Remember When the Days Were Long

"...and rolled beneath the deep blue sky..."
"End of the Innocence," Don Henley

My dad's horse ranch is located in Garner Valley, about 30 miles from Indio, and exists as a perfect sanctuary to escape from daily routines, alarm clocks, and to-go coffee. Currently (and a little ironically), it is horse-free, as my dad's three horses are residing temporarily in various ranches throughout Sacramento, being trained to cart, show, and the like. Thus, when we visit, for now it's up to us to put the dressage arena, round ring, and barn to good use.

There's something inherently unique in a ranch house. The broad expanses of land and trees, the smells of pine and dust, and the rich earth colors blend into the perfect refuge from Routine and Ordinary. Time lines don't exist, the fire's always burning, and the entire house is full of cedar and stone and comfort. I can't wait for my dad to retire there semi-full-time.

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, 

to front only the essential facts of life, 

and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, 

and not, when I came to die, 

discover that I had not lived..."

-Thoreau, from Walden