We rested at Santa Barbara Pass

and proceeded up a faint little path

toward the high, round summit of

Jicarita Peak with haunting views

into the very streets of Taos and

mountains far beyond until we

sensed the presence of two bighorn

sheep with spiraling horns who

slowly approached us with lowered

heads until we saw their big brown

eyes, but to our surprise, they came

far too close wanting to butt us.

We slowly descended backwards,

always facing them until they herded

us right off the peak and when we

got below a flowery mound, we looked

back up to see they stood their ground,

watching our progress down and down.