I live on a sheep and cattle ranch in central Wyoming with my husband and our three kids. I write about ranch life and mom life.
Last week, as we passed the Vernal Equinox, I saw in my social media feeds, pictures of blooming daffodils and blossoming cherry trees. But, even in this bizarrely warm year, we are a long way from flowers. Calves are a better harbinger of spring around here anyways, and we’ve been watching their numbers grow for … More Harbingers of Spring
Another shearing is behind us, a year’s wool crop bagged and ready to ship. It’s one of my favorite ranch jobs, a chance to get my hands in the fleeces. I love any work involving our livestock, any chance to spend some time around the animals, but as a vegetarian, it’s the one thing we … More Raising Kids in a Barn
Why do we work? For the money, or at least, that’s the easy answer. Gotta put food on the table. Still, isn’t there more to it than just punching a clock and getting a paycheck? Shouldn’t our work mean something? Isn’t that why, when we first meet someone we ask, “What do you do for … More Grunt Work
Every year, on a long weekend in the miserable belly of winter, our family escapes to Thermopolis, Wyoming, home to the world’s largest mineral hot springs. There’s nothing quite like running out the door into a 15-degree winter morning, knocking ice off the railings as you ease your way into a steaming pool. When the … More Smoking Waters
My essay, Fimbulwinter, just came out in the latest issue of Wild Roof Journal, an essay dealing with last year’s apocalyptic winter. When the journal editors scheduled the it for their January issue, I thought, Perfect! We’ll have single digit temps, sub-zero if we’re lucky, and I’ll post the essay with a recent picture from … More Weather Predictions
This is not a Christmas post. I refuse to do any holiday crap that I don’t have to do! I did, however, make cookies. I know, I know, it always comes back to cookies for me. The lovely thing about them—besides the sugar, the butter, the perfect balance of soft and crunch—is that I like … More Most Definitely Not a Christmas Post
I have vivid memories of my family’s first Thanksgiving with a turkey. After watching my parents reaching into a dead bird’s body cavity, my sisters and I swore we’d never let them touch us again. I was six or seven years old and my entire life our family had been largely vegetarian. We were Seventh-day … More A Vegetarian’s Thanksgiving Feast
We had a corral day yesterday, bangs vaccinating our heifer calves. The vaccination protects the calves against Brucellosis, a bacterial infection that causes cows to lose their calves, usually after 5 months of gestation. While we have them in the chute, we give them a pour-on to prevent parasites. I loved it! You might think … More Will Work For Cookies
Here, in Central Wyoming, we have had an absolutely beautiful fall, with trees around town crowned in eye-watering yellows, oranges and reds. Most years, we have a freeze and at least one snow by October, which turns the leaves to a soggy brown, and our constant winds send them to Nebraska, but, thanks to our … More Fall Colors
Vegetarian Ranchwife 