Early this morning, before the ranch house awoke, Mr. Nielson and I
slipped out the front door and into the pastures.
We developed a workout routine together some years back. Ranch style.
We sprint from telephone pole to telephone pole, do push-ups on the
salt-lick tubs, and then squats up against the water tank.
On our run home, we came across the cows- or the "ladies,"
(as Christian calls them) at the water hole.
They are fascinated with us, and I am equally as fascinated with them.
They came up to us, smelled us, and licked our salty skin.
On our way home, we found Boss
filling up the water hole. Today and tomorrow,
additional Nielson cousins are expected to arrive, and the water hole
will provide a refreshing refuge from the New Mexico heat.
We also loaded Big Red, the ranch truck, and let Claire and Jane
take turns driving her on the dusty ranch roads.
The boys sat in the back with their pistols, ready to shoot prairie dogs.
The days are slow up here, and time moves like molasses.
Then Mr. Nielson saddled up 'Ol Bae,
and we all took turns riding him under the stormy sky.
Then I became really hot and had to go inside to lie
on my bed near the fan at full blast.
Then I worked on my paint-by-number.
Paint by number day 2:
Moving right along!
