Collective for Cowboy

Irene's way was considered, by the cowboys she found in bars, to be both illiterate and effete.

From the Kitchen Window

From here to Idaho vast empty white miles of snow— my coffee, black.

Book Club Goes off the Rails

The seven magpies in the willow thicket reminded Harry of the West Washington Creek Book Coterie. (Harry had some hesitation in calling the group a "Book Club," the reason for which will become obvious, presently.) The difference between the magpies and the coterie was that the magpies were not regularly emptying and filling water glasses … Continue reading Book Club Goes off the Rails →

“That’s North, That’s Montana,” She Said.

In the early afternoon on Monday of the third week, Jordan Wilmerton rode up beside the wagon and said, “Well, Amanda, you are headed back to the States now.” “The States are East, Mr. Wilmerton,” she grinned at him. “That’s North. That’s Montana.” Montana had been a destination now for nearly a month. Montana, and … Continue reading “That’s North, That’s Montana,” She Said. →

A Neighbor, a Bull, Some Purebred Cows, and a Dilapidated Fence.

This morning Archie Dwiddlen was retrospecting about some of our old neighbors. It seems Alden and Issac were neighbors with a fence between them. There was a some confusion about who should maintain the fence. Alden was pretty sure it was Issac’s potion of the fence that Alden’s mongrel angus bull was sneaking through to … Continue reading A Neighbor, a Bull, Some Purebred Cows, and a Dilapidated Fence. →

In Montana People Do Not Use “Fickle” to Describe the Weather

Spring has fuddled off into mountains bleared with late April blizzard. Prompted and brought to you by "Vague"

The History Club Plans a Field Trip

Twenty-first century Americans often forget just how shallow, historically speaking, our tenure in these plains, river valleys, and mountains is. We speak of our land, our home, our way of life, forgetting that this land was home to people long before our grandfathers came looking for furs and gold. We forget that these people had … Continue reading The History Club Plans a Field Trip →