First we went to Roosevelt Park to meet a friend and give her the spinning wheel back that she had loaned me to practice on. And it just so happens that there is a letterbox placed in this park.
But first it was time to play for a little while. Jenna and I had a lot of laughs on this climbing structure. There was this spinning thing that made us both dizzy. And Jenna had fun swinging from the monkey bars.
I love this face so full of concentration.
After finding the Roosevelt box, which was placed by our talented friend, Lions Mane, we headed over to spend some time at the museum.Afterwards we drove a bit to hunt for a mystery box called Alburwocky box. This was our second trip to this location and we almost didn't find the box this time until a lightbulb clicked on in my head. haha!
Jenna found a bone, probably coyote. She is just fascinated with bones. She was also enamored with these wood log structures. So, of course it was picture time.
The sky looked so ominous and the area was so stark.
On the way home, on I-40 the traffic moved at a crawl. I took the opportunity to take a few pictures of the beautiful painted pottery sculpture art set up in the median. I've never been able to capture these because it's pretty hard to take a photo when you're driving at 65 mph. I think I was only going 10 mph, stop and go for this photo. 
There are approx 6-7 pieces of this bigger than life size art, all different. They are so pretty and uniquely New Mexican. I really like seeing them there. At least until the traffic picks up again and then it blurs right past.
Before we entered the canyon to head home we turned off on Tramway Blvd to take Rt 66 home. At the corner there is a huge colony of prairie dogs right there next to the busy intersection wedged between two busy roads and a hotel. These are truly city dogs. Jenna and I always enjoy watching them as we wait for the light to turn green.
Just as we enter the canyon there are a couple horse boarding and riding barns. The riding barn is also a feed store. They rent out their horses by the hour.
Can you see that beautiful white horse? I'd take it home in a minute. So pretty!
This place is very dreary. Just look at those enclosures. They are just disgusting. It's a wonder this place hasn't been shut down already.
This poor guy looks like he's bored silly. He's chewing and sucking wind. Poor boy. And if you look closely, he and several other brown horses have white markings on their backs. These types of white markings are usually caused due to poorly fitting tack, especially saddles that rub.
There are 12 horses in this one tiny, crowded, wreck of a corral. They never get out of there unless someone comes along with some money to pay for a ride on the trails. It makes me so grateful that my beautiful horse has almost 2 acres to roam and browse without having to fight for food, dominance or space. This situation is just sad.
Almost home, I pass a reminder that I get my kicks on the famous and historic Route 66 anytime I leave Laughing Orca Ranch to head east or west.
8 comments :
Looks like a fun day. I'm a huge fan of Prairie Dogs or "gophers" as I know them. They're just so darned cute, aren't they?
I confess, I scooted past the talk of mistreated horses...I really can't handle that stuff. It's too disturbing for me.
Carolynn
It must be nice to just hop in your car, and mosey on over to Albuquerque!
Too bad about those horses. It makes me glad that we got old Bo Bo back!
I can recall going to a stable and seeing an employee kick a horse in the belly to get the air out so that he could tighten the cinch. I was appalled.
Your photograph of the rotted wood corrals is a good shot. It makes for interesting visuals.
Jenna looks happy to be spending the day outside with Mom.
Love the shot of the City Prairie Dog. And shame on the riding stable people. Shame! Shame!
I hate to ask, but I can't stand not knowing something....What is Letterboxing?
Ooo, I want the palamino! In Texas, horses are considered cared for if: water, food, and shelter are provided. The shelter part often gets brushed off, because our weather is considered non-life threatening.
That sky looks like a winter sky. Are your temps still remaining unseasonably mild?
My daughter, when she was Jenna's age, loved all things dead. She has a box of dried up frogs, feathers, bones, bird wings, skulls, dead bugs, etc. I guess that way, they can have a little nature with them at all times. Our daughters are quite the naturalists!
Hi Carolynn,
We love prairie dogs, too. There are several places in Albuquerque that have colonies of prarier dogs that are set up to be fed and cared for the public. OUr Roots And Shoots group takes turn visiting them to drop off hay, veggies and fruit.
The cute little things get so fat!
And their babies come out and they get so close you can almost touch them.
My neighbor has a small colony of prairie dogs on their property, but they don't want them there, so we can't feed them. They've tried flooding and gassing with a pest control company, but they can never remove all of them.
I like seeing their little heads peeking out of their borrow when I stand on my bedroom balcony. Too cute!
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Hi Melanie
Oh that's right! Bo was being used at a rental riding facility wasn't he? Ack! I'm so glad that sweet Bobo is back home with you again. He's one happy fella.
Yes, it's nice to head into ABQ sometimes, but I can't sand too much of the city life. Too much traffic, crowds, noise, etc
I love being out here in the mountains best of all :)
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Hi NM,
Thanks for stopping by. That's really awful, re: the kicking to get the air out. agh! Some people are just idiots.
I have no idea why that place has not been shut down or forced to fix up the place and take better care of the horses. It's right there on the side of the highway where anyone who slows down and looks right can see.
I don't think they make much money in riding rentals, probably because anyone who looks at the way the horses are cared for would stay far away.
Yes, Jenna and I are buddies. We like to hang out and explore together. :)
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Hi Pamela,
I agree with you. Shame!
As for letterboxing, I have copied and pasted the info right here:
Letterboxing, at its basic, is a like a treasure hunt type game. Small boxes are hidden in various locations—usually outdoors, though many are planted indoors as well—and the creator of the box will release clues so others can go out and find them later. The box is expected to have a logbook that finders can log into and a unique stamp, usually hand-carved, that the finder can stamp into their own personal logbook as a record of all the letterboxes they've found. Most letterboxers have a unique stamp to represent themselves, called a signature stamp, they stamp into the logbooks found inside letterboxes so others who find the letterbox later know they found it.
And for more questions answered:
http://www.atlasquest.com/aboutlb/wiki/browse.html?gCatId=14#q1
It's really fun! You oughta try it. :)
Hi CeeCee,
Funny you said the Palomino because as a little girl that was my favorite colored horse. My Barbie doll rode a plastic Palomino. haha!
Ya know the shelter thing is quite similar here, too. And it's fine for the Rio Grande Valley or down below 5,000 ft.
But here in the mountains, we can get 4 feet of snow and below zero temps during the winter. Horses really do require some kind of shelter to protect them from the wet snow and bitter winds.
That riding rental barn is right at the mouth of the Tijeras Canyon, so they are about 5-6,000 ft above sea level and don't always get as severe weather as we do here, but they get more than Albuquerque and they do get awful strong winds that barrel through that canyon.
I think the horses should at the very least have a 3 sided shelter with a wind barrier.
Well, our weather has been in transition mode. At night down into the 40's, during the day anywhere from 60-85 degrees. That day it was just very cloudy. But was rather warm actually.
Yes, I think you're right our daughters are quite the naturalists. Does she still collect nature and does she enjoy learning about it was much as you do?
I hope my daughter keeps her passion for nature and the outdoors throughout her life.
I met someone recently that thought it was weird that my daughter was so interested in bones and not in playing dress up and playing with dolls.
I support and embrace any little girl who bucks the norm and has interests that are different, don't you?
It's easy to be like everyone else. But it's alot more fun to be unique :)
Does your daughter still like to take out her box of bones, dead critters and feathers and study them?
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