Wordless Wednesday: Waterpark fun with Fiona!

Longing for the trail

Griffin misses being a trail horse.

On Sunday, I spent all of my time doting on my old man. I generally try to split my time between both of my equine charges alternating between each one.

While Griffin's semi, 3/4, retirement means we don't ride as much as we used to, it certainly does not mean that I don't spend quality time with him, nor that I would give him less attention than a younger, more able, horse.

I will never be the type of owner who tosses my senior horse in a pasture and mostly forgets about him. Every horse I own will always hold an active place in my life and my heart. My horses are my companions as much as my riding partners. Always. ♡

At any rate, Sunday was Griffin's day and I decided that we could return to the trails for a short time.

With me on foot....

I had planned on doing a short ride after a hand walk in the woods, so I saddled and bridled Grif and then we headed on down the drive..

We wound around the trees, walked up and down tiny bumps and hills and worked on single file teamwork through narrow spaces. Branches cracked loudly beneath our feet, but we paid no mind savoring the time together..

Ears forward and eager,  Griffin enjoyed the walk as much as I did. It certainly did not feel that I had a 27 yr old partner on the end of those reins!

Eventually we made our way back to the barn. I climbed aboard for a walking stroll. On a loose rein,  we did some figures in arena,  then meandered around Tammy's house and the outskirts of the other pastures.

As we came back to where the driveway goes toward the road (and the woods), Griffin became rather insistent that we go that way. The more I pointed him back towards the outdoor arena, the slower his hoof falls and less enthusiastic he became.

Grif was about as motivated to ride in the arena as I am to go to the Dentist for a root canal.

Once back in the sand pit, every time we got anywhere near the end by the horse trailers (which we ride between to go down the drive), we had a "discussion" about which way we needed to go.

Griffin clearly misses being a trail horse....and I think my walking with him in the woods reinforced that longing for timber filled rides...

I finally did let him head down the drive a bit, but not the whole distance to the woods (which he would have surely gone if I had let him)!

If only.....

You hadn't hurt your stifle so badly last fall, my sweet boy....

If only...

I could guarantee a safe passage through questionable footing with a rider and no crazy, joint blowing, spooks.

If only...
I didn't worry as much as I do.....

Hunting season will be upon us soon and our favorite woods will be off limits.

Until then, Griffin and I will just have to hand walk together more...

Fiona 's FIRST horseback ride!

Yesterday marked one of those rare, weekend days Gayle was off from work. She works in the tourism industry,  so weekends are generally required.

We had talked earlier in the week and decided to take Fiona for a visit to the barn for a second time. She was pretty little the first time she saw the horses, and although she was curious about them, they scared her.

I wasn't sure what to expect yesterday since she is still just 2 years old and I knew the large horses could still seem intimidating.  I actually found myself wishing I had a pony or miniature instead of 2 15+ hand horses.

.....but Fiona is also an incredibly smart little girl. Almost everyone who meets her comments on it (..and, No, I'm not biased--perfect strangers have said this).

I had just gotten Tex saddled for a ride when my sister arrived at the barn.  We drove in seperate vehicles, so Gayle could bring her after her afternoon nap.

Fiona wasn't even out of the car yet before she was excitedly calling  out "Chickens, Chickens!!"

Tammy has a little Chicken coop by her house and the birds were making their usual verbal, ruckus.

I rode Tex over by the car. Fiona looked at me a bit strangely  ("why are you on top of the horse?"), but seemed very happy to see me and be at the farm.

Once out of the car, Fee made a beeline for the Chicken coop. She watched the Chickens for a short time, enjoying their erratic Chicken hops and squawks.

Afterwards,  we wandered around outside some of the nearby pastures, so she could see the other horses. She met Chance, Tucker, Minnow, Taco, and of course, my old man,  Griffin. She now knows who Griffin is (by name) and that he is "brown."

As we made our way back to the outdoor arena. I asked Gayle if she wanted to hop on Tex and have Fiona watch HER ride. I thought this might spark Fee's interest in trying it for herself.

Gayle rode and showed horses herself in 4-H when she was a teen, so I had no worries about her on Tex (Her 4-H mount had been a playful bucker, so Gayle is no stranger to silly, equine antics).

After Gayle climbed aboard and I adjusted her stirrups, she and Tex set off around the arena. Fiona and I sat in the porch swing by the edge and watched.

Unfortunately,  Gayle only made a single lap around before Fiona became restless and wanted to go by her mom. I asked Fee if she wanted to ride and she was already pulling my hand towards her mom and Tex.

We went back over to the mounting stairs while Gayle sidled Tex up alongside.  I once again asked Fiona if she wanted to ride and she had already climbed the first step of the mounting stairs. "up, UP!" she said holding her arms up to be lifted.

I helped her climb up to sit in front of her mom, then took Tex's reins to lead them both around.  Gayle kept her focus on holding Fiona in front of her and I on walking Tex.

This whole idea worked perfectly as Fiona grinned from ear - to - ear while being aboard her VERY FIRST horseback ride! A few times she pointed to the other horses out in the pasture and hollered "Tex!, Tex....!" ("No, Fiona..You are riding Tex.").

It was a short ride, before Fiona asked to get down again, but I was over the moon, happy that she had wanted to ride in the first place.

As I unsaddled Tex,  Fiona and Gayle visited with another boarder friend, Meridee, and her Morgan mare, Missy. Fiona enjoyed watching Missy get a bath and was delighted to pet her as well.

"What color is Missy?". I asked.

"Brown."

Brown indeed.

"What color is Tex?".

"Brown..." came the answer.

I pointed to Tex standing just outside at the hitch rail. "What color is Tex?" I asked again.

"Black!"

Such a smart girl!! 

Before we returned Tex to his pasture,  I asked Fiona if she wanted to walk him. She eagerly grabbed for his lead rope and set off for the outdoor arena. I followed alongside Tex, holding his halter and doing the actual leading for safety reasons. That didn't matter to Fiona...she enjoyed "walking" Tex and stepping in all of the sandy divets she could find in the arena.

...meanwhile, Tex wondered why we were walking around in little circles...

Afterwards, the 3 of us headed over to Pizza Ranch for a yummy, early dinner. Gayle was amazed at how much Pizza and Chicken Fiona managed to gobble down. I told her having fun with horses builds an appetite!

Because both of our hands were full most of the time making sure Fiona stayed safe, we didn't get much for pictures. I mentioned to Gayle that next time we'll have to bring mom (grandma) along as the official picture taker!!

...that, and hopefully Fee can have a ride on my boy, Griffin!!♡♡ (we just used Tex because I already had him out). :-)

 

Cat tree drama that ends well...

Last week, the boys and I had some "Kitty drama" on Wednesday morning.

I have often joked that my downstairs neighbor must think I have elephants running around my apartment.

One of my boys' favorite play times just happens to be when I first get up in the morning.  They run and jump and wrestle like wild children and they often have a blast doing it!!

Simon and Lukus have a great adopted, brotherly relationship,  so there's really never any sparring type issues.

What they do like to do is just have FUN!

At any rate, they were having one of their wild mornings on Wednesday.  At one point Lukus was hanging off the top of the cat tree, upside down and Simon was underneath, perched on the top of the "house" part, batting at Luk.

It must have gotten a bit too intense, because the top of the house part caved in!! Simon went with it, but it didn't faze him. He simply hopped out and continued his paw war with Lukus from the side.

I was standing at my dining room table,  wrapping a few presents for Fiona when all of this transpired. Since I was in the middle of my wrapping, I didn't think much of it. I just assumed that the lid would fit back on the house and maybe need to be glued or something. I thought I'd just throw it back together before I head out to work.

Little did I realize that it wasn't that simple. ..

When I was ready to leave, I want over to the cat tree and discovered that the top was actually held in by 2 inch staples pounded in sideways!!

YIKES!!!

I can't say enough how glad I was that I was home when this happened!!! Visions of my boys tearing themselves to pieces were not pleasant thoughts!!

So upon discovering this, I texted my supervisor and informed her that I would be late to work.

I got out a hammer and proceeded to reverse pound all of the dangerous staples out of the top of the circular base.

Without a (safe)way to fix the lid, it too, got thrown out.

I wasn't too bummed about it because my cats rarely lay in the bottom. Very occasionally, only Simon would curl up inside for a nap. I figured if nothing else, they might have more fun darting in and out through the top.

Well, it seems the top doesn't matter because I snapped the photos below just a few minutes ago.....

♡♡Serious cuteness♡♡

One step in front of the other...

The photo below is probably one of the ugliest pictures I will ever share on my blog (in my opinion anyway).

I snapped the photo this morning as testimony to what I drive through each morning on my way to work.

Pitch black, darkness.....(back, country roads).

The only thing that would have made it worse was if it had been snowing....

That, of course, will be here soon.

I can hear anyone reading this asking, why? Why take such a picture??

The reason is that it really fit my mood this morning. On most mornings, I can't say it really bothers me, but when I'm having a difficult morning-- the darkness feels almost sinister..

As I mentioned in a previous post, I suffer from a moderate form of anxiety. The details and triggers involved are too personal for me to discuss on the internet (and I wouldn't really care to talk about them anyway as that would be counterproductive in my particular situation).

With that said, I decided to write this post about what it is that I do when I find myself in a black rut and need to move forward (My struggles with this usually begin in the morning when I first get out of bed).

The first thing I do is mentally break my impending day up into little, tiny chunks. I prioritize items that NEED to be accomplished and put those that don't in a seperate "folder" in my mind. Mental Imagery is a powerful tool once you've learned how to master it (and to trust it).

Next, I reset my focus on each of my "task chunks," and get them done one at a time. Again, using my well practiced, Mental Imagery,  I block out each task that I have yet to accomplish. I physically push worry aside in my brain..

Putting one step in front of the other, I chip away at each chunk on my list. Regardless of how slow things go, I keep the focus on moving forward.

While this may seem simple to someone who is merely overwhelmed,  I can assure you that it's a different story when you are dealing with a hefty dose of anxiety and worry on top of it.

When I've manage to propel myself through a day that started out on "the wrong side of the bed," I take a few moments to allow myself to feel a sense of accomplishment (...and this is more important than it might sound).

My last step after a difficult day, is to spend some time in meditation (...and, no I don't hum, sit in strange poses, or make weird noises). Meditation,  done properly,  is all about training your body to relax and quiet your mind.  Everyone has a slight variation of different techniques that work for them as an individual.  No matter how it is approached, it WORKS WONDERS for reducing stress and anxiety.

So after a day that started out very unsteadily this morning, I am now finding myself calm and ready to face a new day tomorrow.

The BEST part is that I am planning to spend time with both of my horses AND I get to see my niece, little Fiona.

Due to the craziness of my week, I haven't had horse time since Tuesday (and that was pretty brief). Missing time with the horses does NOT help my anxiety....!

The Moral of the story??

It takes time and patience to work on anti-anxiety/stress strategies and put them into practice...but it's certainly worth it no matter how ridiculous some things might seem in the beginning (or at what level each person feels stress. Coping and calming techniques can help everyone).

Keep on "Keeping on," it DOES get better!!

Busy!

It's been crazy busy for me the past day and a half.

On one end of the spectrum, I love it because it makes the weekend come faster. On the other hand, it also makes things stressful (and tends to send my anxiety issues through the roof so-to-speak).

Today is Fiona ' s Birthday and I am just taking a few minutes away from things to just type I quick note.

I decided not to do any photos of Fiona today for the simple reason that I just wanted to spend time with her and not snap pictures....

I will, on the other, leave off with a few photos of my retired boy, Grif. I had a quick, hour and a half with him yesterday and snapped away. We groomed and hand grazed and that was all there was time for.....

So without further ado........

Another outdoor lover in the family!!

My sister, Gayle, sent me a couple of photos and a text yesterday...

The text message reads...

She says "Im camping"...LOL Mom just ran in to grab something.

The accompanying photos (which are shared below) are adorable!!

Fiona evidently thought following my mom into her camper was pretty cool. This little girl has camped twice now and it has already proven to bit a hit with her!!

Personally,  I am over - the - moon excited that my little niece is already showing an affinity for camping. I am looking forward to many future outings with her along.

Fiona loves being outside so much that getting her to go back inside is sometimes a HUGE chore. She will also take your hand when you are inside and lead you to the door to go outside to play.

What can I say?

I think it's a genetic thing......

I also want to add that I also came across a Facebook posting regarding these photos (and some others) that the dress Fiona is wearing was, at one time, the same dress my mom dressed Gayle in.

Definitely early 80's chic there, mom! I hope you didn't use mothballs (blech)!! 

A Platform Dismount comes in handy!

Because I now have a bum elbow, bum knee, and a recovering bum back (Train wreck...I know), I wasn't sure I'd be able to ride when I went to the barn yesterday,  but I sure wanted to try!!

I decided I was going to do a little ride with Tex because he stands well for me to both climb ON him from the big, outside mounting block as well as climbing OFF of him.

Vickie (Tex's owner who is also an avid trail rider) told me once she likes her horses to stand at a block for both mounting and dismounting as well as being able to do so from both sides. She has taken some seriously long rides throughout her horse life (including Competitive Trail) and she says that being able to dismount onto something is a definite advantage when every muscle in your body is screaming after a long ride.

Knowing some of the rides she has done, I don't doubt her for a second.

I have practiced the mount/dismount using a block with Tex before & he does very well.

...and as I suspected he did well with me today. With my aching, sprained muscles, it was an absolute godsend to be able to get on and off this way! (Note to self to teach Griffin the "platform dismount" as well. He simply has just never been asked to do it).

During our ride, we rode solo in our favorite woods a bit and then did some work in the arena. We even did some trotting (and posting) which I was pretty sure I wouldn't be able to do.

.....and that made me happy!

Aside from riding myself, I loaned Tex to Jena ' s daughter, Jaxcin, to ride for a little bit (Jena is Tammy's sister. She has her own horse, Sky,  but Sky isn't quite ready for the kids to ride yet).

Jaxcin will be learning the ropes of showing over the next year so she can do the horse project in 4-H.

She spent a little time riding Tex and then hopped aboard Kris' s horse, Rain.  It is the plan that Rain will ultimately be her mount for the fair.

She did very well considering she hasn't had a lot of chances to ride.  Hopefully , she will get more practice in the coming months!

The top photo is a between - the - ears picture of my wooded ride with Tex. The next 3 are Jaxcin and Rain (sadly, I didn't get one of her on Tex).

Adding Insult to Injury and a few cat photos...

Yesterday was a pretty long day. I was at my folk's place most of the day and into the late evening. I have a close relationship with my parents, so we spend a lot of time talking.

As I mentioned,  my back has been getting better. My body must have thought it needed a new way to injure itself.

So as I was leaving...... (keep in mind that my parent's house is in the country, so except for a few lights on their pole barn and the front of the house,  it is PITCH BLACK outside)....I stepped outside the side door of the garage to walk out to my car and tripped on a plastic, dog dish that was laying next to the sidewalk.

My mom had rinsed it off (or something) after our last camp outing and set it in the grass next to the garage. It simply hadn't made its way back into her camper yet. Me, being me...I moved it to mow and then tossed it back where it was (which was in the grass right next to the side walk). I really should have just put it back in the camper......

Anyway, when I left that night, I must have briefly stepped off the narrow sidewalk in the dark and of course my feet found the stupid bowl to trip on.

I literally went flying through the air and face planted hard in the grass. I didn't loose my wind, but I felt so stupid, I just layed in the grass a few moments thanking god that it was dark and no one was outside to witness my idiotness...

When I finally got up on my feet, I went back into the house to turn every available outside light and the garage light on to locate my car keys which had flown out of my hand and now had turned into a treasure hunt in the grass.

My knee hurt and so did my elbow. Just Grand!! *Insert Sarcasm.**

Going back into the house before failing to brush off all the grass, my parent's entryway now looked like I had been bailing hay in there....My mom, being the Saint she is, said not to worry, she would sweep it up....

Thankfully I found my keys without succumbing to the desire to ask my mom for assistance in my little treasure hunt and proceeded on my way home...

This morning, after my flying lesson without a pilot, my knee is swollen and bending my elbow to do certain things like brushing my hair is a challenge.

....and I was looking forward to rides on both my horses today after being unable for a whole week because of my back.

So, while I sit here and ponder a few ways to still make that happen,  I'll share a few photos of my Feline boys (because they always help to make things better)♡♡.

A day not exactly as planned....but with an enjoyable ending!

My day today didn't exactly turn out as I had hoped.

With my mom and dad attending a car show, I was hoping that I could take Jerseydog and do a nice hike at Mirror Lake State Park (which is nearest to my parents' place).

My back seems to definitely be on the mend and it would have been nice to do something fun.

....but I had told my parents that I would mow their lawn for them.

Last week.

My intention was to do it on Thursday, but hurting my back spoiled that.  It also rained.  (OH Puddlesticks)!!

So, unfortunately, the lawn got put off until today.  My parents own just under 5 acres (although not all of it is mowed).  With that said, however, it is not a 20 minute job.  The first 2 photos below illustrate just a partial bit of my handiwork.

With the lawn work job done, I had every intention of relaxing a little bit in front of an actual computer (my parents have 2) and reading some blogs and writing on THIS blog (I don't own a computer.  Most of my blogging is done on my cell phone).

That didn't happen either, as the wireless router at my folk's place decided that IT was going to go haywire as well....hence, NO wifi, NO internet. **sigh**  Since I was unaware of how to fix it, I watched a little TV instead.  I tuned in to a few episodes of Forensic Files and an episode of  Hoarders: Buried Alive.  I don't watch regular TV at home, so it was a nice treat to watch a few programs I enjoy.  Every time I watch  Hoarders, it makes me glad that I am a Minimalist.  I will never have such a problem with my chosen lifestyle.  While I can't say I understand what causes people to hoard things, I do understand that it is a serious, psychological condition and I feel badly for those (and their family members) that struggle with it.

My mom and dad walked in the door around 5pm, which surprised me as I didn't think they would be home until at least 7.  My mom was still restless from her busy day (selling T-shirts at the car show) and she wanted to know if I wanted to take Jerseydog to the dog park with her.

We didn't get the hike I had hoped for earlier, so why not?  (Well sort of, anyway.  I DID take J for a little stroll up to the nearby cemetery when I first arrived at the house, but since that only takes about 20 minutes, it wasn't much of a hike).

Upon arriving at the dog park, we encountered a pleasant surprise.  My sister, Gayle, was there with  her dog, Winston, and little Fiona!!!!  (Seeing my little niece is ALWAYS a treat to me).

I got a lot of great photos (also below) of the dogs playing and little Fiona at the dog park.  It certainly was a busy place tonight as there were around 5-7 dogs total playing (it's late, and the count is fuzzy in my head).  Everyone got along beautifully (which is sometimes a concern at busy dog parks) and had  a lot of fun.

Jerseydog came home happily worn out.

I came home with some fun doggie park (and Fiona) photos!!!

A "Duh" Moment and the camp outing that wasn't. ..

My back felt a little better today.

Unfortunately,  It still wasn't good enough for me to risk doing something I would enjoy (like taking one of my equine charges for a ride).

I had also hoped I'd get done with work to split a little early and use a vacation hour or two.

...that didn't happen either. *sigh*

Because I was having a "duh" moment on Wednesday when I was at the barn, I had to drive out and take some more grain out to put in Griffin's feed bin (Griffin eats senior feed which I provide). On that Wednesday,  I had stopped at Tractor Supply to pick up some horse treats that we were out of.  For some crazy reason,  it never occurred to me that Griffin's feed receptacle needed refilling also..

So here I am, 2 days later,driving out to the farm (35 min, one way) for the expressed purpose of ensuring my old man has his grain (which is also necessary if I intend to get  ANY of his medicine into him).

Because my back still wasn't up to par for riding, I only stayed long enough to refill grain, Griffin's single dose, medicine cups, and give some treats and rubs.

On my way home, I got to thinking how I had almost planned an impromptu,  camp outing for this weekend. 

One of my dad's hobbies is showing his 68' Ford Pick up at car shows.  It just so happens that he and my mom are attending a car show this weekend. 

Car shows generally mean Jerseydog spends a lot of time with me (so she isn't crossing her legs all day waiting for someone to let her out).

What a perfect weekend for a solo, camp outing with my Jerseydog. 

Or not.

Visions of the winter blanket I have yet to buy Griffin worked their way passed the "duh" triggers in my brain and reminded me that I needed to save my pennies instead of spending them on a camping reservation. 

....Enter in my stupid back issue

...and a Noah ' s Ark sort of weather forecast for tonight (flood warning and rain by the bucketfuls).

...and my camp outing wouldn't have happened.

With nothing much to do and  a recovering, bum, back muscle, I decided it might be nice to just take a drive through my closest state park and just have a gander at how many folks ARE braving the impending rain to camp (not to mention taking in a nice whiff of a campfire or two)...

I stopped at a gas station and grabbed an iced coffee and then headed over to Devil's Lake SP,  which is practically in my backyard.

Hanging out by the beach for a spell,  I savored my coffee and enjoyed the feel of nature around me. The first two photos below are shots looking out over the water. Those bluffs on either side have spectacular views if you have the stamina to hike them (serious uphill trails not for the faint of heart). Speaking from personal experience, however, the view is 100% worth it!

Before I left, I took a little cruise through 2 of the 3 campgrounds.  Somewhat surprising, they were pretty full.

Even though Devil's Lake was not my intended camp spot for this weekend,  I thought about which site I would choose if I WAS camping there.

Hands down, one of my most coveted sites is in the Ice Age Campground which is farthest from the beach. It tends to be the least popular because it doesn't really accommodate anything larger then a Pop Up camper. The majority in this campground are tent campers. It's all in the woods...and I LOVE it.

Site 428 is on my list of favorite possibilities for  a solo outing.

...and it just so happens that it wasn't occupied (yet), so I stopped and snatched a photo (bottom 2 photos). Sadly the pictures don't do this pretty site justice...

One of these days, though, site 428 will be mine for a short time. All mine. :-)

Ouch!!!

I don't have a photo for today's post.

I hurt my back. I went to work yesterday morning and felt fine. A couple hours into my shift and a had a dull ache started in the lower part of my back.

The discomfort escalated until I was pretty sore.

By the time my work day was done, all I wanted to do was to lie flat somewhere (as that was the only way I could be comfortable).

Unfortunately,  I needed to prepare some of Griffin's medicine,  so I had to go out to the barn.

I managed a short grooming session with him (doing only his body, not his legs) and that was the best that I could do.

I came home and went to bed and that was pretty much my day.

I will be out of commission for anything interesting for the next few days, so I may have a lack of posts for a little while.

If I have not improved by Monday, I will probably seek out a chiropractor to fix me (hopefully). I used one last time I wrecked my back and she helped a TON.

I am not prone to back problems,  so hopefully this resolves ok.....

What is my camping style?...

In short, the answer to that question would be to have my horse along...

Since that is not possible with Griffin anymore, and I lack suitable, reliable transportation for Tex, that will have to wait.

.....and I am waiting rather patiently for that  dice to roll in my favor so-to-speak.

In the meantime,  I do non - horse camping with my family (and sometimes even go solo). I enjoy being outdoors immensly. I love nature and there are other activities I like to do that fit nicely with camping.

Reading, hiking,  cooking, and swimming are just a few. I also would like to try Geocaching one of these days.

At the moment, because I have my cats at home (and my mom has my handicapped father to care for) neither of us venture very far.

It helps a great deal that there are half a dozen, nice state parks within reasonable driving distance to where we both live. Even when you are close to home, it doesn't feel that way when you are out in the woods!

Since I've had a bit of a boring past few days, I thought I'd just touch on the type of camping I enjoy.

I am a tent camper, plain and simple. I did have an old Pop-up camper for a number of years which I enjoyed, but it eventually needed repairs that I wasn't skilled enough to do. It also costed more in terms of gas and maintenence to use. The most obvious drawback, however, is that if I ever hoped to horse camp in the future, it wouldn't be practical (I can only pull one trailer).

In addition to all of that, the Pop-up didn't really have much that I couldn't make work with a good, quality tent, so the camper found a new home with a co - worker's son a few years ago.

Shortly thereafter,  I returned to camping with a tent.

I am a bare bones, primitive camper in that I rarely need or use electric. I cook everything over a campfire, and I don't hang out "inside" unless I'm sleeping.

There is one item, though, that I don't do "basic" with.
.....and that is sleep comfort. I currently use an old, twin, air mattress (which I hope to upgrade to a taller model next year), a memory foam topper, sheets, fuzzy blankets, and good pillows from home. I like to be comfortable when I sleep. .....

I am just as comfortable in my tent bed as I ever was in my camper....perhaps even more so because I can stretch out (I am quite tall and my camper beds were small because my camper was an old model).

My tent is a Kodiak Canvas Flex Bow.

I. Love. This .Tent.

Next year will be my 3rd season camping with it. I purchased it as an investment to last many years and to be compatible for future horse campouts when I am able to do them.

It is the sturdiest tent I have ever set foot in and it's very well made. I won't lie and say that it was cheap. It certainly wasnt....but like I said, I see it as a good investment.

The only other drawback (other than price) is that it is heavy. Very heavy. I don't mind the weight since I only car camp as opposed to back packing, but it can be a work out to move around (especially if it's wet). The trade off for me in this area is that I have a tent that will withstand (very) high winds and heavy downpours. When you enjoy being outside as much as I do, there is just no putting a price on that kind of security. The effort to move and set it up is worth it.

The picture below is my tent. I also attached one of my dad's dog, Jersey, who is my constant hiking & camping companion.  ♡♡