Stray Thoughts: Perfect

Did I listen loud enough...so that you knew I heard, or hear just what I wanted to, and ignore your every word? Did I see you as you see you, or see you as part of me? Did I help you reach your dreams and let you be who you could be? I hope I saw you as you might...

Dear Moms, I See You

This has been an exhausting year for moms. Last spring, we had no idea we would still be dealing with this pandemic a year later.

Little Pasture on the Prairie

I met Mason in college. He was athletic, charming, and played bass in the coolest band on campus. I didn’t know him well, but I liked him. Everyone did. One night at a loud, crowded house party, we ended up in a small group talking about music.

Stray Thoughts: Baby Cow Therapy

We live in anxious and confusing times. What we know and trust is changing at a pace we could scarcely have imagined, and much of it not for the better. But do you know who is unconcerned by the breakneck pace of change in the world? Baby cows.

LETTER

I want to take this time to finally be able to thank everyone for their support, kind words, cards, and gifts that I received since my retirement announcement on March 2 and last day of working for the Corson County Sheriff’s Office on March 12.

Thoughts on a rural podcast and my rock wall

If you want to hear people talk about what a great place this is to live, work and raise a family - try a podcast called The Rural Revolution. The hosts, Brodie Mueller and Carly Pochop, record in Aberdeen. He owns and operates Dakota Territory Brewing Company.

Stray Thoughts: The Person for You

One of the toughest parts about sending children out alone into this world, especially now, is that they are from that moment on more or less independent, untethered, and essentially alone.

Little Pasture on the Prairie

Spring is the time for babies on a ranch. A dry, warm spring may find us worrying about drought, but the absence of spring storms means less bottle babies as the bonding process between mother and newborn is uninterrupted by foul weather. Even on the best year though, things will go wrong.

Little Pasture on the Prairie

On a beautiful autumn day years ago, I accidentally came home from a visit to a neighboring ranch with two new barn kittens: Nando, a male with the fluffy orange neck muff of a lion, and his sister Esme, black as coal, with white tufted ears.

Stray Thoughts: Winter Confusion

The snowdrifts in the yard are gone the grass creeps up at last the geese return in noisy flight winter, it seems, has passed But I can’t help but wonder watching on the evening news did winter get the message or is winter just confused?