An excerpt...

Chapter One

It was a lovely morning when Carol and John climbed aboard their Piper Comanche, taxied down the new airstrip at Loafing Hills farm, and droned northwest toward Wyoming.  These visits with their dear friends, every three months or so when weather permitted, were very important to them all because they missed each other so much.

Carol and John planned to stay just three days at Long Lane ranch because they were so busy at Loafing Hills.  Earlier in the year Jim and Mark had leveled a strip of land in preparation for John to land his plane at the Wyoming ranch, close to the main house.  Thus, it was much easier to fly in and out without a bothersome trip to the local airport.

Residing at the main house were Mark and his mother, Edna, his wife Joanne, and her mother, Pearl.  At the new residence on the ranch lived Jim, Karen and her grandmother, Granny.

The whole group sat on the porch at the main house waiting to hear the plane's arrival.  When they finally heard the Comanche's motor, they all ran excitedly into the front yard.  Carol and John, stepping down from the plane, were smothered with hugs from everyone.  Even though they stayed in contact via e-mail, they hadn't seen each other in three months.  This was especially hard for Carol and Karen, because they'd lived most of their lives together at Loafing Hills.  In their hearts, they were sisters!

Carol and John strolled across the yard with Karen and Jim to their lovely new home.  They'd been working hard on it since John and Carol's last visit, and for awhile they wandered from room to room admiring the casual comfort; cozy bedrooms, large bath, sparkling kitchen, lovely living area enclosed by picture windows.  Carol and John congratulated the couple on a job well done.  The four were so glad to be together again, hugging each other as they stood before the big picture windows of the new house, gazing across the gorgeous flowering prairie.  In the distance towered majestic purple mountains, topped with glistening white snow.  It was a breathtaking picture.

Karen, taking Carol and John by the hands, led them from the house and down to the barn.  She wanted to show them Fancy Cat, her two-year-old filly.  The filly was out of her mare, Penny, by Alley Cat.  Penny was again in foal to Alley Cat and would be foaling in April.  And Fancy Cat was just that!  Pretty, and extremely graceful.  Like her mother, a bright red chestnut, with four white socks and a white leaf design mark directly between her large expressive brown eyes.  Carol agreed with Karen, the filly was gorgeous.

Later in the evening they gathered at the main house for a dinner planned by Edna, Pearl, and Granny.  It was fun sitting down with this group again because they had so much in common.  They'd lived together as a family for years, so catching up was always enjoyed by everyone.

Things had changed for them when Mark's father, Neal Lane, who owned the Wyoming ranch, died suddenly.  He left the ranch to his son, Mark, who immediately offered his best friend, Jim, co-ownership.  Except for Mark's mother, Edna, they'd all been working at Loafing Hills at that time.  Karen's granny visited the farm often.  Pearl's daughter, Joanne, had helped with the horses at Loafing Hills Farm throughout her high school years.  Even Pearl's son, Billy, had assisted the farm guys and Mark and Jim with the barn work.  They all knew Loafing Hills well.

The new Wyoming ranchers quickly discovered that living on the open range was hard.  They not only missed their east coast friends, but life on the ranch was very different from farm life in Maryland.

There was lots of hot sun and sometimes sandstorms while keeping a close eye on the cattle.  In time they grew accustomed to ranch living and were doing their best to fit in, greatly enjoying the phenomenal morning sunrises and evening sunsets, viewed across a green carpet of meadows and grasslands.

Chapter Two

Continued in the book.....

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