Yvette and her sister Ingrid are very outdoorsy girls and they crave adventure. So, while it is still warm and summery in Bluebell Oaks, they decided to go a camping adventure together on their ponies...
Early one morning, Ingrid and Yvette Blackberry woke and dressed quickly. After a quick brekkie, they headed out the door to catch their ponies. Today they were going camping, but instead of hiking they would be riding their ponies.
The horses were grazing at the far end of the field. Ingrid easily caught her pony, Blacksocks. He was actually the family cart horse, but he and Ingrid adored each other.
But Yvette's young filly, Primrose refused to be caught. Each time Yvette got near her, she skipped away!
Primrose only obliged once Yvette bribed her with a carrot.
She led her horse back to the fence, where Ingrid was already
brushing Blacksocks down. The two girls groomed their ponies to perfection.
They combed their manes and tails.
And picked out their hooves.
Then they tacked up, putting on their saddles and bridles ready to
ride. When that was finished, the sisters went back to the farmhouse to
grab their bags. They had already packed them the night before. Ingrid was
carrying the tent while Yvette was carrying most of the food and sleeping bags. Bob and Betty came down to wave their daughters goodbye.
"Stay safe girls, and have fun!"
So they set off, riding through the woodland. It was an idyllic setting. The birds were singing in the trees, the bees were humming dreamily among the wildflowers, and a light breeze lifted the horses manes and tails.
They reached the stream, and stopped to allow Blacksocks and Primrose to drink.
It was mid-afternoon when the girls rode into a grassy clearing. It was near the stream so was an ideal place to pitch camp.
The first thing they did was unsaddle the ponies and put them on their picket lines so they could graze down in the shadiest part of the clearing.
The next thing to do was put the tent up.
Yvette and Ingrid generally got on pretty well with each other, but if there was one thing that pulled a few threads loose, it was tent building.
"No, no! That pole goes there!" Ingrid called at one point.
"Well then where does this one go, if you're so smart? And why are you bossing me around anyway? I'm older than you!" Yvette shot back.
Eventually, after a rather 'heated discussion', as their mother would have said, the tent was up, although both sisters were feeling a little frazzled.
Yvette laid out the sleeping bags, while Ingrid unpacked the food and dishes.
It was late afternoon so they had a quick snack, of crackers before preparing dinner.
"Ingrid, could you fill the kettle, please?"
She went down to the stream to fill it. Ingrid knew that Yvette was a better cook than she was, so she didn't argue. Ingrid could cook if she had to, but the smell of burnt food often lingered whenever she was in the kitchen.
Yvette cooked up baked beans, garden peas and toasted the bread in the frying pan.
They sat and ate their dinner of baked beans on toast with garden peas and drank fresh water, cool from the stream.
The sisters sat and ate silently, feeling very content.
"Aren't we lucky, Ingrid? The woodland here is so beautiful and we're priviliged to be able to enjoy it." Ingrid nodded.
As it began to grow dark, Yvette boiled some water and made hot chocolates. Although it was summer, a hot chocolate was always nice when you were sitting in the woods gazing at the stars.
They left the dishes, ready to wash up in the morning, and headed to the tent.
As Ingrid and Yvette lay in their sleeping bags, they gazed out at the stars through the open tent flap. An owl hooted in the distance, and they could hear the horses grazing nearby. The night air was warm and still.
"It's such a beautiful night." Ingrid murmered.
"It's a beautiful world." Yvette agreed.
Yvette is right. It is a beautiful world that we should make the most of and live life to the fullest. I find sylvanians can be great role models as an example of what life could be like - they may lead simple lives, but they enjoy every moment of it, and have great values at heart of family, friends, and appreciating the natural world around them.
