Today is the day Gramps and Grams were taking little Bobbie and silly Susie to a ranch. Bobbie and Susie live in the city and have never been to the country before. They wondered what it would be like to see all of the animals and if ranches are really like what they had seen on television.

“Ohhh” Bobbie let out a yawn still tired from the sleepless night before. He was too excited to get to sleep.

“I can’t wait; only fifteen more minutes until we leave” Susie excitedly said.

“Okay kids, Grams and Gramps are here please be sure to grab your sack lunch before you leave” their mom called out.

“Check!” yelled Susie.

“But I don’t want bologna and cheese again” Bobbie whimpered.

“Well then I guess you could of made your own lunch then” Bobbie’s mom scolded.

“Well, if that is all there is then I guess it is okay” Bobbie hunched his shoulders.

Gramps came in the door and said, “Where are my bear hugs!”

Grams followed him in and asked, “Where are my butterfly kisses?”

Bobbie and Susie were so happy to see Grams and Gramps they dropped their lunches on the counter and ran. First Bobbie squeezed Gramps as hard as he could then Susie gently hugged Grams and tickled Grams cheek with her lashes.

“Switch!” yelled Gramps.

Susie squeezed Gramps and Bobbie reluctantly gave Grams her wishes. He thought he was too old for butterfly kisses. It was for girls not boys.

“Wow! You kids sure are strong; I think Bobbie may have broken my back” Gramps said laughing and rubbing his back.

“You two be good and have fun” their mom said handing them their lunches. Susie, Bobbie, Grams and Gramps all ran out to the car.

“Everyone buckled in?” Grams asked cheerfully.

“I am!” Bobbie and Susie said in unison.

On the ride there, they sang ‘Old MacDonald’ and played I Spy. Before they knew it, they were there. Susie’s eyes got big when she saw the giant gate that stated ‘Wilson’s Ranch Come One Come All’. Bobbie wondered if there would be real cowboys like in the movies. They went up the dirt road that leads to the ranch house. They all got out of the car looking at the smiling faces that awaited them.

“Howdy, my name is Woody Wilson and this is my wife Laura. These are our kids Jake and Isabel. Now who wants to have some fun?” Mr. Wilson called out.

“We do!” Bobbie yelled staring at Mr. Wilson’s cowboy hat and scarf. Wow, he thought, he really is a cowboy.

“Me too!” Susie added. She looked at Isabel and wondered if she liked playing hopscotch.

Gramps shook Mr. Wilson’s hand and kissed Mrs. Wilson’s hand, she blushed. Grams nudged Gramps with her elbow to let him know that she had seen that. Bobbie and Susie giggled.

“Well, let’s get started!” Mr. Wilson exclaimed.

Grams and Gramps went inside with Mrs. Wilson to have some lemonade while the children were taking their tour. He led them to the coral. Susie gazed in amazement at the horses. She saw three. The biggest was a milk chocolate color his name was Buddy and he was a stud horse according to Mr. Wilson. Second, there was a mommy horse that Mr. Wilson called a mare that was white with brown and black spots and her name was Polka. She had a baby horse called a colt, he was white with dark brown spots, and his name was Precious. Their bodies gleamed in the sun so much it looked like they were wet. Susie had never seen anything so beautiful. She could not help but to think how wonderful it would be to ride one.

“Wanna ride one?” Mr. Wilson smiled at Susie as if he could read her mind.

“Would I!” Susie could hardly wait.

“Can I ride like a cowboy?” Bobbie piped in.

“Of course, but you have to let me show you how," Mr. Wilson chuckled, “Jake, get the saddles and reins ready. Isabel, take the kids inside to get changed to ride.”

Bobbie and Susie followed Isabel inside and she showed them the clothes that were laid out for them. There was a shirt, a pair of old jeans and of course, some boots for each of them. Bobbie and Susie got dressed as quick as they could barely able to hold in their excitement.

“We’re ready!’ they ran out and yelled jumping up and down.

“’K, come with me” Isabel said shyly.

Bobbie and Susie had to almost run to keep up with her as she took them back out to the coral.

“Horses are ready,” Jake yelled looking back at them.

“Okay, little lady,” Mr. Wilson said looking at Susie “which one do ya wanna ride”?

“The mare, Polka!” Susie said sure of herself.

Mr. Wilson helped her climb on and told her how to hold the reins. He led her around the coral holding on to the side of the reins. Susie could not quit smiling. Bobbie was jealous so he started kicking the dirt outside the coral. Mr. Wilson saw the disappointment on Bobbie’s face so he quickly brought Susie back around to the front of the coral.

“Just stay steady and don’t move” Mr. Wilson instructed Susie.

“Bobbie, come on in here and I’ll teach ya how to ride like a cowboy” Mr. Wilson called out. “Jake, take Susie around a little while I give this here cowboy in training a lesson”.

Isabel just sat on the fence that surrounded the coral looking at all the excitement going on.

Bobbie wanted to look like a real cowboy so he tried to get on the horse by himself but he was not tall enough. Mr. Wilson understood so he led the horse to the side of the coral and had Bobbie climb up on the fence so he could get a good start up.

“Now, put your left foot in the stirrup and swing your right leg high so you can make it” Mr. Wilson encouraged.

“I did it!” Bobbie yelled proud of himself. This startled the horse who started to jolt.

“Whoa! Hold on there Buddy” Mr. Wilson grabbed the reins just in time so that the horse did not take off.

“Whew” Bobbie sighed with relief.

“Okay, now slowly we will start and soon I will teach you how to run ‘em” Mr. Wilson assured Bobbie.

“Bobbie, look at me!” Susie hollered with pure pleasure on her face. She was trotting pretty fast and Jake was not holding on to the reins anymore.

“It’s okay,” Mr. Wilson said looking up at Bobbie “we’ll show ‘em how it’s done”. He hopped on behind Bobbie and said, “Let’s go! Giddy up!” kicking the side of Buddy. They took off, at first Bobbie was a little scared but then he remembered he was going to be a cowboy and courage set in. Faster and faster, they went around the coral.

“Oh yeah, Susie, well look at me” Bobbie said proud of himself. Mr. Wilson chuckled.

“Time to round up for some lunch. You kids ever had real country cookin’?” Mr. Wilson asked.

“No” Bobbie said out of breath from the thrill of the ride.

“Well you are about to” Mr. Wilson said as he hopped down.” My wife Laura is one of the finest country cooks I’ve ever met I reckon”. Bobbie was glad he didn’t have to eat his sack lunch after all.

Isabel who was feeling a little more comfortable said, “We are going to have fried chicken and biscuits and gravy. Mmmm, my favorite”.

“Don’t forget mom’s famous lemonade!” Jake added.

“Okay, you two,” Mr. Wilson said as he smile at Isabel and Jake “take these two inside to get changed and tell mom I’ll been in after I put up the tackle”.

Everyone gathered at the picnic table. Isabel sat next to Susie then Grams, Gramps and Bobbie on one side, Jake and Mrs. Wilson sat on the other leaving a space for Mr. Wilson at the end. There was the fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, watermelon, pickles, macaroni salad and of course lemonade. Everyone waited until Mr. Wilson took his seat.

“Dig in!” he told the group.

Susie took a bite of the fried chicken “This is the juiciest, best tasting fried chicken I have ever had!”

“Don’t talk with your mouth full!” Grams scolded.

“Why, thank you Susie” Mrs. Wilson replied nodding her head to assure Susie it was okay.

“And the lemonade, I don’t think I have ever tasted anything so sweet” Bobbie had to add his two cents in.

“Thank you too Bobbie. I heard from a little birdie that you are an official cowboy” Mrs. Wilson winked at Bobbie. He blushed and nodded his mouth too full to reply.

“Well, since you are an official cowboy, shouldn’t you have a hat?” Mr. Wilson quizzed Bobbie. Then he stood up walked over to Bobbie, took his hat off his head and placed it on Bobbie’s head. Bobbie’s eyes began to tear up and tried his hardest not to cry, because boys are tough, but his lip still went out and a tear streamed down his cheek. Gramps reached over and wrapped his arm around Bobbie, and gave him a firm hug.

“T-thanks Mr. Wilson” Bobbie barely made out.

“Not a problem champ, you deserve it after how you handled Buddy today” Mr. Wilson tipped his head to let Bobbie know it was okay.

After lunch they entire group went around the ranch to look at all of the different animals. First, they stopped and saw the chickens, which made the children laugh as they pecked at each other. Next, they went to see the sheep, “Baaa” they called. Then they stopped to watch the cattle as the munched on the grass.

“Look,” said Susie “a calf is drinking milk from its mommy”.

Last, they stopped to take one last look at the horses.

“Can, I pet Precious?” Susie asked. Mr. Wilson nodded.

“Can we come back sometime Gramps,” Bobbie pleaded, “I had the most fun ever today”.

“Of course,” Mr. Wilson butted in “ya’ll are welcome anytime”.

Grams and Gramps gathered Bobbie and Susie then headed for the car. Susie and Bobbie looked back and smiled at each other.

“You sure are a good cowboy,” said Susie to Bobbie.

“You’re not such a bad cowgirl yourself,” Bobbie said returning the favor.

Grams and Gramps looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed.

“Okay you two,” Grams insisted, “better buckle up”. Off they went to the city life again, but there will always be a little Wilson Ranch inside their hearts.