Ankle High and Knee Deep:

LOVE this book.

I have a story in this book.

Ankle High and Knee Deep: Women Reflect on Western Rural Life is an engaging collection of essays written by ranch women, cowgirls, and farmers. The anthology, edited by Gail L. Jenner, offers a candid look at rural life, its tranquil beauty and its messiness. This anthology is about lessons learned, sometimes the hard way. Many of the essays reminisce about childhoods on a ranch or farm, sharing the joy of riding horseback in wide open spaces. Along with the joy comes the hard parts, the endless chores, the hardships, the doing without when that year’s crops or stock doesn’t bring the hoped-for price. Several stories delve into experiences with horses and how they become an integral part of rural lives. Through the years horses have been the constant source of pleasure as well as of necessity. The book is divided into sections: Fortitude, Horse Sense, Community, Self-Reliance, Memory, Resilience and Lessons. Ankle High and Knee Deep offers stories rich in inspirational experiences The collection isn’t all pleasant—real life never is. The stories shared are from the heart, memories and current experiences of life passed on from generation to generation. Toward the back of the book a section about the contributing authors and photographers reveals the lives of those who have participated in this fine collection. These brief biographies reinforce the heart of the book. Photographs throughout the book help the reader feel what the words portray. This is an excellent read written by women who have lived what they write about. I highly recommend this anthology of life in rural America.

good

I bought this book as a gift. I read bits and pieces of thus book before wrapping it up and enjoyed what I read.

These are stories written by women who have "been there, done that"

It is a joy to read this eclectic collection of stories and essays by fifty-four country women from the west. But you don't have to be from the west or even from rural America to enjoy this anthology. Ankle High, Knee Deep is organized into seven categories: Fortitude, Horse Sense, Community, Self-Reliance, Memory, Resilience and Lessons. Inspiring real life stories by these hard working, strong women pack each section, and overwhelm me with admiration and respect for them. I'm a Pennsylvania country girl; I grew up on a farm with horses, so it isn't surprising that the Horse Sense section is my favorite, though the other sections tie as close seconds. "Bugsy," the horse rescue story is riveting. Spring floods suddenly swell Colorado's Elk River and a horse is stranded. I was right there rooting for Bugsy's safe recovery. Palpitations and all! "Daddy's Girl" is a poignant essay about the cycle of life. It is also the name of the writer's horse. The writer states that those who live, work, and grow up with animals, learn the lessons of life, and death comes naturally. However, when her horse dies, she realizes that "our drive was defined by our hope to sustain life, and in the end, the failure to do so is simply against our nature." Every year we hear about the great fires of the west, but the Resilience section drives home the personal horrors of these news reports. The first-person descriptions take the reader to the scene of the fires. In "Watching my Hills": "The storm had moved in and just seemed to stop. Thunder rolled. Lightening came in rapid flashes that sought the earth. It seemed to suck the oxygen right out of your pores. Then to the north—two miles away—a strike. And almost immediately a blaze in the dark... One night several years ago, I counted thirteen blazes from my lookout post..." This is a book with appeal for everyone. As a country girl, I've read many books about city life to gain understanding of a life different from my own. If you have country roots, of course you'll love it. However, if you are citified, born and bred, you will appreciate your country cousins like never before. by Ann McCauley for Story Circle Book Reviews reviewing books by, for, and about women

Entertaining and nostalgic, written by farm/ranch/country women....great read!

I bought the book for my wife and she loved it . I have been reading it and find it to be a great window into the lives of women in Agg.

So far I've had time to read only one story, "Civilization," by Lin Brummels which I really liked for its droll narration and memorable images. I'm looking forward to reading the rest, hoping that they will be equally good. I'm really glad I decided to purchase my own copy and have requested that it be added to our local library.

What a wonderful collection of the wonders of life these women have lived. Reading it is like sitting at each of their kitchen tables and visiting over a cup of coffee.