The Pets Have Their Own Opinion

Marlee and her family had had a wonderful vacation. They had made lots of stops on the way home to pumpkin patches. They had visited with friends they hadn't seen in a long time. Marlee had not been noticed by the talent scout which disappointed her. She so wished that she could go to Hollywood and be a big star in the movies. She wanted to be famous.
She decided that she would dress up in her princess dress to go trick or treating and that would have to do. She  did love to dress up in her princess dresses and of course, the candy. She always remembered to say thank you and wished everyone a happy Halloween.

Since Marlee's family visited the ice cream shop on their vacation news of a talent scout being in town had spread all over that small town. Of course, word of it was heard in Marlee's small town too. Not only the people, but their pets. Pets listen to their humans don't they? The animals had been told they needed to look their best at all times because it would be so neat for them to be in the movies. So they dressed them and groomed them. Farm animals, house pets, all kinds of animals were being bathed and brushed and dressed in things that were embarrassing just to make their humans happy.  Humans were found with their animals wearing sunglasses so just in case the talent scout should see them looking their best they were ready to go.

Mouse kept going to the window just in case the talent scout should come to their house. She was the only pet in the whole place that was excited. Lucky and Tiger were too interested in their toys and looking smart to want to be discovered by the talent scout. They were happy just the way things were at their house.


Hercules thought the whole thing was ridiculous. He was happy just finding a bed to lay down on. "Good grief, there are five beds in this house and they are all taken but this little one. I think they forgot that I'm not a puppy anymore. Oh well, it's time for a nap."

Margaret had even gotten a new house to show to the talent scout in case she stopped on her way to the farm. She was so proud of her new house it was called a cat chalet. Her coat was all clean and beautiful; she was ready for Hollywood.

Nova didn't want to be famous, she just wanted to go to Marleewood because she knew that Grandma Lu would have treats for anyone that went to the Halloween party. She loved her new Halloween sweater.

Randall's Buddy hoped that Marleewood's Halloween party had games. He especially loved "Chase the red dot" game that he loved to play at home.

The talent scout just turned into the driveway to one of her favorite places: The Anderson Farm.

Marleewood Is Going To Have A Party!

Things were really hopping at Marleewood. Tomorrow was Halloween and they were going to have a party! Parties are so much fun, but it takes a lot of work and a lot of people to have special parties like Halloween because decorations are so important to make it what Grandma Lu calls "festive."
Their friends came to help. Aadon's nana and his aunt even came in costume to help put up decorations for the party at Marleewood. Kenlee and Kylee were still in school, but they would be there for the party.

They had so many decorations! The Community Room just looked wonderful when they were through. They even had a sign for the doors and flower decorations for the tables. One decoration said, "Kid Zone." There were witches and all kinds of fun things to look at. There was a lot of one color. Can you name the color you see the most?




Grandma Lu had more than decorations on her mind though. She told her friend, Grandma B that they had completely forgotten the snacks for the party. About that time Kaysyn and her mama came in with plates full of cookies that Kaysyn had decorated just for the party. She was getting so big. She was excited to go trick or treating so she had her costume on.
Grandma Lu was so happy when she saw all of the cookies and other goodies that folks were bringing in.

Miles had helped carve out his pumpkin and decided that he would put his outside with some others. It was really starting to look like Halloween at Marleewood. He couldn't wait to dress up in his Batman costume for the party and trick or treating.

Bella's mom sent word that they couldn't come this year because they were having company. They were going to have movies outside and even ride horses; in costume, of course.

But in the back of everyone's mind was Marlee. They had heard that she had missed seeing the talent scout.

Marlee heard her mama talking to Lollie. She said that if they were close would they like to stop and see her and aunts and uncles and cousins. They were going to a pumpkin patch too! Well, of course, Marlee wanted to go, but she was really getting tired. Once again she took a nap, but when she woke up she saw her cousins and Lollie and her aunt and uncle. She was ready to have more fun.



No one knew that the talent scout was only an hour away from the farm that she was going to visit on her vacation.

Pumpkins Are So Much Fun

Marlee and her baby sister were in their car seats ready for another long ride home. Marlee and her family had had so much fun and learned so much about the ranch they had visited. They had seen horses of all sizes and breeds. They had seen a donkey named Cupcake, and best of all they had made new friends.

Marlee could hear her mama talking to her Grandma B on the phone. She said that they were really busy at Marleewood. They had decided to have children and adults come in and have a pumpkin carving party. They were having a ball, but they really missed Marlee. Everyone was asking when she would be home.

CoraLynn and her friends were outside carving their pumpkins. She brought in her jack-o'-lantern to show everyone. They thought it was great. She asked if she could put it outside for the trick-or-treaters to see. Of course, they were all for it. She did a wonderful job. There were so many different jack-o'lanterns. Having a pumpkin carving party was such a good idea.

Grandma B told her friends that Marlee was disappointed not to be going to Hollywood, but she had had a good time on the very special Blue Diamond Ranch that they had visited. Marlee grinned when she thought about Kane putting a hat on a horse. It was a good time.

Marlee and her family were only about two hours away from home when they saw a sign that said, "Welcome Great Pumpkin." It was a pumpkin patch. Marlee's daddy had turned into the driveway to this pumpkin patch  so the girls could play and stretch their legs.  They were having so much fun when they heard some familiar voices. There were some friends there that they hadn't seen in a long time. They said that they were going back to their grandma and grandpa's farm to carve out pumpkins and invited them for a quick bite to eat. What a fun time. They had a wonderful place in a big metal shop all fixed up for them to do their pumpkin carving. It was hard to see who was having the most fun, the children or the grownups.

Once again Marlee was reminded of the special ranch they had visited because the grownups said, "Okay, we have to feed the horses now before we eat. And of course, everyone jumped up to clean up their pumpkin seeds and went to the barn to feed the horses and clean the floors.

They had a wonderful meal and then they went out to play on the big hay bales. It was so much fun, but soon Marlee and her family had to leave. It was time to go home. Marlee's vacation was soon to be over, or so she thought...

The Talent Scout Was Taking Pictures

Marlee and her new friends and family had stopped at a cafe for ice cream. They had met some fun loving older people as well as a pretty lady eating a banana split. That lady had a special job. Her job was looking for people that might be right for different things that she was looking for in television as well as movies. She was called a talent scout.  She had spotted a woman walking her cute little puppy in it's very own stroller. When she had finished her ice cream she went outside to talk to her. She told her that she had been taking pictures of her puppy through the window.

The lady had put her puppy in her purse and grinned at her. She said, "We just love our new little puppy. Her name is Josie."
The talent scout wanted to know if she could take more pictures of Josie. Josie's owner said, "Of course, you can."

The talent scout put a pumpkin on the grass with the little pup. She told the lady that she might be in touch with her later. She had had an idea. She needed to make a plan, but she was on vacation. "The drive to the farm will give me some time to think. This should be fun if I can just come up with the right pictures to convince my boss."

When Marlee and her family had finished their ice cream, they thanked Kane and his family for a wonderful time at their ranch. Kane's mom said, "Come back anytime. We love to have company. I'll try to let you know when I will be showing my Arabian horse: Monte. I would love to have you watch him perform."

                                                         *****

Remember all of those people looking for sunglasses and fancy clothes that wanted to be famous? Well they took so long trying to look their best that the talent scout had left before they got to the cafe.
What about Marlee? Poor Marlee had missed her chance to meet a talent scout. Can you even imagine how disappointed she was when she found out that she might have had a chance to be in the movies if she had just talked to that lady instead of eating ice cream!

And another question. What farm was the talent scout going to?

News In A Small Town Travels Fast!

Marlee and her family followed their new friends into town. Marlee loved nothing better than ice cream. She had changed her outfit to her favorite fuzzy pink vest and of course, she wore her pink sunglasses. Her outfit matched perfectly. The only thing she didn't have with her on vacation was her makeup. She hoped that she looked good enough to go for ice cream. She had not forgotten her Hollywood dream. She was ready for anything that might be fun and exciting.

When they walked into the cafe, Marlee immediately noticed some fun people. People that were  pretty old like Grandma Lu, but were laughing and wearing crazy things on their heads. People were taking their pictures and having fun.

There was one lady that she and Kane noticed. She was eating a big dish of ice cream. Kane told her that it was a banana split. The lady saw Marlee and her friends and grinned at them. They had no idea that she was a talent scout from Hollywood just passing through. She was on vacation like Marlee. But no matter where she was she was always looking for new talent for the movies, videos, or advertisements on television.

 Marlee had learned a lot from Kane. He had been very sick once and horses had helped him to get better.  It took a lot of work with his mom and dad helping him, but he eventually got better. He loved horses and living on the ranch with his family.  He had taught Marlee a lot about horses and life on a ranch.

Somehow someone had recognized the lady that was eating the banana split.
 The news was spreading around the small town that there was a talent scout at the local cafe. Some folks started looking for their best clothes and sunglasses hoping that they might catch the lady's eye and get a part or at least an audition for a movie in Hollywood. Everyone wanted to be famous!

If Marlee had paid closer attention, the talent scout was watching a pretty lady pushing a stroller with a puppy in it. She was taking its picture.

Where was that talent scout lady going on vacation? Surely not to Marlee's home town....

A Special Ranch And Special Memories

Marlee loves learning new things. She had been given a present of some puzzles by her Grandma B's friends. She loved them.  They also gave her a new book. It was a fun book about pretend monsters! Marlee loved to pretend that she was a monster and tried to scare her new friend. Oh she laughed and laughed; it was so much fun.

Marlee was going to learn lots of new things on the ranch too. Everything looked like fun to her. She saw Kane on a pile of hay with some kittens. That really looked like fun so she went to join him. Such fun. "This vacation isn't so bad after all," she thought.

 Kane's sister,  Abbi, was with their donkey, Cupcake. Marlee giggled when she found out that her name was Cupcake. She said, "I like to eat cupcakes," she grinned and gave her a pat. Abbi told Marlee that Cupcake like to play hide and seek. She laughed and said, "But we always find her."

Marlee quickly learned that life on this ranch was fun, but it took a lot of people and a lot of hard work to make the animals comfortable. She was no stranger to feeding and watering her Grandma B's mini horses and donkeys, but this ranch had many animals to care for.

 It seemed like to Marlee that a lot people were coming and going to this ranch with horse trailers to pick up or leave off not only horses, but some cattle too. Many folks came to offer some help with the animals.
Oklahoma often has bad storms and leaves the animals with no place to live. A few years ago many bad storms happened and these folks found themselves able to help. That's how it all started.
The people that own this ranch have a special place on the internet where they ask for help to care for the animals. Sometimes people need help too so they are also included.

Marlee learned that horses can help people get better if they are sick or scared. Horses can't talk, but they can love humans and loved to be loved by people as well. Marlee couldn't wait to tell her Grandma B all about this big farm.

The people that owned the ranch suggested that they go to a Dairy Ice Cream place in a small town close by. Of course, who likes ice cream more than Marlee? Just thinking of ice cream made little Marlee think of her Grandma B and going out for ice cream with sprinkles. She missed her Grandma B.

Marlee had no clue she just might meet a very important person at this little cafe.