Homeward Bound

As you can see, I tend to have a bit of a theme going on with my photos. A lot f ranch-y stuff. I can' t help the fact that I live in such a photogenic place though! :)

I worked a full day today and then my friend from school came up for a visit, and I finally got to go out on a ride with her. I rode one of my favorites, Beetlejuice - love that boy so much. It was a great ride, despite the fact that Laura's horse blew a shoes and she had to walk her back. Laura insisted we continue on, so we went on a couple more runs and then headed home. On the way back, we stopped at the crest of a hill before trekking down, and just took a minute to enjoy the view. So did the horses, it would seem!

I finally used my grandma's saddle today. I oiled and cleaned it the other day, and it already needs to be oiled again, but at least it looks a bit brighter and cleaner than it did before. I love the saddle - not because it's gorgeous (which, it really is), but because it was my grandma's. I wouldn't care if her saddle was a tattered chunk of leather - if it was hers then it matters.

Her saddle was left to me, and as silly as it sounds, it really does make me feel closer to her somehow. I think because a saddle, and this one in particular, really symbolizes her and her life. It's beautiful, intricate, and it's got some stories behind it. I think she was always meant to be a country/western girl at heart, and she loved this ranch so much - both my grandparents did. So what better way to have my grandmother with me than out on a ride?

I miss her a lot. She was like a second mother to me, and she was the first person I ever lost. She was one of the most beautiful, intelligent, funniest people I ever knew, and I feel honored to be able to say she was my family. I've been thinking about her and my grandpa a lot lately. They died within a few months of each other, and it was really hard. I came across a picture of them today that I've always loved. It's a simple shot of them in Paris, squinting and smiling as they rub their noses together. It's one of my favorite pictures of them, because you can see so easily how much they adored each other.

I think about them all the time, and I have them to thank for what I have now. I wouldn't be the same person if it wasn't for this ranch. I wouldn't even be here! If they hadn't bought the ranch, my mom never would have worked here, and then she would never have met my dad. I'm here because my grandparents followed their guts, took a chance, and bought the place that had brought them so many happy memories as guests themselves. And this sweet little picture is here because of them too.