Vacation Adventures!

We had a blast!! Our 10th annual trip to Custer State Park (here's my first attempt at linking you to my photo album debut!) was AWESOME!! The weather was the best it has been with sunny skies every day and temperatures in the mid 80s. We saw absolutely no rain and we didn't have to ride in 100 degree heat (sorry Dee). Apparently, the week prior to our arrival it rained almost every day. Too bad for those campers, but we had the greenest grass we've ever seen and the creeks were full with fresh running water for the horses to drink from.

The week was also free from any major harm to people or horses. Thanks to all of you who prayed for our safety!! I suppose my sister-in-law, Merrilee, might tell you she had a little unexpected 'bath' at the end of her first day of riding when Toby decided he really didn't want to swim in the creek and abruptly jumped the bank. She slipped right down his back, and PLOP, into the water. Thankfully she was unharmed. I suppose she might also tell you about another 'voluntary dismount' she made while we were climbing a very steep hill with the horses. She just chose to finish the climb on her own since Toby seemed to be a bit of a 'tree hugger.' But, not to leave Merrilee thinking she was the only one who had any minor mishaps, I also took a little spill. No, I didn't voluntarily or involuntarily dismount from my horse, YEP, I fell off my own two feet!! Typical Jill style...aka clutz! On my way to use the cowgirl restroom on the trail I tripped not once, but twice bruising and scraping my knees. Thank the Lord for my horse who carries me so much more gracefully!!!

This was a year of change. Besides the lush green grass, the flowing creeks, the new tree growth, and all the BEAUTIFUL wildflowers that were present this year we saw another new thing! First, imagine riding your horse along the Centennial Trail in the back country of Custer State Park where no motorized vehicles can go. As you weave through the forests and run through the prairies you can just about imagine what it might be like when the first explorers came to this area on horseback. It's so rugged, yet peaceful, so quiet....but wait...what is that sound? Is it a bird? A deer? An elk? The grunts of a buffalo heard ahead? Nope, ...it's.... the chime of an incoming text message!!!

Yes, the rookies of our trip this year were The Blackberrys! We got a chuckle from the new sound the horses were making as incoming messages chimed out from inside the saddle bags. I don't yet have one of these fancy cell phone, googling, texting devices, but I must say it came in handy when we were bewildered about the 'hiccups' my mother's horse, Dually, appeared to be suffering from one night. With one quick google search we learned it was actually a case of the Thumps which is cause by a depletion of essential electrolytes, specifically calcium. A couple doses of electrolyte replacer and Dually was back on the trail.

So it appears next year we may be exchanging bumps and bruises for Thumb Texting Tenosynovitis!!!