Yippee-Ki-Yay-Ki-Oh!

Introducing my Cowgirl Pillowcase--

--'cause I'm a cowgirl at heart and have been since I was three years old. The Queen Mother made me a leatherette vest with fringe and conchos. I'd ride my palomino stick-horse around the yard pretending I was Dale Evans riding through the hills. (Yes, I know she rode a buckskin named Buttermilk, but I idolized Trigger.)

I also had a cute little skirt and eventually a holster with an ivory-handled toy six gun. I thought Roy Rogers and the Lone Ranger were way cooler than Superman, but on their best day they just couldn't compete with cowgirl fashion.

Now I have to decide which of these cowgirl beauties is the real me.

This is Red. She's very girl-next-door but with those skin-tight jeans you have to wonder just how wholesome she is. She gets top marks for coordinating her gloves and boots.
Sue has a thing for fringe. Don't let her prim looks fool you; there's a reason she's pursing her scarlet lips. I like her color sense--are those boots ostrich?

Hmmm...I've been known to wear a neckerchief like Bunny, but I usually wear my conchos somewhat less strategically placed. And who is she pointing her gun at? And why? She seems more Moonlight Bunny Ranch instead of dude ranch to me.

This is Ingrid. She's a cowgirl wanna-be although she lives in Europe. Someone needs to redesign her skirt--the fringe is great and I love the length, but we need to lose the dirndl vibe.

Patsy and I can both play "Buffalo Gals Won't You Come Out Tonight" on guitar. Her Stetson is my favorite, but can you explain how she and Ingrid are apparently sharing clothes? No wait, I don't wanna know.


Lucy obviously drinks too much. But she's the best friend imaginable when she's sober. And is there anything really wrong with being a party girl?

Jill is a flirt and very good at getting attention when she wants it. She has great taste in horses.

So who's your inner cowgirl: Red, Sue, Bunny, Ingrid, Patsy, Lucy or Jill?

Wild Horses

What to do with out of town guests who have already been to Tahoe, Truckee, the Donner Memorial, Virginia City and the Auto Museum...take them to the Wild Horse Adoption Facility up in Palomino Valley!

There's a lady to suit every taste. Do you like redheads or brunettes? Blondes? Short or tall? Bold and brassy or shy and sweet? Here's just one of the corrals filled with mares. My cousin is partial to blue roans (greys to most of you) and I love the chestnuts with cream manes and tails. But then along came this curious little pony-sized creature who tried to steal my heart. They are all gorgeous girls!
The Wild Horse Adoption Program has come a long way since it started. It's gotten creative. Some centers have special weekend adoption events. There are horse shows exclusive for mustangs who've been adopted into new homes. Some horses are trained by inmates in local prisons. There is even a trainers' challenge (sort of a Extreme Makeover for horses) to see how much a yearling can learn in a couple of months.

We didn't plan it, but Spring is a great time to go tour the facility. Spring and babies just go together and there's nothing cuter than a little brush-tail.

Except maybe a couple of fillies that we could see up close and personal.

For all their beauty, they are very wild and untamed. We made them more than a little nervous. What a huge leap of faith to adopt and care for such wonderful critters.

Maybe someday I'll make that leap. I'm adding it to my life list.