As I was engaging my new crew members in lively conversation, the tall guy's silver belt buckle glinted in the sun and caught my eye as I bent down to pick a plant from the ground. The buckle had a violin cast onto it. I made a mental note, bookmarking the silver image for later. He was one of the …
Quiet Mornings and Long Days
The first light of dawn unfolding at 5 AM woke me. I had slept well at our new camp in my usual spot on the ground under the cook fly, only wakened by the occasional stirring of doggie dreams from the border collies True and Gyp who liked to sleep with their backs against mine. The night before this …
Real Diamonds on the Range
As I pulled the mohair saddle cinch tight on the paint mare, Roxy, I had time to finally consider what I was doing, and wonder if it was a good idea. Roxy could be a little out of sorts on occasion and has introduced several riders to the unexpected sensation of flying. Although she occasionally …
The Summer Begins
I'm writing this while horseback on the breaks high above the flood waters of the snowmelt swollen Salmon River. My kids got me this cool folding keyboard that attaches to my phone and fits nicely in my saddle bag. The juxtaposition of tech with the old worn leather of my gear amuses me, but it's …
Life Underground Matters
I've seen grass roots carefully excavated in all their upside down long hair glory. Only 10% or so of their biomass is above ground. If we were grass, only our head would be above the soil layer. But like us with our heads above soil, there is much more to grass than the leaves of green …
A Grass of Velvet
It's springtime in the Rockies. Nearly all the birds are back from their vacays on the Mexican Riviera, and our home place is green and teeming with the sounds and scents of life. Killdeers call and bait relentlessly trying to lure cows and calves from their camouflage nests (they do) and Sandhill …