MY STORY

My photo
Photo circa 1947, I always wanted to be a cowboy! Whether working for a short time on the historic Hansen Ranch in Jackson Hole as a young man, just out of the service, to working the stock at the Jackson Rodeo, it nurtured in me a love of the American Cowboy. From my home in Dubois,Wyoming. I look forward each spring to roundup time with my good Friend, John Sides. On his 20,000 acre cattle ranch in South Dakota, each year we relive what ranchers and cowboys have done since cattle were introduced to the west. Little has changed in a hundred years and the experience and camaraderie is all cowboy. The period of 1820 to 1880 on the western plains was the most colorful in American history. Unfortunately, I was born too late to experience it first hand.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Hi Folks, It has been about 2 months since I have had access to my computer to keep up with what is goin on. I sold two out of three of those paintings I posted last time. Right after the Cincinnati Nature Center Show we headed to Smythwick, South Dakota to do some roundups and branding along with some good western eating and hospitality after the roundups. It just didn't work out that way since it rained and rained and rained. The corrals were so muddy we thought we might lose a calf or even a cowboy if we tried forcing a branding. So Kathy and I did some real cowboy work of cleaning out the barn and just checking on the calves to see that they had their heads above water.


After a couple of days with no dry weather in sight we headed for our home in Wyoming and some good times painting and hiking. There was the annual Antler Rendezvous the 2nd week in May and also the annual pack horse races the following week in Dubois. Even though it was still a little cool they both were well attended and it made for a real western welcome.

We were able to get in some nice hiking including horsecreek where we saw these Elk.

Elk and antelope were everywhere this spring. Maybe the wolves are keeping them at a lower altitude and we are seeing more of them like these ladies with their calves. While hiking up near the Wiggins Fork of the Wind River I took a pictue of kathy and didn't notice until I was posting this blog there is an antelope grazing on the hillside behind her. We were a little nervous about bears in that area and we thought we were keeping a watchful eye, I am glad the antelope was not a bear.

My long time friend Bill Brady was visiting so we had to go to Yellowstone only 70 miles west of our home. We saw lots of Buffalo and a beautiful snow covered parting shot of Mt. Moran.

Now if you think I saved no time for painting you would be wrong because I was able to squeeze out a few miniatures 6x8 and a couple of larger Indian portraits. I did a nice little buffalo painting but in my rush forgot to get picture of it and it has been sent off to the Wind River Artist Guild Show.
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