Buckaroo Barbies In a Different Land

After a quick trip to the town house, the mums and I came back at the home place. I brought all my laundry that I need to get done so I can pack for Italy, but for some reason we have no water…but it’s all good, we opened a bottle of wine and enjoyed ourselves immensely.

Adrian and I had a fantastic trip to Texas, I wish each and every one of you could have come with us and experienced all the lovely people that we met. We took our time and meandered our way to Amarillo, stopping along the way at the Grand Canyon and wherever else that tickled our fancy.

I don’t think I’ve ever met more kind people than the folks from the WRCA (Working Ranch Cowboy Association) and the cowboys and cowboy-girls that we met while down in Texas. We were both able to spend some time with people whose strength of character and kindness really made an impression on us, and I feel like I have some new role models to challenge and inspire me.

I don’t generally go behind the chutes when Adrian gets on one, but this time I did. It was fun to get to watch the girls hug each other before they got on their broncs and wish each other, “Good luck! You’re gonna do great!” Adrian was the first girl out so that she could get back to warm up for opening for the Josh Abbott Band. She bucked off HARD and Little Miss (the horses name) made the Voldts proud. As soon as Adrian climbed back over the chutes, I dragged her unwilling self away from watching the rest of the ladies and we ran to a bathroom where Adrian wiped the blood from her lips and fingers, brushed through her hair and made a quick shirt change.

The night was fun, exciting and exhausting, and ended with our New Mexico cowboy-girl friend, Lacey Davis, and us running from a Waffle House at 3am to avoid getting in the middle of a fight. The few hours we were able to spend with Lacey were way too short. Buckaroo Barbies are pretty much the same, whether they hail from our area where people use reatas and spade bits, or from Lacey’s area where they rope tied on and wear batwing chaps. A good hand is a good hand no matter where they come from and Adrian and I look forward to maintaining our new friendships and hopefully doing our part to mend the divide that a few bad hands keep between Great Basin and Southern cowboys.

We’re just now jumping in the truck to make the 3 hour trip to the airport to head over the big blue ocean, to Italy!! Adrian and I are going to spend 10 days at Drew and Natalia Estrada’s Ranch Academy where Adrian will be singing for their big rodeo…I think we’re going to get to rope some Italian cows, pretty cool!

Wish us luck and safe travels and I hope you all have an amazing week!

xoxo Liz