Bruneau Valley, ID
August 2012
The sun has set on another season. I am still processing the blur of activity that was summer. Travel, branding of calves, and the imminent threat of fire seemingly sped the passage of time. While I was busy reassembling our school year household, Fall has made itself at home. Nighttime temperatures are dipping near freezing. Elk are in the rut. The aspens around the mountain cow camps are a riot of color, green, gold, orange, and red. My husband and his crew are gathering, shipping, and re-gathering remnant, their Fall works in full swing.
Cottonwood Creek, NV
September 2012
On weekends, the children and I bounce (literally, the road is in terrible shape) from the Bruneau Valley to the high desert. Happily, I don my cowgirl attire and leave mundane responsibilities and household chores behind. The kids don’t share my enthusiasm for fleeing civilization. They spend the trip south to camp, mourning the distance between them and their friends. Fortunately, the wonder of a seasonal shift in full glory is hard to resist and humors improve when we reach camp. We are all together in a place of wonder. Finally, life stands still for a few brief days.
The past season is filled with untold stories and small adventures, while the hum of autumn activity begs a story of it’s own. I don’t know where to begin, so I make pictorial offerings and hope the words will follow. To jumpstart my return to the Sagebrush Sea, I’m asking you the followers for your questions. What do you as a readers want to know about life on the range?
Thank you for taking the time to write about you. I enjoy reading. I vaguely understand the whys of what you do and think that as someone from Central Illinois would be interested to know more about the whys of what you do, like having to move to new camps and how you can manage with such a large “pasture”, what predators you may face, oh and I am fascinated with elk and their sounds. During their rut, do you hear a lot of bugling?
Thank you for reading, Gretchen. And thank you for the questions, I look forward to answering them.
I have a vague understanding of what it is that you do but some may not know why you have different locations that you move to at different times of the year, and just some of the whys of what it is that you do. Ps, love reading your blog! Thanks for taking time to write it
Love the photo additions. Has given me a much better idea of the country. I’m with Jane – anything you write is well done. How about difference among horses and all the amazing work you do to get them where they are?
I would love to hear anything about the cattle and the landscape.
It’s great to see the season changing where you live. I want to know what it feels like to be connected to your place and living in the heart of cowboy life. It’s easy to romanticize what are probably long hours out in the weather, but there must be some thrill to being part of it despite all the challenges. Does the fall roundup feel like regular work life or does it feel like you’re part of something really special? Also, what do you think of that popular book “Cowboy Ethics”?
Rachel, I love reading all of your observations. Write about your kids, your horses, the weather, whatever strikes you. It’s always good.
I would love to hear about life on the range. The Sagebrush Sea calls to me. 🙂