A Rose of a Different Color

A Rose of A Different Color

It's bad enough that I got left home again, but to find out that Dangerous was in St. George visiting another Rose can make a girl a bit jealous. Dangerous has always been a sucker for a good looking red head, but I doubt I have anything to worry about. While we might share the same name and similar hair color, I can't picture St. George Rose playing tug with Dangerous or sitting on his lap.

Let's Play Tug

What I can't figure out is how Dangerous is going to keep us straight. At his age, he struggles remembering the names of family members and close friends. I can only imagine the confusion that will exist when we are out riding. When it's time for us to load up, I won't be sure which Rose he is calling. Will St. George Rose try climbing into my dog kennel while I jump into the horse trailer with Dottie and Little Guy? More confusing than loading to go will be the profane oaths that Dangerous usually directs at me when he is mounting up. In the past, he usually yelled something like, "Rose, I am going to get down and kick you in the guts if you don't shut up!" With another Rose around, I have the perfect excuse to continue barking and ignore his idle threats. I will just give him that sheep dog look expressing confusion about whether he is berating me or the other Rose.

St. George Rose and Dangerous

You're probably wondering how Dangerous ended up with another Walking Horse. Well, you have to understand that he doesn't own the whole horse. I am not sure how you own half a horse, but knowing Dangerous, I know which half is his. He tells me that he owns the horse jointly with his buddy Bill, and they divided Rose diagonally. Splitting her diagonally gives them each a half that can't be ridden alone, but can stand by its self. At least that's what Bill told Dangerous when they split the horse, and he is an architect.

Bill and Thunder

Rose lives with Bill with seven other Walking Horses in St. George. Her current owners are friends of Bill's who have boarded Rose at his place for years. Since they don't get to ride much, they decided it was time to sell her. Well, Dangerous is almost as bad as Bill when it comes to parting with a good horse. Neither one of them needs another horse, but they couldn't let Rose go to another home, so they bought her together. Rose gets to stay in St. George, and Dangerous has a horse to ride when he visits.

A Walking Horse in Every Port

Dangerous tells me that St. George Rose has a sweet Walking Horse gate, and independent personality. According to Dangerous, riding her is like sitting in a rocking chair, and she doesn't need the company of others, so I don't have to worry about her replacing me anytime soon. Love to hear from you!

65 Degrees and Rising

Amateur Archaeologist

Take a look outside today and you will see snowflakes in the air. Walk out to feed the horses, and the north wind will burn your face. After months of these conditions, Dangerous and I were irritable and short tempered. To treat our extreme cabin fever, we had to find a warm place to hike and explore. As usual, Dangerous and I jumped in the truck and drove 300 miles south to spend five days hiking, eating, and talking with friends in Bluff. It's incredible what sunshine and 65 degree temperatures will do to cure cabin fever.

Bluff Accommodations

We don't exactly rough it when staying in Bluff. Rather than crowding into two or three small motel rooms, this year we rented the "West Unit" where everyone had their own room. Well, almost everyone. Dangerous doesn't trust me alone, so I had to bunk with him. I freely roamed the entire place, but spent most of my time lying under the kitchen table. When on these trips, the boys don't waste time in the living room watching TV. When not hiking, they sit around the kitchen table stuffing their faces and planning our next hike. I'm not much interested in the hike talk, but I do enjoy all the treats offered me under the table during these strategic planning sessions.

Transcendental Sites

The boys who joined us in Bluff this year were a different bunch than past springs. For Bill, Rich, and John, they were visiting the various Butler Wash ruins for the first time. Dangerous and I have seen them all many times before, but it was interesting to see them again through different eyes. I patiently waited and listened as they carefully observed and discussed each rock art panel and ruin.

Rich, Rosie, John, and Bill at the Procession Panel

They spent a great deal of time speculating about the meaning of the Procession Panel. As you can see, the panel is named for the three long lines of figures marching towards a circle. The explanations ranged from the ancient ones marching back to the underworld from where they originally emerged to a trip to the Golden Arches for cheeseburgers. While the first explanation is more mythical, I prefer the more practical idea of obtaining food. As you may have guessed, it was close to lunch when Dangerous snapped this picture, and I was hungry.

Roof Beam Still in Place

As always, examining an ancient kiva causes the most speculation and discussion. Trying to imagine what went on in its depths 750 years ago produces lively and interesting discussion. For all of us, we tried to imagine the spiritual and mystical forces that caused these ancient people to collect and move the materials needed to build this religious structure. With stone tools and fire, they cut the large roof beams that covered their underground temple. After dropping the logs, probably miles away, they had to transport them to the site without the aid of draft animals. While rocks are plentiful in the area, they still had to collect them and painstakingly lay them in place without a modern transit or other leveling device. I heard Dangerous ask Bill the architect whether he thought today's buildings will still be standing 800 years from now.

The Ancient Ones Return

Dangerous tells everyone that if conditions are just right you can clearly imagine what life was really like for the ancient ones who populated the Comb Ridge canyons. He tells me that with a little imagination you can recreate the swirl of daily living at these prehistoric sites. Listen carefully and you can hear the children playing, the turkeys gobbling, and the dogs barking. With a little more imagination, you can smell the corn meal and mountain sheep stew boiling in a clay pot over the open fire. I always thought Dangerous had an over active imagination, but this time I have to agree with him. If you look closely, you can see two ancient residents of Comb Ridge peering back through time at you. Love to hear from you!