Friday, July 2, 2010

Back in the Heartland

We're back in the Heartland for what will likely be the last time just hanging out before the move and again my camera isn't  communicating with the computer so these posts will be lots of text and borrowed pics.  I'm feeling very nostalgic...very.

Fortunately it promises to be a little cooler than it was two weeks ago.  I got up this morning and was actually able to go for a run.  I love the first few days coming down from altitude from an exercise pov.  There's so much oxygen here!  You feel like you can go forever.   I ran up past the farm on the edge of town where I kept my horses as a young girl.  The only thing remaining of the barn is a lean-to which looks like it's housing huntin' dogs.



 I continued down the road which was my typical route when taking my gals for rides and the memory of being chased by Ms. Benbow's dobermans came flooding back.

I was on Tereze, my mare, and I think I was probably bareback.  I was only 11 or 12 and didn't have the strength or height to saddle her up on my own so when I'd ride alone, I just skipped the saddle.  Those dogs came charging at us and Tereze jumped the ditch, leaped over the fence and galloped through the pasture.  It's a miracle I wasn't bucked off!!!

I then continued to the cemetery to look in on my father's grave stone.  I've never been one to care for the cemetery tradition.  The memorials to him that are meaningful to me are the things which bare his name; a baseball complex both in my hometown and one in my cousin's hometown, a coaches room (along with another family name) at the university which many members of my family have attended for a few generations (myself included) and an outdoor seating area at the high school where kids gather daily to hang out and chat.  Those are the things that make me think of my dad.

On the list today are taking the kids to a friends farm to ride four-wheelers and see the cows and then I'm going to head out to a house I passed on the way into town coming here.  There were several old bikes stacked up in the front yard for sale.  Squee!!!

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