riding with the girls

i make the phone call and throw the saddle on the horse. she said a resounding "yes!" and i'm on my way riding down my dirt driveway. in ten minutes i'm there. i rein in my horse, scare the mean dog away yipping at his heals and cross the county road. their yards join each other and are almost exactly across the road from the end of my driveway road.

she and her cousin are usually on her front porch with their momma or dad, sometimes both. i wave as i trot over and they eagerly bounce up from the porch step. her and her cousin rock-paper-scissors to see who will ride first and then hop on behind me and the saddle. they are getting so experienced they are needing less and less help of a boost from her dad to get on. i wait until she's situated an we ride around her yard. we talk about school, neighbors, people who honk at us driving by on the road, dogs and church. she tells me how she wishes someone would just run over that mean dog of her neighbor's. about that time the dog runs up to us on the horse, barking loudly while showing convincingly mean teeth and she yells for her dad. i tell the dog "git" and he eventually high-tails it away.

it's her cousin's turn to ride and we go the same route, same conversations, same dog runs up. while riding, we smile often but laugh even more. these country girls long for and don't have a horse, but i do. i gladly ride over to their place each chance i get. these neighbor girls may be seven years younger than i, but we are becoming best of friends.

next time they call me up to come ride, i'll gladly brave the snarling dog to make a lasting memory and share a horse.

My new blog buddy, Aimme from Aspire to Inspire, included me on the Liebster (which means love) award. Aimee is a jewel and her blog is too. Thanks, friend!

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog

2. Link back to the blogger who awarded/nominated you

3. Copy and paste the blog award to your blog

4. Reveal your top 5 blog picks

5. Drop by your top 5 picks and let them know you chose them by commenting on their blog!

I award these dear friends:
Gina at Contemplating Beauty
Dusty at Dawson Cattle Company
Lindsey at Life with Linz
Naomi at Raindrops on Roses, Whiskers on Kittens
Melissa Jane at On the Inside

p.s. the blog's under construction... please pardon our progress.

(give + aways)

lee la la

flex family arts
much love, illy