Sitting in the Green Apple Tree

Once upon a time...

That's the way so many tale began. As early as I can remember books were an important part of my life. My mom will tell you that from the time I was a baby, books were my toys. She says I never tore the pages or wrote in them. That they were always clutched in my hands. Little Golden Books are some of my earliest memories. The Pokey Little Puppy in particular sticks out. 
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As I grew older the love of reading never left me. There were two apple trees on our property. One green and one red. The green tree was my favorite. On any nice day if you looked up, there you'd find me with my nose buried in a book. Animal books were some of my favorites and if they had horses extra bonus. This year during a trip to Lancaster Pa as one of our regular stops I found this

This edition of Black Beauty by Anna Sewell has no date. I realized that I don't have any of my childhood books. We moved quite a bit when I was young and what you didn't need you didn't take. After picking this up memories of other horsey books came to mind. Seabiscuit, War Admiral, National Velvet. How many of you held Misty of Chincoteague and dreamed of having your own horse? How about the Black Stallion? I still think it was one of the most beautiful scenic movies made. 

I was one of the lucky girls. Three horses made their way into my life. Cocoa was an old man my parents bought from a riding stable. I still laugh when I remember how he was the houdini of the horse world. He could untie knots and open latches faster than Secretariat (If you're a horse person you know who that is). 

Carrie was my second horse. She was a beauty. A dark bay mare with a star (a white mark on her forehead) and one white sock. She was a quarter-horse/thoroughbred. It broke my heart to leave her behind after my father died and we had to sell the farm.

Years later Apache came into my life for a short while. He belonged to a friend who let me pretend he was mine. Apache was a cantankerous meanie at times, but we worked it out.
To this day the soulful eyes and smell of a horse brings me peace. My fantasy work in progress, Aimhirghin, Kingdom at a Crossroad, show the special relationship between Haana and her mare Fianna. 

Do you have a special animal in your life? Many of us do. Whether it's a horse, dog, cat, or some.other, leave me a note and tell me about them.  

I plan to explore the relationship of books and animals in our lives over the next months and hope you'll join me. Below is a tribute to one of the greatest horses. Do you remember when he won? I still get chocked up thinking about him.

The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact 
with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit and freedom. 
​Sharon Ralls Lemon