deluge is abating. Almost 15 straight days of rain, and not just a little, buckets and torrents! And intense wind storms, thunder and lightning (which we almost never get), pretty much all of our winter packed into two weeks, with more to come! Miles is done with it, as he proved by running, bucking and sliding about when I turned him out into a less muddy pasture yesterday.

During the storms Miles seems sensible if irritated, staying under cover for the worst of it. I visited with a wet mash, though chunky boy doesn't need it, the water and salt are best during weird atmospheric rivers. He wholeheartedly approved and I just watched him eat in peace, me sitting in the drizzle on a wet chair, surveying the mud (after already digging lots of ditches, diversions and bringing in sandbags).

muddy mess, but mash!

There was one clear afternoon last week and I took off work early and got Miles out. He was quite spicy, so a little lunging to remind him that he does actually have a job, and he was pretty good. I rode in the arena (wet but drains well) and then just up and down the graveled lane. I did go to the creek crossing and about 30 feet into the woods, just to see how it was. The trail was a slick mess and we turned around before we rode the slide-and-slide any longer.

trail slip-and-slide

But the damage has been done. I haven't seen much of the trails but what I've seen (I went hiking on one of the rainy days, just to get out!) is a mess. A huge tree across one of our main access points, who knows how long before state parks can come to clear it.

huge pine blocking the trail

lots of water (there is a trail under there)

this is a trail access, now a dangerous deep (about 18 inch) eroded gully

And the erosion! Usual puddles fed by trickles are now streams of water cascading down hillsides, and across the trails, turning them into eroded, dangerous holes.

mossy manzanita and old stacked stone

mushrooms and moss

my new favorite, I'll call it Clam rock

But there were some small moments of nature looking her best. And the sun looks to be shining for a few days. It will be a long process to get the trails cleared, and winter isn't even close to over. Sigh. But this too shall pass. 

Wesley is just going to stay in his hammock…