Peaceful

Serene

Quiet

Still

The hot heavy wind blows my hair across my face as I look across the hills

When I’m here it’s the only place in the world

The long field grass blows in the wind

As regular as my heartbeat the thundering of hooves echoes through the hills

Every once-in a while a high pitched scream is carried on the wind

A howl farther up the hill from a domesticated dog

A loud nose from a helicopter,

As it passes overhead the small trees and brush sway from its power

A diesel truck with a trailer attached heads up the long driveway

Mocha hears it first and starts barking

The other dogs, Katie, Badger, and sometimes Ebony join in

Their back

Soon the stables is full of people getting the trailer unloaded

Getting the horses out

Then relaxing

And sleeping

Nothing exciting except practicing and fixing problems before the next show

and Mocha getting porcupine quills again

And then it’s back to normal, me with Jinx looking out across the pastures

And I know this is the most important place to me

And that I hope it will remain in my heart forever

Just like Dakota has