TroubleXFour

Oh, they look sweet and innocent, alright. But put their sweaty little heads together, and they're a "mite-y" force to be reckoned with! (Three Remote Western mites and one mini-mite after a hard hockey practice.) Go team!

A sad day

On a recent post, I mentioned the importance of dogs in A Remote Western Town. One of my personal favorite canines is a fellow named Pete. (Pictured front, with his mate, Bella.)

Pete is a serious dog. None of that "lick your face, chase my tail" stuff for this guy, it's all business... until it comes to his human companion, Kara. Pete is completely devoted to her, and her wish is his command.

I confess. I've got a thing for border collies anyway, but this guy is special. Small, quick, athletic and smarter than three normal dogs put together, Pete was a natural ranch hand. If you ask Kara, she'd probably tell you that Pete was better than most human hands! He doesn't argue (much!), shows no fear, and is agile enough to avoid even the maddest heifer. He's also handsome, doesn't require more than a hug- Pete style-, a handful of food and a kind word for a hard day's work.

So it is with heavy sadness that I share the news of Pete's untimely death today. He lived a rich, short life and touched many hearts. He is buried on a hill overlooking his ranch and watching over his beloved Kara. Rest in peace, Pete. You've earned your keep.

The Storm hath cometh!

This is me... in none of my glory! It's 9 degrees outside, but with the wind chill, it's well below zero. It's the kind of cold that causes your nose hairs to instantly freeze when you breathe in, the kind of cold that burns your lungs and causes rosy cheeks for days after just a few minutes of exposure. Nasty cold!
Our place is on a ridge where the wind has swept for eons. Our lovely home now serves as a wind block, creating unusual and interesting drifts along the 3 miles of dirt road to the .2 mile drive way and around the house. Our trusty plow comes in handy for our sometimes six foot drifts, enabling our infrequent departures and the occasional propane delivery!

The happiest of holidays from A Remote Western Town

Merry Christmas to all, and to all... a good night.

Dogs in A Remote Western Town!

In A Remote Western Town, we love dogs! It almost seems like an unwritten requirement to have at least two, and those in the country typically have more!
The dogs of choice here fall into three categories:
Sporting dogs
Working (herding) dogs
???
In the sporting category, retrievers rule. Labradors of all shapes, sizes and lineage make up a good deal of the "Town Dog" population, as these dogs tend to be well suited for life with kids and a variety of weather conditions. They are energetic and friendly.
A few spaniels and other water dogs make up the rest of the retriever group here.
In the herding dog category, border collies are top dog. These dogs are typically serious dogs, very smart and energetic, but also well suited for families. Border collies are very agile, bred for dodging hoofs that want to stomp them, and do very well with cattle and sheep.
Heelers are also popular with cattle folk, though their dispositions can border on the mean and cranky. They are well suited for managing cattle.
Other working dogs include sheep dogs (Old English, Akbash, Great Pyrenees, shepards), and a few odds and ends rotties, mastiffs and St. Bernards.
The rest of the dogs around these parts fall into the "what IS that dog???" category. Some of these include odd mixes (like a beagle and border collie), rescued and found dogs, and dogs whose lineage is "prized cattle dog and sneaky mongrel intruder who will be shot on site next time".
In A Remote Western Town, we really have no use for "foo-foo" dogs. Though there are a few scattered around, the thought is, "If they're not useful, why bother?"
Regardless of your choice of dog, we love our companion animals in A Remote Western Town!

The Coming Storm

It's December, and time for winter to fully arrive. Out here in A Remote Western Town, winter is typically difficult, cold and long.

This year, the weather has been kind. Trick or Treating without snow was a delight. A late November horseback ride was a welcome addition. But now that it's December, it's time for snow and the quiet solace of winter.

While the weather has been kind, simple economics has not. The price of beef is down. High paying oil and gas jobs are disappearing with recent price drops, and the lay offs, lower home prices and general economic fears are impacting A Remote Western Town. We're isolated geographically, but not economically. This season may prove a difficult one indeed.

Preparing for Winter

November is quickly coming to a close in A Remote Western Town. Autumn has been kind to most of us this season, and for that, we are grateful. We have yet to receive the stinging snow- the kind that feels like tiny barbs driving into your exposed skin, and the wind has been mild. "Unseasonably warm" is what the weatherfolks are calling it, "a reprieve" is our name for it.

We prepared for winter all summer long. Hay sits in fat bales awaiting snowy winter dispersals to hungry heifers. Wood is chopped, dried and bundled outside remote farm houses and homes in town alike, and pantries are full of the canned and dried goods that will sustain us throughout the winter.

Mule deer have begun to come out of the hills and many of their bodies are unfortunately feeding huge ravens along the busy roadsides wherein they perished.

We've prepared our vehicles for winter, too. Snow tires, heavy weight wiper blades, engine block warmers, bins full of warm gear, water and dried foods have been installed in anticipation of the cold. We are warned to keep at least half a tank of gas at all times, and to stay in the vehicle in the event of a serious slide off. Most of us take heed, and hope we never have to use that wisdom.

Welcome to A Remote Western Town!

Hello Friends. Welcome to A Remote Western Town.

A Remote Western Town chronicles life in- simply put- a remote western American town. This blog does not support nor oppose any cause, does not serve to judge anyone, and does not romanticize nor insult the American West. It merely attempts to present objectively, life in a remote western town.

To give you some background on A Remote Western Town (population 2,000), I’ll start with the landscape. The elevation is roughly 7,200 feet above sea level. It is a high plains desert, where sagebrush clings to unwelcoming soil in the shadow of 12,000 foot mountain peaks. A Remote Western Town is over 100 miles from the nearest freeway and rail system, and nearly that far to the closest hospital. This is a place where the wind and cold have swept for eons, where inhabitants must rely on one another, and where cattle is king. Formidable. Inhospitable. Beautiful. Remote.