Something weird is going on. Maybe it’s the cold snap that came to an abrupt end. Maybe it’s the seven-planet alignment I’ve been hearing about. I think Mars is in retrograde; or maybe it’s ascendant. I forget how it all works. Whatever the reason, I’ve got wonky stuff going on at my house. I have … More Blame it on the Planets
This winter, Kem and I thought it would be a good idea to get on snowboards and join our kids on the mountain. It’s been at least fifteen years since we’ve been on a board, a point which I repeated to anyone who stood still long enough for me to get the words out. I … More Measuring Time in Lift Tickets and Kids
Ugh! I want to say something positive like, “We’re almost at the end!” But no one needs that toxic positivity when we all know that January can go well into March. Sure, December has just as much January in it, maybe more, in most years. But in December, we have lights, I’m baking cookies, there’s … More January is the worst!
I witnessed the first sheep feed of the year last week, when, after dropping the kids off from school, I crested the hill just above our house I saw Kem’s truck out in the pasture, surrounded by a knot of hungry sheep. As he began to drive the truck in a slow circle, dropping cake … More Winter Feeding
It’s that awkward time of year, that transition between winter and summer. Spring sounds like flowers and bunnies, but it’s actually alternating days of sunshine and snow. And mud. Lots of mud. I wear a sundress and sandals one day, a sweater and muckboots the next. Wardrobe complications are slightly annoying; work complications are … More Recollections in Tranquility
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
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
Vegetarian Ranchwife 