What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope
What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope
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Many years ago I wrote a column titled “True Love.” It was reasonably funny so it became the first story in our book “Just Barely Under The Wire” and also appeared on our website. Years later, re-titled “Putting The Squeeze On Love” the story was featured in a regional magazine. The column somehow hit the internet via email years ago. People seemed to like it. We have decided to run the story, one last time. If you haven’t already read it, please enjoy “Putting The Squeeze On Love.” I recently s...
It is hard to believe that just a few short decades ago (depending on one’s age) weather spotting was a questionable art filled with myths and wives’ tales. I suspect that many of those tales were conveniently placed at the feet of women by men, but that is for future discussions. The only definitive way of forecasting weather was to view it directly, not much help when a storm was already bearing down on you. Contrast that with todays advanced weather technology that not only apprises us of...
Salvia plants from the Plant Select Program are a great addition to the summer garden. There are several different ones to add to your garden. Salvia greggii 'Furman's Red', Salvia 'Ultra Violet' PP21,411, Salvia pachyphylla, Salvia darcyi x S. microphylla 'PWIN03S' and Salvia reptans 'P016S'. Salvia greggii ‘Furman’s Red’ grows in zones 5b-10 and has moderate to xeric water needs. It does well in clay, loam, or sandy soil and grows best in sun to part shade. In the spring prune dead stems from last season. This plant blooms from June throu...
One of the first lessons learned by novice backpackers and hikers is to avoid putting oneself in danger. Trailhead signposts of recent past in the Mt. Zirkel Wilderness area underscored the concern by declaring “Mountains Don’t Care.” The warning truthfully lays it out for those who believe themselves above such concerns. Even the most experienced outdoors persons can get caught unaware when changes surrounding them turn ugly. It’s not only about wildlife, but also weather and more than a little...
I’m a people person. I pride myself on my knowledge and understanding of humans. This includes being sensitive to their needs, understanding their reactions and anticipating their concerns. How, you might ask, did I get so smart? Is my degree in psychology from Harvard, Stanford or Yale? Just where did I learn so much about the mental condition of the human being? It all came from animals. That’s right, animals. I learned about humans from spending my time with horses, cows and dogs. I did get a...
Asking a man how many cattle he has is like asking someone what their net worth is or how much money they have in the bank. You just don't do it. If you should accidentally commit this blunder you put the cowman in the uncomfortable position of having to either ignore you or lie. It just isn’t polite. Still, we all judge a cattleman's success by how many head he owns. We are curious about things like this. What should also be considered is to subtract out how much he owes before judging the man'...
Our annual denominational gathering is once again behind us. We cannot say that every moment at conference was noteworthy, but there is a case to be made that we conducted our business, our worship, and our fellowship with an earnestness belying our size. As conferences go, we are small fish in a big pond (with nearly 2000 participants), yet the venues we are invited to return to recognize what we have long known as part of a community of caring: the Brethren are a gentle folk in a raging...
When drawing up your estate plans, you might find it useful to create a revocable or irrevocable trust, either of which can help your estate avoid probate court and give you significant control over how and when your assets are distributed. But who should oversee your trust? As the person who established the trust — known as the “grantor” or “settlor” — you can also name yourself as trustee. However, this may not be the best move, particularly if the trust is irrevocable. An irrevocable trust protects the assets in the trust from creditors and...
Letter to the Editor, It is with great pleasure that I am sending distributions from the Trust of Muriel Brown. It was her wish that proceeds from her trust be distributed by myself on her behalf, based on the performance of her investments. This year, each of the six organizations she cared about will receive a check for $8,231: Haxtun Health, Haxtun School District, Haxtun Methodist Church, Haxtun Swimming Pool, Haxtun Community Food Basket and the West Phillips County Cemetery District. Muriel would have loved that these checks are being...
In a recent column I explained why I never became an Olympic athlete. In summary, no talent. Besides, all I ever wanted to be was a cowboy. The previous explanation also applies somewhat to my cowboy efforts. It was tough enough for me the way it was, I hate to think how hard it would have been if “cowboy” had been made a regular Olympic event. An entire country or two of competitors able to rope better than me was bad enough. I shudder to think how it would have been to open the field to the...
One of the most intriguing items in our kitchen/household junk drawer (c’mon, you know you have one) implicates an iconic office necessity, the embossing label maker of old. It’s the one that uses stiff plastic tape and sports a rotary alphabet and number wheel atop a hand-held grip. No batteries for this baby. If you wanted to label something, you had to live with the hard work of squeezing a handle before moving on to the next letter or symbol. It was best not to allow interruptions while cre...
Throughout the ages, farmers have planted seed saved from their previous wheat crop. When making seed wheat decisions, they selected the best quality seed from the highest yielding varieties. Choosing wheat varieties based on yield and quality continues, but now seed decisions include a new consideration. With the advent of hybrid crops like corn, farmers discovered that they did not get the advantage of hybrid vigor when they saved their seed, the ensuing crop was not uniform and yields were poor. It was quickly learned they needed to buy new...
Recent political conversations have once more drawn national military conscription into the light, albeit reluctantly. Count that as no surprise given today’s geopolitics, but know also that it is nothing that has not been visited before. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, by most a brilliant Civil War strategist of his time, acknowledged the roles that were to be played. “Those who remained faithful to non-resistance faced persecution from the larger community. Early Confederate draft law had no...
I’ll never forget the day my daughter brought him home. He was so ugly. She was so in love. This was one of those, “Daddy it followed me home. Can I keep him?” events. It was obvious why this fine looking specimen was left to wonder about aimlessly. The truth of the matter is, nobody in their right mind would have wanted to be seen with him. As my female child stroked his dirty, tangle hair with uncommon tenderness, hundreds of thoughts raced through my mind. One question kept leaping to the t...
As a longtime resident of Haxtun and someone who has spent over three decades serving in various capacities — from education to corrections — I've seen the critical role healthcare plays in our rural community. While I currently serve on the Haxtun Health Foundation Board of Directors and work at the Community Foundation of Northern Colorado, the views expressed here are my own, based on years of community involvement. Rural hospitals, including ours, are often the backbone of the community, providing not just physical care but also vital menta...
Like burning fuses for the upcoming Fourth of July, our garden delights in the moment are foxtail lilies. Sturdy stalks support tall conical blooms of bright yellow flowers. What most amazes, however, is the way the plant reveals itself. Over the course of 10 days or so, vibrant color explodes from the head, but only in a particularized manner starting at the base of the bloom. The blossoms open sequentially and upward. It is that disciplined but fleeting nature that endears the plants to us....
My Kingdom For A Horse. I think I remember that a King was suppose to have said this a long time ago, obviously thinking walking wasn’t too great a sport. More recently, just about every horse owner I know has uttered a version of that famous quote. Along about this time of year, rodeo cowboys and cowgirls, whether they’re haulin’ for the big time or making a few weekend rodeos, start to imitate the famous King. Most have spent all winter training on their trusty barrel, team or calf ropin...
By the time you reach retirement age, you may have accumulated a 401(k), IRA and other investment accounts, along with insurance policies and physical properties. You’ll use some of these assets to support your retirement, but the rest may end up in your estate — which is why an estate plan is so important. So, to leave a legacy for your family and those philanthropic groups you support, you need a comprehensive estate plan — and you need to avoid making mistakes. Here are some of the most common ones: • Procrastinating – Estate planning,...
Parasites can have a significant impact on cattle. During summer, flies can directly affect the growth of younger cattle as well as cows nursing calves. Thus, revenues are affected by flies as well due to decreased gains in young cattle and decreased recovery of cows. Controlling flies is relatively easy and has a positive return on the expense. The impact of flies on beef cattle has been studied multiple times over the past 50 years. As fly numbers increase on individual animals, weight gains become reduced compared to animals treated with...
An oft used small group exercise inquires of participants the characteristics they find most meaningful in church settings, the elements that hold the most meaning for them as a friend or a member of the church. Those present are tasked with winnowing out a hierarchy of responses. As the number of requisites are reduced, people find it near impossible to sit still and come up with a final short list on which everyone can agree. But, as hard as it might appear, most groups are reluctantly able...
Normally I don’t write about a specific person unless they are dead. There are two reasons for this. One, dead people can’t sue you if they don’t like what you say. Two, I usually write those pieces as tributes to them after their death. A close friend and traveling partner, Fred Roselle and another cowboy I only met a couple of times, Chris Ledoux, were men I wrote about with the deepest respect. Today, I’m going to break my long standing rule and write about a man who is still very much am...
We are pleased to write this letter to offer our full support and endorsement of Jerry Sonnenberg for Colorado Congressional District 4. There are several candidates you will see on the primary ballot this June and we would like to share our concerns surrounding other candidates and why we think Jerry Sonnenberg is the clear choice. Representative Mike Lynch is a good legislator and we don’t disagree with him on a lot of issues. What is concerning is that Lynch has been noticeably absent from the rural counties in CD4. CD4 includes over 20 c...
Sue quite often sends me off to town on an errand. It may be to pick up the mail, take mail to the post office or, as I often suspect, to just get me out of the house. Prior to every trip she issues these directions to me, “Try not to get into too much trouble” Honestly, I hardly ever get into any type of trouble. I do, however, encounter a few “memorable” situations, such as my most recent. This morning she called me into her office to tell me she needed me to go to the store and buy her a lemo...
It will never be said of me that I am a coffee snob. Is it black, hot, and at least lightly roasted? Good enough. I take some modest degree of pleasure, having waited in line as others’ coffee vocabulary is tested, in simply ordering the core components mentioned above. One would think that at least one or two thank you’s for my promptness would be forthcoming from those remaining in line, but the mental pressure can be acute in laying out coffee particulars. It’s usually best to let them work i...
Property taxes remain a hot topic in Colorado and rightly so. During COVID, economists expected home values to fall as the economy experienced a sharp recession. So in 2020, the legislature asked voters to eliminate a 40-year-old law that prevented property taxes from rising in unison with the value of that property. Voters agreed. Then something strange happened: the COVID recession was brief and instead of tanking, home prices soared because few homes were offered for sale. Without the 40-year-old Gallagher amendment to limit residential prop...
