"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one." Jane Howard
This quote really says it all... and it hit me squarely in the heart this past week. Living where I do, far away from family, I don't connect in person very often. Mostly I'm okay with that. I'm used to it, I suppose, and comfortable with my own company. But, last week, my brother and his wife visited me - all the way from Saskatchewan. It had been eight years since we had seen each other. I didn't know how much I had missed them until they were here . . . and gone.
Harold and Linda stayed four full days and we made the best of it, packing in a couple of tours of the Chilcotin, a ride around my property, a barbecue with my friends and plenty of eating and visiting. Since Harold owns the ranch I grew up on, much of the conversation was of the Diamond Dot. I can't remember when I have had such a good time.
The weather cooperated beautifully for copious photos of our many adventures. My favourite memory of their visit is riding together the first day they were here. I rode my two-year-old, Mistral, and Harold and Linda rode Legacy and Whisper (both in foal).
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| Harold and Linda on Legacy and Whisper above the Chilcotin River |
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| Harold and I on Legacy and Mistral crossing a channel of the Chilcotin |
Here, for comparison is a photo of Harold and I on the backs of horses about 60 years ago. Some things don't change!
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| Harold and I on Trixie and Pronto |
"We need to take a road trip somewhere," I announced to Harold on the morning of the second day of their visit. We had already decided to visit Gang Ranch the next day so, after short deliberation, I chose Nemaiah Valley and Chilko Lake for our destination. We packed a lunch and headed out.
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| Harold and I by the Taseko River |
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| Nemaiah Valley |
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| Harold, Linda and Bandit - lunch at Konni Lake |
The next day, we again packed a lunch and headed out for Gang Ranch.
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| Harold and Linda on the Gang |
...and drove home via Farwell Canyon. Love this photo of Harold and I - we look so relaxed!
And so, like most things in life, the visit had to end. I was alone with the reminder of what it means to have a family around. I've always known my life was not perfect (living alone with no family close) but now I wondering if I might someday be able to make it more so... As the quote at the beginning of this blog says about family, ". . . you need one." And, as my title states, "Family is phenomenal!"
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