Hope Comfort Inspiration (HCI): Day 31 Plus Red! White! Blue! book poem

Day 31

Riding “Lady” in the basements of two houses

while they were under construction

“Lady-Belle” was the family’s first equine “pet”; she was a good-ole-girl who taught us all to ride---once we figured out how to catch the wily nag. I “horse-traded” with a savvy horse gal from Walsh, Illinois, (and, No! You’d never find it on a map). Got the little white Welsh Pony and a very nice, but deeply worn, black saddle which served us well for years, for $125.00!

Lady lived for some-thirty-two years; the sad day of her demise, the old gal tried her very best to actually get into the living quarters of our house. We lived on a farm and let the mare have “free range” of the front yard; she’d never stray far from us, by then. The garage doors were open the day she left us and Lady-Belle was stubborn-set on getting into the house.

I finally locked her in the pasture across from the abode; found her peaceful carcass by the creek the next morning. Terrible thing to lose a dear friend! Lady truly was that.

Beth cut her riding teeth on ole Lady in that black saddle. Transportation for a kid! Voila!

I once heard an illicit tale from the neighbor that my “darling” five year old had chased him around his patio with her trusty steed. True? I don’t know. Never questioned Beth about it.

Becky learned to ride on the old white mare, too. As did Candy and the “ole man”. Yahoo!

Oh! Yeah! The “basement” episodes?

These kids could (and, still do) ride like the wind. Beth took that “transportation”---everywhere! I was building our first house when she called to me from the basement level; I looked down the stairwell---and…there she was, aboard ole Lady-Belle! I laughed, admonishing the child “Don’t get hurt!” Hmm! “Chip-off-the-old-block:!? I reckon so!

When we moved to our farm and I constructed yet another abode, she “dittoed” her effort.

I do believe: If I could manage to somehow saddle the wild wind---my girls, and, their kids…would ride it, to a standstill! I swear, that there is a purely “true” claim!

Saddle-up! It’s “Rodeo time”

Ah! Cookie Jar Sweet Memories!

Plus:

(I start each new book with a poem serving

as an outline to the contents of the text;

following is that rhyme for my new offering)

Oh! Red! White! & Blue! Unfurled Color-pride!

Unfurled high-tethered bright colored chevron displayed with pride

Striped Red! And, White! Stars-50 cadenced on Blue!-field prescribe

Sentinel to guard her promise-born “We the people…” to subscribe

From Great Lakes to Gulf-stream on Atlantic to Pacific domain-wide

Tread none upon her colors-proud. Welcome! To please stand tall beside

Soldier-proud carried on a golden gonfalon in necessary battle-charge

“Freedom through Liberty!” Motto proclaim world-wide beacon large

Strong gates wide open-invitation to any guest who flag allegiance-pledge

If not “shadow-born” of yonder standard, then employ “convenience-ledge”

In stillness hangs her colors-blended waiting to be rippled-bright

Waves-proud inspiring banner lifting hearts-full in patriotic-sight

Unfurled high-tethered bright colored chevron displayed with pride

Striped Red! And, White! Stars-50 cadenced on Blue!-field prescribe

Sentinel to guard her promise-born “We the people…” to subscribe

From Great Lakes to Gulf-stream on Atlantic to Pacific domain-wide

Tread none upon her colors-proud. Welcome! To please stand tall beside

Across U. S.-nation depth and breadth gleams courage Freedom-ring

“America the beautiful! God shed His grace on thee…” Liberty-sing

Such “simple-humble” cloth waves reminder-cogent hope-belief

Protector of Independent-Individual enumerated rights in ultra-relief

In grand flag wide shadow “cool” acknowledge calm sacred-resolution

Declaration “of, by, for…” foundation-strong pins U. S. constitution