March 2011
1 post
If Horses could talk...
Sophie, here. I’ll let you in on a little secret. If the horses there on Second Chance Ranch could talk, well, we’d be in a whole lot of trouble. Prince Charming or Charmin’ as I call him, hold more secrets than anyone knows. And I’ll say, he should have a degree in counseling. I talked out more problems with him. Charming is a black gelding, and probably 10 years old....
February 2011
2 posts
View from the DadI’m Ken McClure.
The father of Zach, Ethan and Beth. Our ranch, north of Albuquerque, has been in the family since the 1880’s. My grandfather, father and I have been ranchers. Of course, in this day and age, ranching changed a bit. But neighbors count and we help each other.
Best times my kids had was Spring branding and the social that happened afterwards.
My children ran loose on the land, getting into...
My Viewpoint is....
I’m Lynda McClure, the mother of Zach, Ethan and Sophie.
I’ve heard a lot of bragging and carrying on, but I’ll said that all my children are blessing. Now that’s not to say they weren’t a handful. Boys can be truly challenging, and I prayed that they would grow up to be wonderful young men. They did, but oh the prayers.
I didn’t know how to handle Zach losing his leg. I wanted to mother him,...
January 2011
7 posts
C'mon Ollie
Zach: Ollie, that’s not true is it?
Beth:Sure it is.
Sophie: Maybe, she’s right, Zach.
Ollie: Stop with all the hollering. I’ve never witnessed in all my born days so much horse feathers.
It was bad when Zach and Sophie were mooning over each other. Nearly knocked me on my backside. I’ll give Zach some credit. When I walked in on him in the tack room after he fell...
Sorry, bro.
I can’t let Sophie take the blame, Zach. It was me, your sis, who set who both up. I just had that feeling you two were perfect for each other and would hit it off.
Can’t say you’re the sharpest knife in the drawer, but eventually, you did.
But I’ll say, Sophie wasn’t any better. She found reasons not to be around you. I thought you must’ve done something...
Yeah, and the reason I avoided you was....
Zach here. I reason I avoided Sophie that weekend is because I knew I’d been set up. I know a sucker punch when I see one, and boy did I get it. Those were new boots and it didn’t rain anywhere else on the range. That thundercloud was for me.
I guess I can laugh about it now. I felt that connection with Sophie, but I wasn’t going to admit it. To be bested by your little sister, how...
I Should've Known
Sophie, here. I want to give my friend Beth McClure credit for my relationship with Zach. Beth and I were college roommates. When she took me home that weekend, I didn’t suspect a thing.
I was standing the the kitchen when the back door flew open and a man stomped in. He was dripping wet, grumbling about the “stupid hole, his horse and his new boots.” When he looked up and...
The Eldest
I’m Ethan McClure. Zach’s my younger brother and you’ve heard from the baby, Beth. Now Beth was pretty much a pest growing up, always following her big brothers around and ratting us out. I remember one time Zach and I slipped out of the house one night after Mom said we couldn’t go to a party. Beth followed us, then told our folks the next morning. She’s a...
I Need to Defend Myself
Zach, again. I need to defend myself. Well, I thought I had the right to my anger. I was wounded and lost my leg. When I came home, I couldn’t even stay on my horse. I couldn’t see how my life could mean anything, but everyone else thought differently. Beth was a determined soul. Nag, nag, nag, but I’m glad. It was the wonderful smells that touched a hunger in me that I...
Agent of Change--That's me
Hey, guys. I am Beth McClure. Zachary is one of my brothers. The other is Ethan. Unfortunately, I was the youngest. I always wanted to tag along with my older brothers, but they didn’t want me any where near them that is until I turned 13. Suddenly, I had a big brother glued to my side and scaring off any boy who wanted to talk to me. But that’s water under the bridge.
I was...
December 2010
3 posts
Introductions
I’m Zachary McClure. I was the first soldier to be at Second Chance Ranch. And I probably wouldn’t have ever walked into that place, but I have a sister who is a royal pain and loves me and wouldn’t let me stay in my funk.
I was Army. Cavalry. Of course, I grew up on a ranch and horses were in my blood. I also did some rodeoing. Well, I thought I’d never ride again...
Welcome to my world.
My name is Sophie Powell. My story and Zachary McClure’s story is told in SECOND CHANCE RANCH. I now own the equine therapy ranch, but getting here wasn’t easy. I never knew this is what I wanted to do with my life, but after I spend a tour in the Army as a medic in Iraq and seeing the wounds that occurred to my patients, I wanted to be a doctor that is until I went to a continuing...
Hello and goodbye--sort of
Penny, here. I hope you had a good Christmas. I did. What I want to do is introduce some new people. There’s a new story coming out, SECOND CHANCE RANCH. You should be able to buy it in the store this week. For sure next week. It’s a great story about horses and equine therapy and the neat people they help. Some wounded soldiers are there and it is helping them. And some special...
May 2010
1 post
School's almost out.
Hey, guys. Penny here. Sorry I’ve been quiet, but schools been busy and with the new brother, I haven’t had time to post.
I want to tell everyone about a neat thing I started to do. I went to a place called Second Chance Ranch. It’s an equine therapy ranch. You want to know what that is? It’s where people who have physical problems go to get stronger. Sometimes...
February 2010
0 posts
It's a new year.
It Penny again. I’m back in school and things are sooo boring. But I have to tell you about a neat thing my parents are going to do. I’m going to learn how to ride a horse. Mom says this is a neat place where kids and adults can learn to ride. She’s going to take me there after Valentine’s Day.
Also, Mom wanted me to tell you there’s a neat mini-story starting...
December 2009
8 posts
The last piece.
Elizabeth and Nathan stay with us Christmas Eve. They slept out in the living room with the Christmas Tree. Well, I had my doubts about Santa visiting, but he did. Great gifts.
Santa evem left gifts for our guests—some money and clothes. When we had breakfast the story came out. Elizabeth and Seth were in high school together. He was a senior and she was a year behind. They fell in...
The Miracle.
Okay, guys, I have to tell you the end of the neat story.
We went to church on Christmas Eve. We took two cars because Dad said he had something to do for work. Mom drove the other car, but Caren and Connie’s mom came with her girls and helped with the two babies. Baby Mary is only a few months old and my brother is almost 2.
Service began and we were singing “Hark the Herald...
Christmas Eve!
It’s Penny again. I’m telling you I hope mom and dad don’t know about me telling you what’s going on. They couldn’t be upset, since they are talking to everyone they know.
It’s Christmas Eve. I am sooo excited I can hardly stand it. Santa’s going to be tonight. Matt’s too young for it to matter to him. But me—I know what it means. Mom...
Fingerprints?
Penny, again. Dad came home the next day and say they didn’t get a ‘hit’ on the fingerprints. What did that mean? All I know is they still know nothing about Mary’s mom.
Well, Christmas is on Friday. We found Mary on Monday. It’s Wednesday today. My mom and dad and the pastor and his wife went around to all the houses, asking if anyone saw Mary’s mom. ...
So what happened?
So you’re wondering what happened next? Well we found Merry five days before Christmas. Dad was calling different people asking questions. Mom and pastor’s wife took turns at church watching the kids. School was out, so everyday we were at the church, decorating, baking cookies and practicing our Christmas eve songs with the other chorir members.
All the kids thought Merry was...
So what happened?
Penny again. So what happened? Well, as soon as we got home, I called my best friends, Caren and Connie, and told them what happened. (They are my dad’s partner’s girls.) They came over with their dad and another detective. Mom said the second detective, a woman, was from missing persons. Carrie and Connie’s mom came, too, and we all got to admire the little girl. We named...
Wow, a baby
Penny here. I’ve got to tell you something exciting that happened today.
After school, I went to the church where Mom works. Well, when I walked into the sanctuary, I heard a baby crying. I thought maybe my baby brother was in there. I went inside and looked around, calling out his name. Well, he didn’t answer me.
Do you know what I found? I found a baby. In a laundry...
It's almost here.
Penny, here. In case you haven’t been here before, my mother’s and my story was told in GUARDED SECRETS. It was way cool. I got a new dad. Jonathan Littledeer. He’s a detective with Albuquerque PD. You look and him and he can scare you. But for me, he’s the greatest. The other night when I had a nightmare, he can into my room and sat by the bed. Wow, I felt safe.
...
November 2009
1 post
Turkey eatin' day...yum
Penny, again. We are going to have a blowout Thanksgiving Day. It’s goin’ to be so much fun. For the last three yeas we have our meal at the church. It starts on Wednesday with all the ladies of the church in the kitchen making pies, dressing (that’s okay but what’s a gibblet? and do you want to eat that?), potatoes and fruit salad. There’s some sort of veges,...