Maple Dale ~ My Forever Home (Maple Dale Series) by Myers MaryAnn

Author:Myers, MaryAnn [Myers, MaryAnn]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Sunrise Horse Farm
Published: 2013-12-14T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Leah Oliver had no idea of the legacy she would leave behind. She had no idea about the impact she would have on her students, particularly Bethann, or that Bethann would be passing that legacy on to her sister Mindy. No idea, unless she was perhaps a ghost and witnessed it day after day. Rumor has it she used to haunt Maple Dale. But if you asked Bethann as well as the others closely associated with the Equestrian Center, they would say they honestly felt Leah only looked out for everyone at Maple Dale and that in their opinion that could hardly be called “haunting.”

An advocate of the ‘Balanced Seat’ of riding, if she were alive today, Leah would be nearly as old as Sally Swift herself. She would probably also be gray-haired, probably still have that thick braid down her back. She would probably still be wearing a ratcatcher shirt, breeches and field boots, and she would probably still be set in her ways. Utmost to her was the safety and well-being of the horse and rider. It was also of the utmost importance that the world around her be genuine, real. She had no time for “BS” and no time to squander on senseless so-called “progress.” The fact that she died fighting the development of Maple Dale was a testament to the depth of her caring. It was her demise and it became her legacy. A legacy Bethann took to heart and Mindy now as well, not to mention Richard and Christine and Bill Forbes. When someone literally dies in protest, it’s hard not to carry on the cause.

“Fracking? I don’t get it,” Bethann said, when her sister stopped to visit.

“Well, apparently,” Mindy said. “They shoot water and these chemicals down into the earth so they can find all the pockets of natural gas, only there’s nothing natural about the process because of the chemicals.”

Bethann held little David to her chest, patting his back gently and slowly rocking back and forth. “Not here? Right?”

“They’re going to try. They’re going to frack up and down and all around if we let them. They’ve already secured leases from most of the Amish farms if it gets okayed from what I understand.”

“You’re kidding?”

“Nope.”

Living this close to the Amish community, the farming practices were no secret. Though living a simple life according to their religious beliefs, their righteousness apparently did not extend to Mother Earth or loving their horses either for that matter. Chemical fertilizers were the norm; retirement for the horses after years of service, not an option. When they were done with the horse, as a rule, it was disposed of. Some members of the Amish community were on a first-name basis with the kill buyers at the Monday horse auction.

“Obviously they’re not going to care about fracking,” Mindy added. “And even though the majority of those farms are fifteen or so miles away, it’s still going to affect us. It’ll affect our land, our well water, our children.”

“You don’t have to convince me,” Bethann said, kissing little David on his chubby little cheek.

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