Weekly Photo Challenge: Refreshing

I breathe a shallow breath. Hot drying air can only touch the top of my lungs as I enter the shade and shadows of the creek bed

As I enter the shadows I am quickly shielded from the heat of the sun. I close my eyes and breathe deeply into the moist atmosphere of the wet rocks, pockets of maiden hair fern and small dirt colored frogs, quiet now because of my intrusion.

The dog has no qualms about jumping into the first pool of water he can find. The quiet corner has become his refreshing playground. He leaves deep paw prints in the gravel that slowly fill with the creek water as his foot departs.

The horse stomps at flies biting his ankles. Impatient, hot and ready to return to his barn, he blows the hot air he is breathing onto my arm. Slowly, I mount and lay the reins across his neck. We return to the sun, refreshed.