Pat & Sharon O'Toole: Hard Winter

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Icicles
Home Ranch

It has turned into a Hard Winter. Not one for the ages. Not one we'll tell our grandkids about. But still, truly hard winter with lots of snow, real real cold temperatures, and plenty of speculation about the truthfulness of the Ground Hog (no shadow--early spring). I was trying to convince Siobhan, 6, that the Ground Hog is a myth (while not disillusioning her about Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy). We'll deal with the Easter Bunny when the time comes.

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Branding the new cows
Home Ranch

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Winter horses
Home Ranch

In the spirit of optimism, we bought some cows. The sheep on the Red Desert continue in their hardiness, as do the herders who tend them.

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Modesto and Pat
Cyclone Rim, Red Desert

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Modesto's horses
Cyclone Rim, Red Desert

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Antelope in Chain Lakes
Wyoming Game and Fish Department
Critical winter habitat
photo by Pat O'Toole

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Salomon heading in
Chain Lakes, Red Desert

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Sheep on Chain Lakes

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Dunkin (of blog fame), Dot (of National Geographic fame) and guard dog pup
Multi-species representation
Chain Lakes, Salomon's camp

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Wild horses
Red Desert

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Sunset on the way home
off Wyoming 789
photos by Sharon O'Toole

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About Pat & Sharon O'Toole

Pat and Sharon O’Toole are ranchers in the Little Snake River Valley near Savery, Wyoming, right on the Colorado-Wyoming border. They raise cattle, sheep, horses, dogs and children. Pat “immigrated” from Florida in 1970. He attended Colorado State University, where he met Sharon when both worked for the campus newspaper. Sharon grew up on their ranch, where they live and work with her father, their daughter, son and granddaughter (soon to be grandchildren!). Pat is a “water buffalo” and has served in the Wyoming House of Representatives (1986-1992), on the President’s Western Water Policy Review Advisory Commission, and is the current President of the Family Farm Alliance, which advocates for farmers, ranchers and irrigators. Sharon is an author, poet and journalist. She writes extensively on Western issues and is a columnist for “The Shepherd” magazine. Pat and Sharon are the parents of three children: Meghan, 27; Bridget, 26; and Eamon, 20.

Pat & Sharon O'Toole

Hard Winter

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