Jefferson grinned. “You strike me as a ‘glass half-empty’ kind of guy, sir,” he said. “I’m a ‘the glass is half-empty and filled with poison’ kind of guy, actually,” Wilson said. – John Scalzi, The Human Division
Month: May 2014
Grazing & Grouse
Jim and I have noticed that sage grouse broods seem to be larger, and do better, in pastures where our sheep are grazing. Our observations are anecdotal of course, but we figure there are a couple of reasons why grouse do well with livestock grazing. The presence of our guardian animals (both guardian dogs …
Observation
John Davila, one of my oldest NM friends, is an unreconstructed Catron county rancher, an unconventional soul who used to raise game chickens in the old days, not to mention cattle and stranger things. I bet he likes the quote from a distant relative, 20th century philosopher Nicolas Gomez Davila, courtesy of David Zincavage’s Never …
Recent Arrivals
I saw our first lazuli bunting of the season yesterday and our first broad-tailed hummingbirds arrived last Sunday (these are recycled pictures, not the actual arrivers). So maybe we will have summer this year after all. Of course they are predicting a foot of snow for Sunday.
I Quote Myself
Grouchily, from 2006, on the then- proposed coursing ban in CA. I may or may not elaborate…but I would not take back a word. Nor is its relevance particularly narrow. “Calfornia and the current government of the UK are in the lead of the west’s trying to ban death, injury, history, tragedy, and hurt feelings. …
Local Color
Bar owner Darryl Pettis, new mayor Diego Montoya, and some library donations from Darryl — because I can, and because I support both. (I am on the library board). Not a secret, but I bet Libby and I are the only Magdalenians who have been there other than her: Diego’s mother came from Waltham, Mass. …
Found Poem
Recently there has been a small revival of the odd early twentieth century writer Robert Chambers, especially his “King in Yellow” a sort of pre- Lovecraft, atmospheric, semi- horror tale with a fin- de- siecle air about it– think old Howard crossed with Beardsley or Wilde, though not as good. I saw a battered copy …
Branding at Deep Springs
Ranching is not just some archaic way of life practiced only by Neanderthal reactionaries, as some urban columnists have recently implied. The unique and innovative Deep Springs College is also a working cattle ranch, and always has been one. In a splendid photo essay, Jack Frishman captures the spring gathering and branding.
Wendy Glenn
I don’t have a lot of facts at my fingertips about Wendy, and those who loved her have better things to do than run them down for me today. I don’t need them, really. Wendy was the organizing half of one of the most perfect teams I have ever known. She took care of the …
Wendy Glenn, 1940- 2014, RIP
I will have a lot more to say tomorrow. Wendy and Warner Glen, with unfailing humor and hard work, run– ran?– a model ranch in SE Arizona, and by force of personality they have forged unlikely bonds between ranchers and conservation groups. Wendy was the voice of not just the Malpai Borderlands, but for all …