Day Four - continued
Jerry is relieved that Raker has made the trip
safe and sound. He is pleased to see his new horse and remarks that he is even
more beautiful than he remembers. Raker’s new surroundings will take some
adjustment, as it is so foreign to him. Raker cautiously walks past the tennis
courts, whirling sprinklers and rows of pruned orchards standing amidst freshly
tilled soil. He is led to a small corral that he will share with the Edgington’s
other horse. It is a unique place where residents are allowed to keep horses in
what we would call suburbia backyards. Zoning bylaws allow for two large animals
per acre. Everything is brand spanking new. White vinyl fence guards the pasture
property from manicured lawns with their perfect little gardens of flowers and
shrubs all neatly landscaped. Two movable steel corrals will act as holding pens
until a barn is built. So for the next while, Raker will camp out in the open,
surrounded by blossoming orchards, tall mountains and Salt Lake (the lake)
visible just beyond.
After settling Raker for the night, Jerry invites us back to his spacious home. We finally meet the rest of the family which includes Jenessa, the only girl in this brood of boys, Scott, Nick and finally Jay. Mat, the eldest, is away so we don’t have an opportunity to meet him. Jerry has been Mr. Mom for a while now and seems to have a handle on things. As we later will learn, Raker represents new beginnings for this family.
They hope to sell their majestic rambling house and purchase a small acreage so that they can build a more modest home with a barn for Raker and Cheyenne. We quickly determine that Jerry is a more salt of the earth type of guy who appreciates the simple things in life and is certainly a devoted and caring father. For the next short while we will get acquainted with this family as Jerry takes us site seeing and introduces us to some of the family.
After a long needed restful night, we find Jerry in the kitchen. He’s preoccupied with the task of making breakfast for the kids. Batter turns to golden pancakes in the skillet, as Jerry prepares the fresh season strawberries and cream toppings. He hollers commands through the intercom, like a drill Sargent only with a somewhat soft bark to his voice. The kids are looking for any excuse to have a day off school and of course Raker is big news in their young lives. Reluctantly, Jerry compromises and offers to stop by his brother’s place on the way to school.
Raker seems disoriented and confused. He looks towards the rig that has been his home for the last four days and can’t understand why we are not loading up. He hasn’t touched his grain or hay and there is evidence that he has paced most of the night. He looks a little tucked up, but at least he drank his water. We pasture him for the afternoon and decide to do the tourist thing and take in some popular sites. We also visit a local tack shop, better known as "saddle shops" down here, and assist Jerry in outfitting his new horse. I’m sure the salesman liked to see us coming. By the end of our shopping spree, Jerry had just about all he needs for his new horse, including a western saddle and accessories. It’s nice to be able to spend other people’s money! (Just kidding Jer!) After school is out, we pick up the kids at home and head for the sheep ranch where his brother works.
The ride to the ranch allows for more time and conversation to discover each other. Jenessa, with her smouldering dark eyes and tooth fairy smile, clutches my hand and asked if we can come and live with them. I tell her that we can’t leave all the horses at home and that someone has to care for them. In little girl’s logic, she responds that we can bring the horses with us. Scott constantly asks "what time is it in your country?" He seems fascinated with Canada and what we do here. He’s never met Canadians before and seems to have taken a liking to these visitors from the north.
About 40 minutes later we arrive at the ranch. It is a massive operation with
more than 2,000 sheep, a variety of fowl, cattle, horses and a kennel of
not-too-friendly Great White Pyrenees dogs, used to guard the sheep against
predators out on the desert and pasture lands. The summer pasture alone
comprises of some 10,000 acres. Jerry shows us around and leads us into the
enormous open barn that houses most of the new born lambs, some just minutes
old. Jerry introduces us to Sonny, Jerry’s brother’s brother-in-law. Jerry jokes
with Sonny, telling him he had to go all the way to Canada to find a good horse.
Sonny replies, well we have a lot of horses here, but not all good horses and
congratulates Jerry on his new Morgan, a rarity in these parts.