Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Walking the fence line at 7MSN


New Mexico is gorgeous. It has a rugged, dry beauty:

and a feeling of expanse that is breath-taking. It is so very different from the forest-like location of western Oregon that I live in, where we are currently (and frequently) swaddled in mud and wet:

On my last full day here at 7MSN yesterday, I decided to walk the property to get an idea of just exactly what eighty acres feels like:

My walk-around ended almost as quickly as it started when I ran into this troop of cutie pies:

How does one not become distracted when encountering a face like this?:

I sat down for a moment to discuss my planned path with my sage, Lucy:

Lucy suggested that I just stay seated and have a nice nap with her in the sun, but if I really felt the need to continue, I should "walk northeast until I can't - then turn left":

Lucy then got really serious about her nap, so on my way I went:

I walked northeast:

...until I reached a fence and then turned left, just as Lucy had directed:

I saw the remainders of pretty, yellow Cholla blooms:

and Juniper berries - lots of Juniper berries from the many, many Juniper trees:

I love looking for signs of wildlife where ever I am, so this means I look at dung and scat a lot. This looks like it might be jack rabbit:

At 9:55, I began to shed layers of clothing:

The sun was already high and hot. How good this feels!:

When I came to another fence, I knew I had another 40 acres to go, so I lay on my back and scooted beneath the electric fence:

This is what the ground looks like:

Pronghorn deer possibly:

Here's the northwestern most point of 7MSN:

As I turned to look at the next expanse before me, I was again struck by the beauty... and the solitude:

I walked by a lot of big holes like this:

Hey, I know this one! Cow poop:

There were hundreds of Yucca plants, the state flower of New Mexico:

The dried Yucca blooms are works of art:

Tumbleweeds. Nope. Don't have any of those in my part of Oregon:

This looked to me like somebody ate too many juniper berries and then, well, you know - threw them up. But Carson told me later that this is coyote poop. Blech:

This is coyote, too:

Ok. I'm done posting poop-pictures now (but don't you sort of find it fascinating?).

Getting close to 7MSN again now:

Hi Hank:

What a fine host you are. Quite nice of you to come out to greet me:

Shortly after I arrived back at the barn, George lay down for his nap. I sat down beside him and took a little rest, too:

On my entire walk-around, I didn't hear a single car, in fact, no engines of any kind - nothing - only a slight breeze and the rustling, crackling noise my feet would make as I walked through the dry grass and brush.

I'm packing up and heading home today, but WOW, what a trip this has been. New Mexico (and 7MSN ) is truly magical.

You see, here at Carson's house, it even appears I don't have a cat allergy:

I love you, Snapper... :-)

22 comments:

  1. How very fun to see my home through another's eyes. We're all going to miss you and hope you will return again to the land of enchantment.

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  2. What a special time you've had. Please travel safely. I can't wait to hear what your Critter Farm critters have to say about your adventures. And . . . does Snapper proofread?

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  3. We visited New Mexico last Spring Break and I LOVED it...for many of the same reasons you do. Such good news about your cat allergy!!!Thanks for taking us along with you!!

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  4. They don't call it The Land of Enchantment for nuttin', you know.

    Steve and I were seriously considering Corrales, NM as a place to land, but water was a concern for us, and since his sister lives in Oregon and Oregon was relatively close to both our parents, we wound up in Oregon.

    But New Mexico is mighty pretty.

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  5. What a wonderful walk. The poop was interesting too (I always look at it, too). New Mexico is one of my favorite states to visit. Like you said, so beautiful...

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  6. Danni,

    If you can love the desert at this time of year, you're a gem! You're not far from me this week - we're in the high desert of northern Arizona, close to the New Mexico border. I love the vast expanses that seem to never end - they are such a balm to me. So glad you're enjoying your stay at the ranch - what a blessing you are to these creatures you take into your heart.
    Cheers! Teri

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  7. Isn't it wonderful that our country has such a huge variety of places? I've lived on the plains of Kansas, in Southern California, the Panhandle of Texas, SE Nebraska and northern Minnesota, and have visited family in Albuquerque and Phoenix and Eastern Oregon. Hands down, even when wet, the Willamette Valley of Oregon is where I love it most.

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  8. New Mexico is beautiful. The desert has it's own charm and beauty. I remember it well. Love your photos. Cute kitty too.

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  9. I've never had such a poop-comparison lesson...fascinating! Beautiful part of the country and so different than your part of the country. What a fun time, I'm sure you will be missed by the 7MSN critters and your critters will certainly welcome you home!

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  10. Looks like you had fun. Poo pics don't bother me at all. I probably would have napped with Lucy!

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  11. Great post as usual, but have to say that I wasn't quite as interested in the poop as I would usually be, that might be because yesterday I stood in a big dollop of warm cow poop that oozed into those little holes in my Crocs and then squeezed between my toes! Noice!

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  12. This was a wonderful idea. I have to admit that the first time I lived in New Mexico after having lived in WA and NH, I didn't "get" the dry climate. Now I don't know if I could handle a place where I couldn't see the ground or the big, big sky.

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  13. What a lovely tour de 7MSN - I can virtually smell the junipers!

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  14. What a wonderful post. Lucy was very helpful as are all the critters there. Looks like you're having a great time!!
    Staci

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  15. I bet you can't wait to tell Pete and Reggie about sliding under the electric fence, they will be so proud!

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  16. What a truly magical time you have had, there is no better way to see something then a good old-fashioned walk the boundary fence. I'm just a little envious.
    LiBBiE in Oz

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  17. I used to travel to NM on business and loved it when I was "stuck" there over the weekend. I would drive around the state and found lots of special places to walk about and take in the beauty. The sunsets are the most beautiful ones I have ever experienced.

    Your photos bring back great memories!

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  18. Isn't it wonderfully secluded and peaceful there? I kept threatening to buy the last parcel of land out there, so Linda and I could be neighbours. *grin*

    Snapper is such a great companion.

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  19. Looks like you were enchanted with the Land of Enchantment....and all the residents of 7MSN and Morning Bray. How amazing your cat allergy didn't kick in. Maybe that means Barney will go from barn cat to house cat soon!

    Welcome Home...

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  20. Danni, I have really enjoyed your posts on your visit to 7MSN. Your blog as well as 7MSN are ones that I check almost daily to see what is happening. New Mexico seems to call me, so we are looking to retire there, in the Cedar Crest/Edgewood area. Thanks for sharing your life and passion! Kathryn

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  21. Thank you for giving us your view of 7MSN.........Clearly, it is a magical place with magical inhabitants ! (And visitors:) )

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  22. What a wonderful trip you are having. I looked at the little donkey that was rescued too and felt so happy. I hate this roping cruelty. What always struck me about New Mexico was the soft desert winds. I have much of what they have here, junipers, coyote poop full of juniper berries, jack rabbits, and soft earth, but our wind is much, much harsher. I always think of the wind when NM comes to mind.

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