Preparing to Say Goodbye

It's almost time to say goodbye to Red Pine Mountain for the winter.  Mountain Man is already on his way home from the Ozarks anxious to get all of us on the road before weather becomes an issue.  We might be here for another week as we prepare the farm for our absence and Mountain Man finishes a few chores.  The countdown has begun.

In the Ozarks, Mountain Man was busy preparing the pasture for Khrysta and cleaning out the old barn which hasn't been occupied in years.  Every night, he'd tell me about the 70 degree weather and I'd tell him about the beautiful frosts here. 

I've been busy trying to get organized to leave but my biggest concern has been for Khrysta on this long trip.  The vet came.  I learned if we traveled across state lines without a current health certificate and we were stopped, Khrysta and the trailer would be impounded.  I asked him question after question on how to make the trip comfortable for her.

I've spent each day acclimating Khrysta to the trailer.  She was a reluctant loader but with the help of the clicker, she will now walk on the trailer with a hand signal from me.  No lead rope, no dressage whip, no tugging on a scared horse.  It's amazing.  I've spent time with her in the trailer, feeding her dinner there, hanging out with her and letting her acclimate to the different environment.  I think she's ready but am I?  Not really.  But I've learned the only thing constant in life is change.  As I put my long underwear back on the shelf, I think just perhaps it won't be so bad after all.

Here's pictures from the sunrise the other day.

 

 

 

And thank you to all of you who stop by and read and leave me comments.  I feel as though you are all on this journey with me.