When my wife moved to Colorado years ago from extreme Southeastern Kansas, she remembers expecting everyone to be packing a six shooter, riding horses and living in the Wild West she’d always heard a...

Several years ago, when I was given the opportunity to write a few columns for a big city newspaper, I was informed by the editorial board this would probably not lead to a career writing for them....

If you live in the country you probably share a bond with everyone else who lives outside city limit signs. This common denominator is the lowly mailbox. Since prehistoric times (which means longer...

Of all the “doms” out there, kingdom, freedom, maximum, on and on, boredom is the one kicking my rear right now! It is 69 degrees right now, frozen stock tanks are off the list as are shutting down th...

There are places in the world where time stands still. These are little-known spots where nothing changes and progress seems to have skipped over it. Thank heaven for those places. This weighty...

It’s insomnia time on the Hodgson Ranch and many others, too. Sleep is long forgotten, taken out of our daily routines. What do we do with all this “spare time.” You may ask? Simple answer. We calve...

Last week, I wrote an “Under The Wire” about the month of January. I had never thought about doing that before until it came to life in my imagination as a pretty cool month. It starts every fre...

Walmart got me bucked off a horse a while back. I’m mad at them. Don’t tell me about lowest prices or biggest whatever. I’m bruised, scrapped and I hurt all over. It’s all Walmart’s fault. Let me begi...

Over the years, I have written about various Holidays that we all celebrate in one way or another. Christmas, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, all are special but none more so than Valentine's Day. The...

I am not a big “Banquet Goer," however one banquet my family attends is the Brush Area Chamber of Commerce Ag Appreciation dinner. It is the one get-together that draws together just about every ranch...

It has been said that after two people have been married a long time, they begin to look alike. I have seen examples of this a few times. I also will proclaim no amount of years will ever make my...

This story will sound like it is going to be sad. Don’t worry. It is just the opposite. A few years ago Christmas Eve, my mother passed away. She had lived a long, happy and challenging life. A few d...

Happy New Year! No, I’m not late getting this column to the editor, nor am I celebrating the Chinese New Year, which, by the way falls on Jan. 22 this year. Not that I would mind joining in the f...

The Christmas season is upon us. It’s a wonderful time of the year. Brightly lit Christmas trees surrounded by presents wrapped in colorful paper and bows join traditional school programs and c...

This story will sound like it is going to be sad. Don’t worry. It is just the opposite. A few years ago Christmas Eve, my mother passed away. She had lived a long, happy and challenging life. A few d...

I must share a secret with you. When Christmas season rolls around I feel, well, to be honest I feel kind of smug. Superior even. To be downright honest I think my Christmas is probably better than...

I just made a startling discovery this morning. Many of you may already know this. In fact you probably have known it for years. I’m usually the last on to find out. My revelation? Most people here in...

Darn, it’s that time of year again. Thanksgiving is here. That means another Thanksgiving column. Bummer. Now, don’t get me wrong, I like Thanksgiving. Heck, a day centered around eating a giant bir...

Regular “Under The Wire” readers know I write a lot about cattle. They are a big part of any rancher’s life and I suppose we do tend to spend too much time thinking, talking or, in my case, writi...

Closing The door? A book? The possibilities are limitless! Excuse me for playing word games with myself. I have developed a habit over the years of turning every significant event that happens to me...

If you live in the country you probably share a bond with everyone else who lives outside city limit signs. This common denominator is the lowly mailbox. Since prehistoric times (which means longer...

Today’s title is half of a thought that has been lodged in my mind all morning. The complete thought is “What do you do where there is nothing to do? That is where I find myself at the moment. No irr...

Alone. On foot. The Eastern Colorado Sandhills stretching as far as you can see in any direction. The second scariest sound a person can hear at that moment is the buzz of a rattlesnake somewhere...

Well, she’s gone. I don’t know what I ever made me fall for her in the first place. Can’t remember what I saw in her. I must have been crazy. Ten years of battle, disagreements and constant irritation...

Today has been an unusually boring day. That is notable since I have no doubt few could ever equal the number of days I have spent doing … darn near nothing! How I got this way is my own darn f...