Gloria
LightNews LightNews
banner
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Gloria
@rideintothesunset.bsky.social
1.6K followers 1.2K following 660 posts
Retired to ride horses in Shawnee National Forest, Illinois.
All photos (and a lifetime of memories) are mine.
Alt text is my friend now.
Please no DMs.
Posts Replies Media Videos
Pinned
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Gloria @rideintothesunset.bsky.social · Apr 5
Alt text = “the rest of the story” for me. When I’m cruising along liking pretty flowers and birds, I don’t always check their alt text, but when I see something extraordinary that needs to be clicked up to full screen, I always hope to find out more about where, when, why, etc.
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
The mowing crew is back at work now that the snow has mostly melted. They tell me cold, wet grass is delicious.
Three Paso Fino horses graze in a winter pasture. Small bits of snow remain under the trees and on the pine tree branches. Left to right: Georgie, Dulce, and Gema.
December 7, 2025 at 9:47 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Barn shadows have eyes.
Two velvety black cats guard the door inside their barn. Four yellow-green eyes track all movement in their territory.
December 6, 2025 at 9:46 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Oh the weather outside is frightful...
But the Thanksgiving Cactus is so delightful...
Red blooms tinged with white send out pistil and stamen parts against a backdrop of snow covered ground outside their east window. Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata)
December 5, 2025 at 10:32 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Cold beauty.
Temps barely reached the freezing mark for the last few days. Snow covers a cedar tree. Monochrome view of snow covered pasture and deciduous trees under heavily clouded sky. November 3, 2025 in southern Indiana.
December 4, 2025 at 10:37 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Ring the bell. Winter has set in early in southern Indiana.
Country dinner bell made from two extra large horse shoes welded together with a railroad spike hanging from a chain to use as a striker. It hangs on the barn porch with a snowy December 1, 2025 paddock and pasture behind.
December 3, 2025 at 10:53 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Took a picture of the snow falling this morning in the backyard. Only when I looked at it on my computer did I notice the visitors. Country life.
Snow at 4:13am on December 2, 2025 in southern Indiana. A two second camera exposure blurs the falling snowflakes. A pine tree droops under about an inch of snow. Three deer are visible to the left of the pine with maybe a fourth mostly hidden behind the deck chair.
December 2, 2025 at 9:32 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Cleaning season. Will polish the silver and leather today while outside cold settles in and snow clouds gather. Reminder that old things (and people) can still gleam when cared for and about.
Star shape with horse head worked in sterling silver. Center piece of a nearly 100 year old fancy parade bridle given to me years ago. May or may not have been used by silent movie cowboy Tom Mix. Marked Visalia Stock Saddle Company.
December 1, 2025 at 10:48 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Color still blooms in my world even as winds howl and snow blows outside.
A red Thanksgiving Cactus beginning to bloom. Many buds are waiting their turn. Bare trees and green grass shading to tan hibernate outside the window. A hint of the red accent wall perfectly frames the 10+/- year old cactus.
November 30, 2025 at 11:08 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Always takes the high ground, this small but mighty one.
Lady Day stands at eye level on stacked straw bales with a large round hay bale behind her in the barn aisle. She is queen of her territory. There have been no mice in the barn since her reign began four years ago.
November 29, 2025 at 10:15 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Amelia helped me learn how to take pictures with gloves on yesterday. Not easy, especially when she was in full-on dancer cat mode. She took pity on me and sat still just this once with raised paw to point out the correct way to do it.
Amelia the gray tabby cat sits with one paw raised on a weathered wood and metal flat bed trailer. The setting sun makes her glow. Long shadows from trees behind her end in glowing treetops catching the very last of the day's sunshine. The pale blue November sky looks as cold as it was yesterday with temps barely above freezing and a harsh wind making it feel much colder.
November 28, 2025 at 10:30 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
My idea of birdwatching when rain, snow, and icy cold gale force winds set in for the next week or so. Reminds me spring will come again.
Stained glass of a small bird with brown wing and tail sitting on a branch with two shades of green leaves and blue berries. It hangs in my "bluebird" room named after the shade of paint on the walls. Old. A gift to my grandmother in the 1970's and returned to me after her passing many years ago.
November 27, 2025 at 11:12 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
November berries.
Shiny black seed pods float above November's green and brown grass-like leaves of the blue lily turf, liriope muscari. Warmer states (Virginia, South Carolina, and Georgia) list this asian native as invasive. Doesn't seem to be a problem here in growing zone 6, southern Indiana, towards the northern reach of its range. Puts on a pretty show year round.
November 26, 2025 at 11:22 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
November fog at 5 am. Early risers witness a world others don't.
A light on a pole illuminates a strand of a spider's web running from deck roof to plant hanger. Dense fog hides the rest of the world. The fog seemed alive as visibly moisture saturated air blew past the light.
November 25, 2025 at 10:17 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Saturday was graduation day for Dulce. She's home now, getting reacquainted with her two other herd mates, and ready to continue learning how to be a great trail horse.
Bay Paso Fino filly, Diamante E Dulce Dama under the tutelage of Christian Embry, owner of her sire, rides her for a last training session Saturday (11/22/25) on the farm she was born on. 2 1/2 years old, she looks so grown up compared to the little 13 month old baby we brought home in April 2024. She will ease into full trail horse mode over the next two years as her training continues at home and with very short trail rides until she matures and gains strength and stamina. She's got the right attitude to be a great trail partner.
November 24, 2025 at 10:56 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Thanksgiving cactus right on time for holiday blooms.
Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) with fleshy green leaves ending in a profusion of large flower buds ready to bloom in just a few days. Picture taken 11-22-25 (5 days before Thanksgiving). The blooms look pink this year, but this cactus has always had pure red blooms for the 10 years or so I've had it. It likes its large east facing window.
November 23, 2025 at 9:43 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Wet week brought out a sparkly little salamander.
A northern slimy salamander (Plethodon glutinosus), native to eastern North America, shows off their shiny black skin covered in star like spots of light gray, complimented by small light gray rocks sticking to its tail. A few days of rainy weather seems to bring these onto the concrete just outside the garage door.
November 22, 2025 at 9:30 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Can a slug be pretty? Shiny, anyway.
Possibly a megapallifera mutabilis or changeable mantleslug according to ID by seek by iNaturalist. About 2 inches/5 centimeters long slug, tan with darker brown spots. It is flowing like water over the edge of a concrete step towards a pile of autumn leaves.
November 21, 2025 at 10:38 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Foggy day.
Autumn orange leaves cling to one tree on the left trying to hide behind a smaller green pine tree. Other trees have already shed their leaves to carpet the still green grass in orange while stretching their now bare limbs to a cloudy sky. Fog closes off the outside world. November 19, 2025.
November 20, 2025 at 11:26 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Cave art seems appropriate on a dark, cold, rainy day spent inside. Vibrant, lively, warm.
"Chinese" horse copied from the Lascaux Cave in France. Bought at an auction years ago because it looked kind of like my chubby little dun Paso Fino mare, Sassy. She's gone now, but the image made on some sort of stone-like medium remains in the barn office.
November 19, 2025 at 10:20 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Wild back yard. The reason we spent the last two days cleaning gutters on house and barn.
Tree trunks left foreground covered in lichen. Small pine tree at bottom of image. Tree trunks and limbs completely fill in rest of space under a cloudy late afternoon sky November 17, 2025. View from bedroom door to deck.
November 18, 2025 at 10:11 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Still a little color outside. Appreciate what you have.
Yellow twig dogwood shrub. Cornus servicea ‘Flamiramea’. A few green leaves hang on in November accenting its stems now turned a flaming yellow. Nice accent plant for winter when most everything else gives up on color.
November 17, 2025 at 10:34 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Favorite painting in my house. I like color. All colors. Lots of color. Every day.
Painting of a white horse with multi-color mane flowing wildly in an unseen breeze. Red outlined ears focus on the viewer as do shiny dark eyes. Not a masterpiece, just a mass produced Amazon buy, but it hangs in my living room where I see it daily and have still not gotten tired of it.
November 16, 2025 at 11:58 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Soaking up late afternoon sun. Back up to 70F/21C after days of hard freeze temps.
Gema the bay pinto Paso Fino rests in a sunny pasture. Some grass has turned brown and trees dropped their leaves. She has eaten her fill of the still green grass for the moment and is enjoying the warm sunshine at around 4pm November 14, 2025.
November 15, 2025 at 10:47 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
View from a kitchen window.
Round stained glass featuring a red rose with green leaves on a blue background hangs in a window that looks out on the deck and back yard and pasture.
November 14, 2025 at 10:23 AM
rideintothesunset.bsky.social
Yum, that milk was good.
Amelia the gray striped tabby cat with her long pink tongue curled up licking her whiskers. She is on the gray deck after just finishing off her small daily portion of milk. Contented kitty.
November 13, 2025 at 9:26 AM