The Cowgirl Moves to Arkansas

Something about all things western nudges me a little.  Oh yea, it could be that I was born and raised in California and Arizona, or that I spent most of my young life in the part of Arizona where old western movies were made, or that my school was located in Jerome, a ghost town.  Also, back in the day we spent a lot of time watching Gunsmoke, Bonanza, Big Valley and such. But I really think there is just a little part of me that remembers one side of my family.  I was raised by my father since age two and there was no cowboy blood in him.  But during holidays and summers I was often around my mother's family which included several who owned ranchs.  

"What's up, Partner?"



Where's that Devil Donkey?

But this story is not about my closet desire for cowgirl stuff, it is about a blind cowboy, his blind horse and his wonderful cowgirl mother.  I worked my entire career in Arkansas at a rehabilitation center for the blind.  I knew my career path would not lead me to wealth and material things, but I loved meeting and getting to know thousands of blind people from around the world...that is my wealth and reward.  One young man came to the center from Colorado and told many of us to just call him cowboy.   It was apparent a perfect fit would be the training program to repair small engines, lawnmowers, weedeaters, chain saws, etc. because he had repaired all the equipment on his family's 6,000 acre ranch.  He whizzed through the course in no time.  Due to intolerance of cold temperatures since his brain tumor, he made the decision to stay in Arkansas after completon of his training.  He is now working for a local tractor/lawnmower dealer and it seems to be a great match.

A couple of years ago Todd heard about a blind horse that was being kept by someone for the Humane Society.  It seems after three years no one wanted to adopt the blind horse.  Todd couldn't stop thinking about that blind horse.  What better person to own, love and understand a blind horse....than a blind cowboy!  The match was made in heaven and Roscoe is now Todd's faithful friend. Todd also owns three donkeys, Bonnie and Clyde, and their baby donkey, Daisy, several dogs and an outside cat.  I have this little feud going on with Clyde, the stubborn donkey.  We have been locked together, eye to eye, fist in jaw, with equal determination...me trying to get my clenched hand out of his mouth and he was determined to almost break my hand as he clamped down like a tight vise, refusing to let go.  Last time visiting there, Clyde sought me out and followed me around the fence.  He was hoping I would again foolishly lay my hand on the fence top!   It's now our little game...that stubborn donkey and this stubborn gal.

Todd's morning feed ritual is a sight to be seen.  He said when he gets the feed bucket down, Daisy (baby donkey) comes to him and he puts his arm around her neck.  Then Roscoe, the blind horse, comes to Todd and places his head on Todd's shoulder and then they mosy on over to the feeding area.  He says he did not train them to do that, but they instinctively worked out a mobility system that works for them.

My cowgirl work boots.

 Todd's mother is a "ring tail tooter" of a woman.  She rode a motorcycle to school, worked as a nurse, and met and fell in love with Todd's father, Daryl who is no longer with them.  I am spell bound when I listen to her stories of living in the west.  Daryl and Pat downsized when they moved from the 6,000 acre ranch in Colorado to a 2,400 acre ranch in Wyoming.  Now that her #1 cowboy, Daryl, is no longer with her, she has sold the Wyoming ranch and is moving to Arkansas and specifically our area.  Yep, the cowgirl is going to be close to her other cowboy, Todd, who although is blind himself, owns and loves a blind horse, and has a menagerie of other animal characters to surround him.  Now how much richer can it get than that!  Yippee, the cow girl is moving to Arkansas.  I plan to spend some time in my cowgirl work boots there at Todd's place, listening to Pat and Todd and going eye to eye against Clyde, the Devil Donkey.  

NOTE:  A few years back I discovered a great site, The Pioneer Woman.  Her blog has become quite commercial, but it is still fun to visit.  She was a city gal who fell in love, married a cowboy and moved to a ranch.  She calls her cowboy The Marlboro Man.  I have her two cookbooks which are GREAT!  Visit her blog by clicking here: http://thepioneerwoman.com