The colors of Ohio

The fall colors may have been more vibrant earlier in the week, but this was the colorful day that I shared with friends on Sunday at the Cleveland Metroparks polo fields trail ride.

I used to trail ride often with my friend Joan Martin. We would travel to the metroparks near Olmsted Falls, and ride all the way out to the stables at the bottom of the Puritas Hill and back.

We would put money, ID and kleenex into a white man's sock, tie it to the latigo strings on our saddle, shove a candy bar into the sock just for giggles, and take the afternoon off. We even rode on Thanksgiving day, sort of like a tradition.

We would ride with Mrs. Adele von Ohl Parker off the Mastick Road property in North Olmsted (Mrs. Parker was a famous trick rider with the Wild West shows, and Hollywood). She would don her siddlesaddle attire and climb aboard "Traveler" and go down the hill. It was an honor to ride with her, and I only was able to do it once.

I was the "horse crazy" kid that sat on the curb on W.50th Street in Cleveland, and wait for the Producer's Milk wagon to come past my house so I could feed carrots to the horse. Lots of water over that dam, and lots of river fording with my friend Joan.

Sunday was a fond trip down memory lane for me.

I tought of Joan often on the ride, and of her beloved big bay horse "Loki".

What a great day! I am still smiling!