Heidi's Book Excerpt- And the Winner!

Whew, what a weekend! I just got home. Beautiful weather meant non-stop horsey work. All day Saturday I worked for my horse, but not with him, not one bit! Today was our day together, our quality time, if you will. But there was even a little bit of a wrench in that plan, which I will share later this week.

Today was also the drawing for my contest. Here is how it all went down.

I had Paint Girl help me out, which is why the winner was announced so late today, as I was up at her farm until this evening.

Somebody was a little leery of the drawing "container!"

Paint Girl's OH holds the cowboy hat while she folds the papers with everyone's names. Oh and of course, I did go over and help! As you can see, we had a very interested assistant!

The names are ready. And no, My Boy, these are not cookies!!

Reaching in for the draw. My Boy looks very excited here! I was too!

I love the look on Paint Girl's face!

We have a winner!

Yee haw, SquirrelGurl! Please send me an email so I can get your information! And thanks to everyone for stopping by to post a comment, I know Heidi really appreciated hearing from you all!

Now, I also wanted to give you a little taste from Cowgirl Dreams. The historical fashion piece on cowgirl attire was written by Heidi, but not an excerpt from the book Cowgirl Dreams.


Excerpt from Cowgirl Dreams:

On a warm late-September Saturday morning, Nettie stood sweating in the stuffy little teacherage at the Hay Lake schoolhouse. The voile bodice of her pink blouse kept coming untucked from her satin skirt. At this rate, she would look like she’d bathed and slept in this stupid dress. After having had a taste of wearing denim pants and men’s shirts, donning any kind of dress—especially a silky, shimmery one like this—was so uncomfortable, so binding.

She wove the buttonhook around another tiny pearl button on the back of her sister’s wedding dress and tried to pull it through the satin loop. “Pull in your stomach again. I can’t get this hooked.”

“Hurry up.” Lola muttered through gritted teeth. “If I hold it any longer I won’t make it to the altar alive.”

Nettie squared her shoulders. Well, if her sister hadn’t insisted on this stupid wedding gown with a million little buttons up the back, she wouldn’t be having this problem. She jerked at the offending button with the hook. Not for her, when, if, she ever got married.

Their older sister Margie bustled in, smelling of lilac water. “Oh Lola, you look so beautiful. Here Nettie, let me help. I’ve had more practice with these things.”

Nettie let out her own pent-up breath. Yeah, let the experts handle this “ladylike” chore. Fancy wedding dresses. What a waste of money, especially since her folks didn’t have any to spare. Good thing Lola’s fella was pretty well set. He’d bought the dress. Floyd Marshall seemed to worship the ground her sister walked on, would do anything to make her happy.

That was all well and good, but did that mean he was spineless, that he’d let Lola walk all over him? Nettie hoped not. She wouldn’t want a husband like that. If she ever did decide to marry.

Margie finished with the buttons and arranged the veil. Lola’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes glowed. But Nettie just couldn’t summon up a lot of excitement for all this falderal.

Especially since she’d rather be at a rodeo somewhere, anywhere but here.

Okay, that is just a little taste!

I hope you had a great weekend, everyone!