Falling into Winter

A dog to protect me 

A horse to teach me 

The hours of darkness are longer, the days shortening into cooler weather with beautiful sunsets and sunrises. Fields of corn that surrounded the place I call home have been chopped down revealing another layer of mountainous horizon off in the distance. In the mornings I move the puppies from their warm bed of hay snuggled up closely to each other inside the puppy box. Tucking them in my arms nestled up to my sweater I carry them outside and feel them shiver as the crisp cool air nips at their nose. At night I snuggle up to my 60 pound husky curled up in a ball underneath the mountainous pile of blankets we cocoon in.

The full effects of winter are approaching quickly, and with them come longer exams, late nights of studying with hot chocolate, and longing for my warm Arizona home and my mothers cooking. When homework, studying, horse judging, school clubs and work are finished early, there is time in my day for a left to spend in the saddle improving my riding or out taking pictures.

“I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps it says "Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.” 
― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass