by Julie Carter
There are many women who inspire me to
write about a lifestyle that sets them apart from the majority; one that
finds understanding only from those that share the same.
When they tell me their stories, I use
their experiences along with mine to weave a word tapestry depicting the
lives of cowgirls, ranch wives and country women.
These are strong, independent females who
can ride, rope, cook, shoot and laugh even when it takes a special
effort to find something humorous in the moment.
They clean up quite tolerably for polite
company or a trip to town and often surprise the gentry with their
ability to carry on an engaging conversation on just about any topic.
We like to think there is a calling for
bright, beautiful, and brassy ranch women, each with a great sense of
humor. It’s our story and we are sticking to it.
We've all had a job or nine in our
lifetimes, other than ranching or during ranching. In my particular
group there are several teachers, a realtor, a title person, along with
some very accomplished business women. And then there is me with the
many hats, all of which give my stories a twist of real-life views.
Ranch life creates within each of us an
ability to view the world from a different angle -- usually from the
bottom looking up. More often than not, we end up with the jobs that
nobody else wants and that keep us working long past when everyone else
is gone.
We sort our priorities on a survival rating
scale and we don’t give much energy to those pesky little moments that
plague everyone’s days.
Our survival gear includes a Bible and the
ability to easily name what we are thankful for each day. Our early
morning prayers cover rain, cattle, children and the occasional dream of
a faraway vacation. Or, just an hour of “me” time is most appreciated.
We soothe our souls with laughter,
primarily in laughing first at ourselves but with no fear in finding
humor in each other. We have no patience for whiners but will spend our
last breath helping someone truly in need.
We greet our day long before the sun does
and tackle each situation as it comes. Those rarely arrive single file
and often create the need to "cowgirl up”.
We doctor children, pets, livestock and
husbands. We have bottle fed babies, birds, puppies, kittens, rabbits,
calves, colts and the occasional fawn. We mend fences, britches and
children’s broken hearts.
We live in places where the driving directions include roads with no names, and the words cattle guard, gravel road and gate.
It is the norm to find our conversations
far from the usual "woman talk" of hair color, the latest fashion in
pumps and purses or a Saturday night concert. Most often, we talk about
feeding cattle, calving heifers, a new baby colt, the veterinarian's
last visit, and sometimes the location of the next county fair pig sale.
We discuss the books we have read and the
movies we like. Potluck recipes are a given, as is the brand and style
of the most comfortable work boot.
We understand each other. We know that
fixing supper and fixing the stock tank float is not an either/or
choice. A knowing nod always follows the first line of a story that
begins, "We went to check a gate and he said we would be right back."
I will never take for granted the influence in my life these women are or that they inspire me in an untold number of ways.
8/14/11
No comments:
Post a Comment