Ollie, Part Deux

Ollie's still a puppy at 126 pounds and was not happy that his owners left him with me to go on vacation to celebrate anniversary number 5. The whining was constant for a couple of days. He's a determined guy--sweet but determined. I needed to work on final read through of my WIP, so I went to Starbucks. So many of my writer friends go there to hangout and write. I tried and loved it. Though Ollie's home, I think I'll continue going to Starbucks. I'll tell my family all Starbucks gift cards will be welcome as Christmas gifts.

Ollie and me

I am down to the wire on my current book and in the final push and I'm babysitting my son's and daughter-in-laws dog. He's really just a puppy, all one-hundred-and fifty pounds of him. It's a challenge, and I know now why I talked my husband out of getting another dog.

Don't get me wrong, he's a sweet dog who drools. When he shakes his head, stuff flies off his mouth onto my nightgown and robe or kitchen table. And if I'm walking across the carpet and find something glistening, I have to grab a rag. I have a new appreciation for the comic Marmaduke. Brad Anderson had to have a great dane. And as a writer, we take those moments that are challenging or funny or frustrating and use them in our writing.

I've grown--whether I wanted to or not.

Tuesday Flowers

Tuesday's flowers.

Good Friday

Today is a special day, Good Friday. For me, this day is so touched with sadness, but it also speaks of the hope of the future. Thank you, Lord, for your sacrifice.
Leann

Wednesday flower

I love this bush in the Spring when it blooms.

Monday's flower

Yesterday was Palm Sunday. For the churchs who follow a seasonal calendar, this is the beginning of Holy Week. Palm Sunday starts the week. The grief before the joy.

Purple Iris

I love purple and here at some of my purple Irises.

Spring Flowers

I'm going to let the characters of Second Chance Ranch pause while I post Spring photos. Flower of the day.

This a a long view of part of the garden.
Leann

The Horses

Sophie, here. I'll let you in on a little secret. If the horses there on Second Chance Ranch could talk, well, we'd be in a whole lot of trouble. Prince Charming or Charmin' as I call him, hold more secrets than anyone knows. And I'll say, he should have a degree in counseling. I talked out more problems with him. Charming is a black gelding, and probably 10 years old. He's patience, affectionate and loves apples. Of course he has a sweet tooth and love it when I bring him sugar cubes.

My other favorite horse is Brownie, who is used for the younger children.
But Charmin' has my heart.

I'm the Father

I’m Ken McClure. The father of Zach, Ethan and Beth. Our ranch, north of Albuquerque, has been in the family since the 1880’s. My grandfather, father and I have been ranchers. Of course, in this day and age, ranching changed a bit. But neighbors count and we help each other. Best times my kids had was Spring branding and the social that happened afterwards.
My children ran loose on the land, getting into things I don’t want to know about.
I’ll say, Zach’s experiences with losing his leg shook us all, but Sophie didn’t cut that son of mine any slack. That’s what he needed, and I thank the good Lord she brought him up to scratch.

My Viewpoint is....

I’m Lynda McClure, the mother of Zach, Ethan and Sophie.
I’ve heard a lot of bragging and carrying on, but I’ll said that all my children are blessing. Now that’s not to say they weren’t a handful. Boys can be truly challenging, and I prayed that they would grow up to be wonderful young men. They did, but oh the prayers.
I didn’t know how to handle Zach losing his leg. I wanted to mother him, but I knew he had to deal with what had happened. It took Sophie’s straight talk to snap me out of my dilemma. My Zach needed tough love and Sophie gave it.
Of course, I’m not surprised, because the day Zach stomped into the kitchen and saw Sophie, I knew the boy had a thing for her. I just wondered how long it would take him to discover that. I’m glad he finally did.

C'mon Ollie

Zach: Ollie, that's not true is it?
Beth:Sure it is.
Sophie: Maybe, she's right, Zach.
Ollie: Stop with all the hollering. I've never witnessed in all my born days so much horse feathers.
It was bad when Zach and Sophie were mooning over each other. Nearly knocked me on my backside. I'll give Zach some credit. When I walked in on him in the tack room after he fell flat on his face side-walking, the man gutted it up. He threw that self pity out the window and went on. He wrestled that pride of his down. Not too many men could.
He won my admiration. Of course all the silly mooning and carrying on, I just had to shake my head.

Sorry, bro.

I can’t let Sophie take the blame, Zach. It was me, your sis, who set who both up. I just had that feeling you two were perfect for each other and would hit it off.
Can’t say you’re the sharpest knife in the drawer, but eventually, you did.
But I’ll say, Sophie wasn’t any better. She found reasons not to be around you. I thought you must’ve done something really bad when I wasn’t looking, because she avoided you like a scalded cat.

But it turned out okay. Don’t you think so, Ollie?

Yeah, and the reason I avoided you was...

Zach here. I reason I avoided Sophie that weekend is because I knew I’d been set up. I know a sucker punch when I see one, and boy did I get it. Those were new boots and it didn’t rain anywhere else on the range. That thundercloud was for me.
I guess I can laugh about it now. I felt that connection with Sophie, but I wasn’t going to admit it. To be bested by your little sister, how humiliating is that?
I often went to see my sister in college, hoping to see Sophie, but I think she was as gun-shy as I was. She always managed to be unavailable when I was there.
Can you deny it, wife of mine?

My 2 Cents

Sophie, here. I want to give my friend Beth McClure credit for my relationship with Zach. Beth and I were college roommates. When she took me home that weekend, I didn't suspect a thing.
I was standing the the kitchen when the back door flew open and a man stomped in. He was dripping wet, grumbling about the "stupid hole, his horse and his new boots." When he looked up and his eyes connected with mine, the world shifted. My stomach flipped. He later admitted he felt the same connection.
That zing I felt must’ve been felt by everyone else in the kitchen, because Beth had satisfied smile on her face. So did her mom and Ethan.
The rest of the weekend, Zach avoided me like the plague. Beth gambled on that we'd fall in love. She was right, but it only took 10 years.

The Eldest

I’m Ethan McClure. Zach’s my younger brother and you’ve heard from the baby, Beth. Now Beth was pretty much a pest growing up, always following her big brothers around and ratting us out. I remember one time Zach and I slipped out of the house one night after Mom said we couldn’t go to a party. Beth followed us, then told our folks the next morning. She’s a persistent soul, but in the end, it was her dog-eared determination that Zach would ride again the brought him to Second Chance Ranch.
Of course, Zach was worse that a wounded wolf, growling and trying to bite everyone’s head off who came near him. Yeah, he had a good reason, but Beth saw beyond his rotten attitude. Yeah, sis. You did good.

I need to Defend Myself

Zach, again. I need to defend myself. Well, I thought I had the right to my anger. I was wounded and lost my leg. When I came home, I couldn't even stay on my horse. I couldn't see how my life could mean anything, but everyone else thought differently. Beth was a determined soul. Nag, nag, nag, but I'm glad. It was the wonderful smells that touched a hunger in me that I couldn't turn away from. Even after I fell lat on my face, that desire inside didn't let me go.
God used that longing in me and I worked and worked. It was easy, but I'll say I am a stronger man now than I was when I had two legs.
If you're wondering about the picture of the horse, that's Prince Charming. He's the horse who stay in there with this stubborn soul.

I'll take the Blame

Hey, guys. I am Beth McClure. Zachary is one of my brothers. The other is Ethan. Unfortunately, I was the youngest. I always wanted to tag along with my older brothers, but they didn't want me any where near them that is until I turned 13. Suddenly, I had a big brother glued to my side and scaring off any boy who wanted to talk to me. But that's water under the bridge.
I was the one who helped Zach out of his funk. Yes, he had a reason to have a bad attitude. He lost his right leg from the knee down to a roadside bomb. It tore all us up. We prayed for him. And my parents didn't know how to act. Too much would smother him and not enough--
Well, I knew what Zach needed. My college roommate, who is ex-army herself, was working at a ranch where they wanted to start equine therapy program for wounded veterans. It was an answer to prayer. Of course, getting Zach there was not an easy feat. I had to nag and nag and after about two weeks, he gave up and said he would try one afternoon. That's all he needed. He was hooked. A cowboy like him couldn't walk away from the wonderful smells of a stable and horses. Of course, my prayer life increased ten fold, but it was worth it.

Introductions

I’m Zachary McClure. I was the first soldier to be at Second Chance Ranch. And I probably wouldn’t have ever walked into that place, but I have a sister who is a royal pain and loves me and wouldn’t let me stay in my funk.
I was Army. Cavalry. Of course, I grew up on a ranch and horses were in my blood. I also did some rodeoing. Well, I thought I’d never ride again after I lost my right leg below the knee when I was in Iraq. I remember having that ‘feeling’ when we came across the car on the side of the road. We were withdrawing when the world exploded. The next thing I knew, I woke up in Walter Reed without part of my right leg. I thought it was the end of the world, but God had a different plan for my life. And thanks to my pushy sister and a driven ex-medic, I’ve been given a new direction in my life.
I hope you’ll read our story and join us on our journey.

The real scoop.

Leann here.
Over the next few weeks, my characters from my latest book will blog their thoughts and feelings. I hope you'll enjoy the insights.

Welcome to my world.


My name is Sophie Powell. My story and Zachary McClure’s story is told in SECOND CHANCE RANCH. I now own the equine therapy ranch, but getting here wasn’t easy. I never knew this is what I wanted to do with my life, but after I spend a tour in the Army as a medic in Iraq and seeing the wounds that occurred to my patients, I wanted to be a doctor that is until I went to a continuing education program for medics at Washington D.C. I visited one of the men I treated and heard how he was riding horses and learning how to walk again with his artificial leg. At that moment, my life changed.
I grew up with horses. Rode and adored them, and when I saw what benefit the men and women were getting from the horses, I knew God had shown me the path he wanted me to take.
It hasn’t’ been an easy journey, but one I would not trade for anything in the world. Come back tomorrow. I’ll share more. I can see these mountains from my front porch.

Siging Tomorrow

I'll be signing my new book, SECOND CHANCE RANCH, at Mardel's in Hurts. 664 Grapevine Hwy. from 2-4. Please come by and see me.