“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and winds long to play with your hair.” –Kahlil Gibran

Some of my favorite things about summer - bare feet and driving with the windows down. 

Last Sunday, Tim and I walked up a steep road just to see where it led.  It seemed we might get to a saddle with the chance to walk along it for a bit.  However, the road petered out, and the game trails (or as I sometimes call them - animal super highways) weren't wide enough for us to follow.  A short hike in the end, but we were rewarded with some lovely wildflowers.  Arrowleaf balsamroot, Indian paintbrush, larkspur, phlox, forget-me-not.  I looked for shooting stars, but perhaps it was too late in the season to see any.

Afterward we went for a drive down a long, dusty dirt road.  We saw several pronghorn which is always a pleasure.  I never tire of their pretty faces, dainty legs and coloring.  They're found in this part of Utah year-round so sightings are common.  Even so, I perk up whenever I spot them.

not a great photo, but they were moving away from the road as we passed

Toward the end of our drive, we were rewarded with a large band of wild horses.  Despite being wild, this particular group seems rather tolerant of humans watching and photographing them.  (Lucky perhaps for the folks who irresponsibly approach them within a few feet or yards.)  This herd has spent days and days in this area, grazing, rolling in the muddy ponds and doing what it is that horses do.  I feel pretty blessed that we live in a place inhabited by all sorts of wildlife.  From snakes to birds, from pronghorn to mustangs, we see and hear all manner of critters on a daily basis.  Further reason to enjoy and admire summer.