Former Country Girl

First Day Is A Disaster

For the picture of today, it's the Simmon siblings. (Top): Mark, Charles, Forrest; (Middle): Ace, Hunter; (Bottom): Walker, Lynnette, Cashton. Enjoy the chapter and thanks for all the views.

Sorry for the long wait, time got away from me, well let's go on

~

I held onto Dusty for dear life. She was really fast and I felt like I was going to fall off the horse. Slowly, I opened my eyes and when I wasn't falling off, it felt amazing. I sat up and grabbed the reigns.

The familiar feeling returned to my hands as I pulled on my reigns, slowing down Dusty.

"Better?" Lily-Grace asked.

I nodded and, to my surprise, smiled. "Much better."

"Great! Wanna race?"

I didn't even answer. I pushed my heel into Dusty's stomach and she flew like the wind, tearing through the wide open space. I heard Lily-Grace give a holler and she was in pursuit.

I found this so enjoyable, like my Alabama childhood rushing to me with every gallop Dusty took. The wind blowing in my hair effect felt so good.

"This is amazing!" I yelled.

There was no cars beeping or traffic backed up. No crowded sidewalks, or any at all for that matter. It was all nature, what I was used too.

"Isn't?"

I turned to see Lily-Grace on Misty, riding next to me. I think the idea of a race was abandoned as we slowed the horses down to a nice trot. We looked at each other and smiled. This was the best way to spend cousin-time.

"Enjoying the ranch so far, I was thinking someone who hasn't been here in a while would think it was disgusting."

I looked at my younger cousin. What she said was the truth. It was disgusting, even though I loved Dusty, her smell was getting to me.

"It's...nice," I offered.

She smiled. "Great! On with the tour. You see that lake way back there?"

I followed her hand toward the horizon. I could barely see a small blue body of water.

I nodded.

"That's as far as our land goes, that's where my friend Isabella lives. She comes over a lot, so she'll probably be here sometime tomorrow."

Does it not bother Aunt Joy to have so many kids in her house at once? Her kids, niece and nephews, her kid's friends, taking care of a ranch. How does this woman do it?

"Everything else is explanatory really, there's the barn, oh and mom's huge garden where she plants the fruits and vegetables. And we have a chicken coop, nothing beats fresh eggs in the morning!"

I gave Lily-Grace a weird look. Chicken coop? Why don't we add a few cows and call it a farm?

"If you're ready we can go back to the house for some lunch."

"Sure," I agreed whole-heartedly. The smell of horses was getting to me.

"Then let's go!"

Lily-Grace took off with me to follow. Now that I felt more comfortable on the horse, I could catch up to her. I watched as she and Misty jumped over a fallen branch. I don't remember that being there earlier.

I shrugged and went for it anyway. Dusty stopped and reeled upward, standing on her hind legs. I screamed as I lost hold of both Dusty and the reign. I felt myself hit the ground and pain shoot throughout me.