dancinghorse | Blowin' in the Wind

Pooka is out of jail. The arena is dry enough for him to be turned out in, so yesterday I let him have it all day. He was In A Mood. There were horses in his paddock!!!! Twerp. Finally he settled down when I grabbed him and saddled him up. I suspect that horse logic decided that new feet + jail = never being ridden again (horse logic operates like this), so he was much reassured to get his saddle and a ring ride. Riding is a very big Good Thing in Life, he says.

Today they all went on their normal routine: alternating between the stalls and the arena. Pook didn't mind going back in the paddock (since the stalls and corrals are still muddy), since he knew he was back on his Routine. And he had had a Ride.

This morning I heard from one of the romance authors that Mountain's Call has been nominated for a Romantic Times award for Best Fantasy of 2004. That's sort of like a Hugo for romance. I am chuffed. In sf, I might as well write in invisible ink (as Tom Doherty once noted) for all the attention I get, but the romance genre seems to like what I do.

My dad and I went to get a Christmas tree this morning, as well. We went allllll the way over to the Tucson Mall to get a tree from the Tucson Boys' Chorus--good cause, lovely trees--and came home with a very pretty Grand Fir. It's in the shed now, making it smell heavenly, until I can get it put up. Then this afternoon I did cards. And rode keed. And longed Capria. I feel Virtuous. Also, rather Leisurely. Still a bit of cleaning to do, and some baking, and next week is Party Time, but I can take the evening to just relax. Amazing concept, that.

We've had a windstorm predicted for a while. This evening it's here. As I was feeding horses, I could see a wall of cloud and dust slowly eating away the mountains until they were gone. The wind is strong and blustery, but I don't think there's any rain or snow in it. Just dust. Horses are tucked up in their pens--I'll blanket them if it gets much colder (it's too warm right now for the yaks--keed has two-inch plush fur, just for example, and looks like a giant, animated stuffed toy--though Pook and Ephiny are happy to have their blankies.