Pat & Sharon O'Toole

It is time for the annual Family Farm Alliance (www.familyfarmalliance.org) meeting in Las Vegas. We are going to dig out from under the snow drift and head down to 70 degree weather.
Maybe it will be spring when we return in a few days!

Siren Call

Whirl and tumble
Clatter, rumble,
Snap and flash.
Thunder’s crash.

Surround sound
All that’s found.
No peace, no still,
Sought after thrill.

The noise amazes,
Emblazes, crazes.
Constant jingle,
Fingers tingle.

Painted skies,
No sunrise.
No breeze, no gloom,
All air consumed.

Volcanoes glowing,
Fountains blowing.
Towers gleaming,
Searchlights beaming.

Pimps imploring,
Come exploring.
Bodies shaking,
Taking, breaking

Hearts which quest
For love, at best.
Or lust, at least
Offers the feast.

The desert sky
Would burn one dry.
If seekers fail
To grasp the grail

Of instant wealth,
To mask the health,
Of soul, of heart,
A brand-new start.

Find God and pray,
Renaissance day.
Hope burns bright,
Las Vegas night.

Posted by Sharon O'Toole at 12:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Didi working sheep
Home Ranch
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Four wire winter
Mouse Pasture, Home Ranch
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Truck, expensive hay, snow
Home Ranch
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Guard dogs moving to a new job
Home Ranch
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Mr. Chips, Antonio, and ewe lambs
Cow Pasture, Home Ranch
photo by Pat O'Toole

"What folks in Wyoming want is weather they can talk about." My dentist had both hands in my mouth when he expressed this opinion. I was speechless, but I agreed. This winter has well and truly given us denizons of Wyoming weather we can talk about.

Earlier this week, Pat was trying to get to our sheep, and sheepherders, north of I80 with feed and supplies, but the roads were closed two days in a row. It wouldn't have helped if he had gone, because the sheep had "blown out" and walked many miles before the wind. In this situation, we tell the herders to stay safe and find the sheep when the storm is over.

The photos above show the deep drifts here at the Home Ranch, where the mountains collect, well, mountains of snow. The photos below show conditions on the Red Desert. We finally had a day when we checked the road report and it said "icy conditions, blowing snow," and we said "All right. We can do that!" Weather we can talk about indeed.

Sheep in blowing snow
Red Desert
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Antelope south of Creston Junction
Sweetwater County, Wyoming
photo by Pat O'Toole

Modesto near Cyclone Rim
Red Desert, Sweetwater County, Wyoming
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Modesto a'horseback
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Modesto bundled up
photo by Pat O'Toole

Oscar
Red Desert
photo by Pat O'Toole

Horse, wagon and supply wagon
Red Desert
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Frozen drift
Red Desert
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Posted by Sharon O'Toole at 5:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Action at the Pioneer Bar
Elko, Nevada
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Pat, Dad and I are in the recovery mode from four days at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Poetry and music are still ringing in my ears. In spite of the fact that it was cold and snowy in Elko, the weather was still balmy compared to home, so we considered ourselves snowbirds, relatively speaking.

The highlight of this year's Gathering, in my opinion at least, was the Wyoming Party. Each year, a different state hosts a party for its natives. For non-natives to get in, they must lie and know the name of one town in that state, which they can claim (photo ID not required).

We brought leg of lamb and cooked it in our award-winning style--boned, butterflied, marinated and grilled. It is award winning because it won first place several years running at our local Labor Day picnic. One year our lamb beat that cooked by my Mom and her equally experienced friends, Norma and Jean. Mom and I were close, but I don't think she ever quite forgave us. Thanks to the folks who brought their home grill for us to use.

Pat and Sharon at the grill
Elko

WFC's Darcy Minter sampling lamb
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Nevada poet Robin Boies sampling lamb
(she has a second home in Savery, Wyoming)
photo by Sharon O'Toole

In addition to great entertainment and great lamb, a wonderful part of the Gathering is seeing old friends, and of course, making new ones.

Tuda Crews and George
photo by Sharon O'Toole

George, Colorado poet Vess Quinlan and Pat
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Rick & Heather Knight and Gary Paul Nabhan
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Poet and yodeler Bridgid and her dad
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Ian Tyson and George
photo by Sharon O'Toole

George, Vess and Ramblin' Jack Elliot
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Pat, George and Paul Zarzyski
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Tuda Crews and Wyoming poet Georgie Sicking

Posted by Sharon O'Toole at 2:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)