The Horses are Coming, the Horses are Coming!

Do you remember this adorable couple who were married in Las Vegas last February? Okay, I'm biased. Yes, it's my daughter Kristi and son-in-law Doug.

Do you remember this couple who have the beautiful brilliant daughter who graduated from U Dub last year? Okay, I'm biased again. Yes, it's my niece Courtney with her partner, John, and my sister and brother-in-law, Lorna and Bob.

Lorna and Bob had a very special wedding gift for Kristi and Doug. It took a while to arrange for the gift to arrive, but today was the big day. Lorna and Bob sent two horses from their ranch in Washington to Kristi and Doug's home in Montana. And I was fortunate enough to be here to photograph the occasion.

Two kids at Christmas were never more excited. Each morning I have been greeted with the countdown of how many days until the horses arrive. Frequent e-mail checks, just in case there was a change in plans, heaven forbid! Finally, yesterday was the day they were to leave Washington on an overnight trip to Montana. Yesterday afternoon we watched the web cam at the Orcas Island ferry lot to see if we could see them loading. Nope. Are they really coming?

A call this morning confirmed that Richie and Raymond had been driving all night and were only a few hours away with the horses. Both 'kids' were watching at the windows for sight of a truck and horse trailer coming up the road. When at last it came into view, Doug climbed up on the truck to get a better view. You can see him here, hopping down, as the boys with the horses came to a stop in the front yard.

Doug is snapping pictures of the new babies while Kristi steals a pick.

Oh my, I think I'm in love! Come and see!

Wow!

We can unload them now, yes?

(And isn't that a spiffy horse trailer? The trailer is also a gift from another auntie of Kristi's, Cheryl, who owned beautiful Halflinger's -- this is Lily, who used to ride in this very trailer, with Cheryl behind her, seen at the Bok Kai parade in Marysville, CA last year.)





And now, presenting, the star of the show, Miss Gypsy Rose!

And her Momma, the granddame Cajun queen!

And this picture is definitely better than a thousand words.

Now I must tell you that there is another member to this family. Her name is Zin and she has been Kristi's horse for several years. We are all wondering how she will feel about having two new sisters. She is hanging her head over the corral fence watching these goings-on with great interest and an occasional nervous whinny.

Zin and Gypsy Rose say hello.

Kristi and Doug introduce Cajun to her new Montana home. She is awed by the mountains! I think she is secretly planning her first foray up a Forest Service trail.

Gypsy Rose jumps with joy!

Everybody is excited for a while and there is much running around, showing off, and exploring.

At first, the two newcomers mostly hang together.

Cajun checks out the quality of the mud while Gypsy Rose does the same with the grass.

This shot is for Lorna and Bob so they can picture their flat-landers happy in their new mountain home.

After a while, Zin reclaims her space and includes herself in the group.

Gypsy and Cajun are my very close neighbors until they are moved from the corral to the pasture. They come over to check out my house on wheels.

Which gives me a great lead-in to show you Kristi and Doug's new home. They have a lovely house.

Where the views from the back yard are like none other.

And the rest of you will just have to cry yourself to sleep because you don't live in Montana too.

Where I watched this sunset out my window last night.

Today was a good day.