1930s: Life as a rancher

By the time Anna return to Chestnut ridge with her new husband, a lot has already happened. Nash has been busy and with Thomas help, he has mended and painted all the fences, fixed structural problems with both house and stable and fixed the holes in the walls in the main house. Josephine, in turn, has planted the garden and overseen the repairs and decorations in the house. The joint spaces are still very empty, but that is fixed when Anna's furniture arrive from San Myshuno.

Anna's arrival is a welcome sight, even as Johnny is a surprise. Josephine especially seems almost offended. "You didn't say you had a man in your life!" Anna shrugs. "I never thought he'd come with me." Hugging her nephew and nieces, she brings gifts. A "build it yourself" dollhouse for the girls and a doctors play-set for Thomas. The children are thrilled. "You'll spoil them." Josephine complains, though she does not necessarily mind. They haven't had proper toys for years. She just wish she could be the one to buy them for them.

Life at the ranch quickly sets in a routine. Johnny and Nash takes care of the farm animals, farming and repairs. Anna focuses on the horses they adopt and Josephine takes care of the house and children. Omisco and Buddy runs free across the fields and among the animals, enjoying their freedom, although Buddy perhaps a bit too much as he does not miss a chance to roll in any mess or dirt he can find.

At the end of the day the entire family enjoys dinners outside in the garden and the children get plenty of options for help with their homework. Yet work is hard, and bedtimes are late. There isn't a night where they don't all fall into bed exhausted.

For Anna the horses is of course the main cause of the ranch. She does not wait long until she buys a couple of rescue horses. A Thoroughbred stallion named Starbuck and a Mustang mare named Rangers. They're defiant and unused to being ridden, but Anna has both patience and stubbornness. Starbuck especially, being fearful and needy is the bigger challenge, while Ranger's wildness is a challenge of itself. But at least she's brave, and can possibly take a bit care of Starbuck when he finds the sheep and goats scary. Once the two are used to the ranch, to Anna and each other, Anna rescues another Mustang, a stallion named Crimson. Like Ranger he is wild and brave, but also intelligent. Anna has high hopes for him and quickly breeds him with Ranger. She's realised she's taken a liking to the Mustangs wild nature, even if it is a bit of a challenge at times.

With her eyes set on winning competitions, Anna trains them both in jumping and barrel runs, but also takes time to just ride out with them. Sometimes Thomas goes with her, learning to ride at the same time, sometimes it's Johnny who comes along. Those times they like to ride to the little beach and take a dip to get out of the heat of summer and enjoy their time together.

For Josephine, the best part of this life is that she has a proper kitchen again. A kitchen she designed, after the latest fashion. It's not as big as the one she had back in Willow Creek, but it isn't cramped either. It's a good space to cook and can all the fruits and vegetables they get from the garden. Her children have rooms of their own again, and for baby Barbara to have time to develop as she should, although Josephine does worry that she is later in her development than the others. But then what can you expect when everyone is busy with work rather than tending to her, even if Anna does her best to help and play with tall the kids. And Josephine cannot deny the other kids love it here. The girls happily help tend to the rabbits and the sheep, and Thomas loves helping Anna with the horses. She herself can still miss having her own home, but on the plus side, she and Anna are closer than ever.

"Don't you want kids of your own? Now that you have a husband?" she asks her sister.
"I'm over 40, I doubt it would happen. If it does it does, now I just borrow yours." Anna replies with a laugh. "Besides, I'm not sure mum will ever forgive me for getting married without her there, how much angrier would she be if I gave her a grandchild and then raised them where she can't spend time with them?"
"That might be true. She hasn't forgiven me for that one yet," Josephine replies.