Out on the Ranch

As a part of their farm and horse unit studies at preschool, Dash recently went on a field trip to a local working ranch. They wore their bandanas they had decorated with stamps and paint at school. I was able to go with him, and we had a lot of fun. He loved it, of course. I loved watching him in action, playing with the other kids. The boys were chasing each other, wrestling, and laughing. Totally great stuff.

We all loaded onto the back of a hay bale-filled trailer for a ride; they got to watch a real "cowboy" riding off to the side, which was great to set the mood. If only cowboys ate vegetarian baked beans around the campfire and only raised cattle lovingly as pets, I'd totally want to be a cowgirl.

When we were driving to the ranch, which was way out there, I thought it was interesting that Dash was so shocked by the rough gravel road we had to take. I realized it had been quite awhile since I've regularly taken dirt or gravel roads myself. We're such city kids now; what's happened to us? Dash said, "Wow! This is bumpy! I don't want to hear this."