I feel a farm story comin' on....

So here's the deal. I owned a horse of my own, and my dad raised beef cattle. We had only one pasture. Cows and horses lived in the same pasture.

Evidently horses do the same thing as cows when food is placed before them; they eat their brains out. It seemed like no matter how much I rode and exercised my horse she still got fatter--and fatter--and she was developing health issues just like humans do when they get--uh--'beefy'. It was a serious concern.

My mother was a stay-at-home-mom, all except for four weeks a year. The first two weeks were at the Salt Lake County fair and the second two weeks were at the Utah State fair where she worked helping the judges in the homemaking departments. Very appropriate for my mom, who was a queen of sewing and princess of cooking. This was the only 'mad money' she earned all year.

Another side note: mom really was not an animal lover even though she was a farm wife. She would timidly rub the nose of my mare when I stuck the horse's head in her face, and pat-pat the dog on the head once or twice a year. For the most part the animals were outside the house and she was inside the house and it suited her just fine.

One day suddenly there appeared lots of fence making supplies soon after the State Fair. My Dad and Uncle Thurman were busily setting up a new pasture all for my horse. Seems my mom was so worried about the health of my horse she donated all her 'mad money' that year to the cause of a new pasture for the horse so we could control her diet and help her be healthier.

She did what most moms do--sacrifice for their children. She dedicated her heart and soul to motherhood. She enjoyed doing it and it was satisfying to her. I love you, mom.