The Sunset RIDING SOLO

As I was riding my horse through the woods on the spring evening, I felt the cool breeze on my skin and heard the birds and frogs relating the day’s events to each other and heard the horses’ hooves on the ground below me. On this day, I was on a strong, roan, appaloosa, his muscles rippling under his skin. I rode through a meadow, a section of woods, and finally through the scrub on the trail that would take me to the edge of the point. Once there I dismounted and tied my horse to a tree so that I could sit on the point. From there I saw the town, the lake, and the river, and heard the train rush through the town, and the barges on the river. Below me, and the ranch where I worked, I saw people rushing around trying to finish for the evening. As the sun went down, I saw the pink and purple reflect on the clear blue lake and not so clear on the river. Finally, it was time for me to untie my horse, remount, and ride back to the campsite so I would be able to ride back up to the point early in the morning and watch the sun’s reflections in reverse.

The Sunrise

It is morning, and very dark and shadowy, with just enough light to saddle up mount and carefully make my way back to the point. The world is silent and has not started to wake up yet. The only sounds are my horse breathing, his footsteps on the ground and the squeaking of the saddle. My horse and I get back to the point and I dismount and tie him to the same tree as last night and sit down in the same place as last night. The sky is just starting to get lighter, and now I hear the woods starting to wake up. I hear the birds start to sing their morning song, and hear the squirrels start to move from tree to tree. As the sky gets lighter, I see the horizon getting brighter and as the sun continues to rise, the sky is golden, with golden reflections on the river and the lake. And now the town and the ranch are starting to wake up. People are leaving their houses, and the ranch dogs are starting to bark, and the horses whinny looking for their breakfast. Funny how the sounds and colors of the end of the day are the opposite of the sounds and colors of the beginning of the day.