Month: June 2011
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Dr. Val Farmer: A Professional Who Knows
Many people think living on a farm or ranch sounds romantic but there are stresses that are unique to the farming and ranching lifestyle that families commonly struggle with. I have always been a Val Farmer fan because he specializes in rural mental health issues that families in agriculture commonly experience. He shares his insights and…
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Prairie Berry Winery: A Black Hills Attraction for Adults
I’m more of a steak and beer chick but if there’s an opportunity to sample and learn about other varieties of alcohol for free I’m no dummy, I’m going to call up a friend or two, enjoy a little wine tasting, and eat lunch there. A frugal knows a good deal when she finds one….
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Signs of Summer
After a long Black Hills South Dakota winter, the thought of spring seems like a dream and summer an illusion. Too many times we’ve been fooled by wonderful spring weather only to get clobbered by a late spring snowstorm to remind us that Mother Nature’s in charge of when it’s spring and summer. That’s why…
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Our Annual Family Picnic
When we move our cows to summer range every June, I pack a picnic lunch for our family to enjoy afterwards. It’s made the annual cow-moving trek a family tradition. Sadly, we rarely have picnics, which I need to change. When our kids were younger, the thought of food (mostly a can of pop and…
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What I’ve Learned About My Husband
My husband and I recently celebrated our wedding anniversary. After sixteen years, I’ve discovered a few things about him and marriage in general. Namely, that I started out married to a perfect stranger. The following are ten things I’ve learned about my spouse in sixteen years. Do not, under any circumstances, wake him up even…
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The .25 Room
I’m going to talk about a topic that may make some of you uncomfortable. It’s a subject that’s not normally discussed in public but is a fact of life. The bathroom. We ranch, therefore my family and I live in an old house with old updates, and is the reason why our home is paid…
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A Lovely Little Collection From Nature
The first time I found a heart-shaped rock (the biggest one pictured) was when I was cleaning up around our yard. I was sure it had to be lucky because it was perfectly heart-shaped and I’d never seen one before. I’ve always had a thing for heart-shaped objects, especially ones nature created. I considered the…
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Going Out To Pasture
Moving cows to summer range is my favorite day of the year. It’s better than Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. I don’t go to bed regretting eating too much like I do with the other holidays and moving cows onto Forest Service takes place in the summer not in the middle of winter….