Busco's Joy......The Search For My Word

Sunrise as we were walking to the Hogan for yoga.

6:45am  9-14-12

Friday,  September 14, 2012

WOMEN IN THE WILD

I have decided for the this first full day of the retreat, I will just write exactly what I jotted down in my "book" that I am never without from this day.  I will also include pictures that were taken that day and let my simple thoughts and pictures do all the talking.  This will be a short, sweet and to the point post. 

Anne asked that we have Room #7 in the main lodge.  In her opinion it was the best room, though the smallest room.  She was 100% right.  We had the best views and could see all of the comings and goings right outside of our 3 windows.

Yoga- Friday Morning 7:00
-beautiful, slightly chilly morning.  beautiful walk to the HOGAN, sun rising as we walked, stop to take pictures.

-very easy practice with hip openers and gentle stretches to prepare us for our first ride.
 

 View looking out from inside of the Hogan.

The outhouses.

Another view from inside the Hogan, looking out.

Not a bad view from any position.

 

 

-walked back to ranch and cleaned up for breakfast....oatmeal, granola & yogurt, blueberry bread,

 fresh fruit and orange juice.

 

-changed into jeans and boots for 2 hour trail ride with Sandra and Dan.  Rode a lovely horse named

 2 Dots.  Beautiful ride although much smoke was blowing over mountains for the Bob Marshall

 fires.  Took many pictures.  Cool morning with winds.  Talked with Kathi from Orange County

 about death and losing mom.  She too lost someone she was very close to and we talked about

 healing processes and letting go. 

 

 The stables.

 An old pair of boots,

retired for now.

 Horses saddled up and ready to go.

 One of our wranglers, Dan.

The hardest working 23 year old I know.

His trusty friend, Annie Oakley looking on.

 2 Dots and I ready to ride.

 Even though it was smokey, the views were amazing.

Horseback is indeed the way to see land as gorgeous as this.

 Annie Oakley taking a little break.

Nothing makes her happier than running alongside

on a trail ride.

 Anne on Sunny and our wonderful host, Sandra, in the background.

 

 

-returned from our ride at 11:30 and cleaned up for lunch...egg salad, greens, pasta salad, chips,

 cookies and lemonade.

 

-at 1:00, Tag gave us a tour of his museum and told us the story of his life and family. 

 

 The museum is made up of the one room house that Tag's grandfather bought in the 1800's.

The exact house that Tag's father was born in.

All of the objects in the museum are from the ranch and Tag's family.

Some are family items, photos, jewelry, etc.

Others are artifacts and ancient ruins that have been found

during archaeological digs on the property.

Tag Rittel.

One of the most gracious gentlemen I have ever met.

A true legend in my mind.

 

 

-Montana has proven to be everything I had thought it would be.  The beautiful open spaces, the

 glorious mountains, the quietness, the closeness to heaven and the awareness of God's beauty and

 almightyness all around.

 

-occasional episodes of tears, but feel that they are not out of sadness, but out of pure joy and the

 amazement at what my life is like at this moment and feeling the presence of my mom with me.

 

 

Friday night we celebrated Tag's 83rd birthday.  His actual birthday would be on Saturday, but do to other plans the ladies had for Saturday night, Sandra gave him his cake Friday night.  It was the most delicious Carrot Cake I have ever eaten.  During dinner, I had the opportunity to share Robby's and my dream of one day moving to Montana and continuing our desire for a self sustainable lifestyle.  My new friends were so encouraging and moved by what I had to say and really made me feel as if it was something that Robby and I would one day make happen.

 

  Setting up inside the Hogan for evening yoga before dinner.

 

 

 Never wanting to be late for a meal,

Tag and Dan waiting outside for the dinner bell to ring.

Sandra presenting her wonderful husband Tag with his birthday cake.

This one was not the Carrot cake,

but a Doughnut Cake from the

Donut Hole in Helena.

 

 Anne and I before our evening ride after dinner.

 Our trusty companions on all of our rides,

Busco in the front and Annie Oakley in the back.

Riding past the Hogan on horseback in the evening.

 

 

-our ride this evening was wonderful.  Sandra got us a little bit lost, but it was so much fun.  Steeper hills than the morning ride, a little trickier terrain, saw about 6 deer, rode back to the stables in the dark.  Perfect ending to the day followed by a glass of wine in the hot tub then off to bed, with the Montana air blowing in the windows once again.



     
One last thing.  The whole time Anne and I were out riding, walking, doing yoga, exploring, she would ask me how I was doing.  I kept telling her that I could not come up with the word that could describe exactly how at peace and happy I was.  I told her it was along the lines of the great word from one of Mary Poppins's old songs....supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, but that still wasn't even it.
I would be sure to let her know as soon as I came up with it.  But I was pretty sure it was not going to be until the end of my stay at Blacktail, that the word would come to me.