Go outside and play!

Those were the words that I heard almost on a daily basis once the temperature went above 55 degrees. As the oldest of five kids I would have thought that I would have memories of all of us outside romping around, but I don't, I have no idea where the rest went. We always lived in a place that had lots of 'play room'. That's what having horses accomplishes.
Some memories are of me sitting on the ground and weeping because I couldn't either catch my horse, bridle my horse, or get on my horse. I didn't go running to my parents when these mountainous obstacles presented themselves, I usually found very ingenious ways to trick the horse into complying. A can of grain always perked her ears and brought her close enough to snag. I found that if I buried the bit in the grain pail I could pop it into her mouth while she was greedily inhaling the few bites of grain I put in there. I also found that if I poured the rest out on the ground I could sit on her neck while she had her head down eating and when she lifted it I would slide down her neck onto her back. It's amazing all the things you can do with a can of grain!
It seemed like I had no shortage of things to do outside. My siblings must have though because when I did have to be indoors for something I remember my mom yelling at them to either go in or stay out, they were letting in all the flies.
My mom was a champion fly swatter, she really got excited when she managed to swat more than one at a time. She would follow flies around the house waiting for them to land like a tigress stalking her prey.
I have particular fly who has fallen head over heals in love with me and won't leave my side, I wish I knew where I put our fly swatter!