A number of years ago, my family celebrated Halloween watching the sunset at Stonehenge. Going there had long been on my “Bucket List”, but visiting on Halloween was not planned. It just worked out that way. Granted, today, as the snow melt is beginning to signal springtime, Halloween seems far away. However, as I readied … [Read more…]
Towards the end of last year’s hunting season, we answered the doorbell to see a good friend who was celebrating a day off by hunting and stopping to visit. His visit and his sharing of plans for the future reminded me of a piece I wrote several years ago about becoming native to the land, … [Read more…]
Yesterday, the wind blowing in from the southwest signaled the arrival of warmer weather. It changed our world from a pristine Hallmark card image to a rippling, moving place where as a youth I imagined trekking across the dunes of a desert landscape. The wind-rippled snowdrifts reminded me of our Moroccan friends Taoufik and Oulya … [Read more…]
Three Little Words…. But, the realist in me whispers that they may not always be “I love you.” I started out writing this piece to send love and anniversary best wishes to our son and daughter-in-law. I embrace both in who they are and how they have built their lives, both individually and together. Here’s … [Read more…]
A writing teacher once told my class about receiving an essay that began, “Cows is just like people.” Although she saw it as a great example of subject-verb non-agreement, I had been raised with cattle and saw nothing unusual or bizarre in the statement. Grounded in a common-sense comparison, the sentence seemed marked with a … [Read more…]
Earlier this week, the day before July 4th, before snow coated the hillsides and frost visited valley gardens, our son took on the task of mowing the grass around the buildings. Rain and moderate temperatures had created a tangled mass of grasses and weeds. He wheeled the mower around to the south side of the … [Read more…]
Flying hooves sprayed sand in my face. Fetlock hair and hooves filled my viewshed as I hung upside-down and tangled in a stirrup. I remember wondering how strange the horizon looked. The day had started out quite differently. My mule-headed, opportunistic pony and saddle had been traded; and I had moved up to a “real” … [Read more…]
On a hillside, near the summit of one of the highest hills in southwestern England’s Vale of the White Horse, are two examples of that could play in a debate on “what is art.” The first example is the Uffington White Horse, a 374-foot long, stylized horse formed from trenches cut into the grass with … [Read more…]
What lies in a brand? Is it only an archaic artifact? Or, perhaps a name? In the case of this photo posted by artist Tom Dean, does the brand only drive a random price? What is the promise that lies in the name and does it warrant the $580 price tag on the t-shirt pictured? … [Read more…]
In Montana, branding remains a ritual for establishing ownership. An animal’s brand marks clear title of ownership, while branding itself is a honored ceremony in rural areas. A brand also is a tie to self-identity. My brand, the Wagon Rod, carries a rich heritage from the westering movement and the influx of individuals searching for … [Read more…]
