Solitude on the land is my solace of fall….
Every year this time I find myself reflecting on the harvest of summer as the seasons change and once again, silence falls like a veil of dignity on the land as it rests..
I love it as I love the quiet…the solitude of silence. I love walking out into God’s beautiful world. The land sleeps and yet when I walk it I can hear the stories of summer…stories of harvest and the history of family.
I grew up in a world of silence a third of the year, living on a remote cattle ranch in the mountains, without electricity, telephone, TV or even radio…the hectic life of the world disappeared and a new world of solitude became my life on the ranch. My world and daily life was my parents, our horses, the cattle and our cow dogs.
Life was simple. Get up. Go catch the horses, saddle up horses with Dad while Mom packed lunches into the saddle bags for us…follow Dad out of cow camp into the frosty meadow and head up Coleman Ridge…which was a mountain with a mountainous trail that we rode up…about half way up Coleman the trail disappeared. We had to pick a way to get to the top so we just zigzagged up the ridge breaking over into either the direction of Bear Creek or head off in the direction of Young Camp depending on which pastures we planned to gather and check.
If Dad chose for us to go towards Young Camp and on towards Jordan Creek, we rode a few more miles to get to Young Camp and then we rode over another ridge from Young Camp that dropped us into the Upper Jordan area. Riding down the ridge of Upper Jordan Creek, you got off your horse leading the way down the ridge to the bottom as it was steep with heavy under brush, loose rocks, rock walls and logs…you took it slow and easy zigzagging your way over logs and brush. If you ran into cattle, you shooed the cows out of the brush and pushed them along in front of you trying to get to the bottom. Once you hit the bottom, you stopped for them to get a drink, while keeping an eye on them in case one decided to make a mad dash, as usually there was always one that did. As soon as you could you drove them on up another ridge into Whiskey Creek or if you steered them a bit different into Brown Miller and Elk Mountain country.
After we got them settled for the night, we turned back towards home, cow camp, where Mom kept the home fires burning…we would get in just about dark and in time for dinner. Dad would say “We rode about 35 miles today Marcy, you did a good job with the cows, taking it slow.” After dinner and a couple of card games of double solitaire with Mom, I usually hit the hay as I knew we would be up early, saddling horses and heading out once again to check on more cattle to be sure they had plenty of water and good feed. Never a dull moment on a cattle ranch as each day was a new adventure filled with good memories:)
Life was simple. It was quiet and peaceful…solitude…I learned to survive being alone…doing without worldly stuff and things…one depended more on God and the incredible beauty of His sky…His land…His weather…His animals…and you expected less. Life was good. I miss it….I miss it a lot.
Stay tuned as I am working on my next Pendleton Round Up post:)
Hot Rod Cowgirl 
Oct 04, 2013 @ 03:44:54
As someone who grew up spur rounded by cement and traffic, I am totally jealous! Thank you for sharing these gorgeous images. 🙂
LikeLike
Oct 04, 2013 @ 03:45:24
**surrounded 🙂
LikeLike
Oct 04, 2013 @ 08:13:22
LOL:) I do the same thing and then find myself editing:) Thank you so much for dropping by my blog:)
LikeLike
Oct 04, 2013 @ 08:12:42
Thank you so much:) I hope that someday you can come see the rodeo and enjoy a bit of the old western spirit! Whenever I go to a large populated city, I feel totally stupid with all the traffic rushing by and all the people…but the shopping is great:)
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 18:50:12
Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford and commented:
AUTUMNAL WINDS AND PEACE ON THE PRAIRIE.
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 19:12:12
Thank you so much:) I truly appreciate your support:)
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 19:39:06
ORT-ORT-ORT-ORT!!!!!
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 15:39:42
Your photos make me weep with gratitude, they’re so beautiful … and your words and reflections are the perfect accompaniment.
How I wish I could saddle up for a day’s worth of riding with you, Marcy. We might miss a cow or two, a-gabbing we’d be 🙂
MJ
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 19:16:30
Oh MJ your words make me choke up…how kind you are and supportive:) Thank you my friend…I do believe you are right on…we would ride miles together and have fun and talk forever:) For once I would have a gf to talk to…and one that is like a sister to me:)
LikeLike
Oct 02, 2013 @ 03:52:11
I’d love it! The horses might get tired of our banter, though 🙂 Hugs to you, gf!
MJ
LikeLike
Oct 02, 2013 @ 19:44:01
:):):)
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 06:05:38
I could stare at those views for days/months if I was there in person AMAZING
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 07:31:29
Thank you:) I agree as I love staring at the ever changing landscape:)
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 05:07:22
Another beautiful post about the most beautiful place you are lucky enough to call “home” !!
Hugs, Pam and Sam
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 08:14:21
Thank you:) I love sharing it with you:) Huggies and a Kitty Rub to Sam!
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 04:05:01
What a wonderful treasure, living under the sky with horses, cattle and family. These posts are leasing no eyes dry… 🙂
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 11:41:31
🙂 Thank you so much for your encouraging words:)
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 03:03:51
So beautifully written about the autumn, and the days gone. Beautiful pictures. Love the tipis too.
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 11:42:12
Thank you as always for your support and encouragement:)
LikeLike
Sep 30, 2013 @ 23:40:55
Great post, love the picture of your mom and dad, what a lovely way to grow up
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 11:49:02
Thank you:)It is one of my favorite pictures of my parents too.It was amazing to have grown up in such a different way. I figured everyone else was living this same way…as I got older I was able to see the incredible blessing it was to have the experiences that I had…and the memories. My parents were the best…they taught me so much by action more than words…growing up I saw how Mom supported Dad and how he loved Mom…of course like all families they had their occasional spat but they also worked out any disagreement in a civil way. I never heard yelling growing up and honesty was normal. When I first knew my hubby WB I believed everything silly thing he said, he was and still is a great teaser, and I did not know how to tell if he was being truthful of pulling my leg…he had a lot of fun!
LikeLike
Oct 01, 2013 @ 23:28:26
You can almost see and feel there whole relationship in that photo it’s a really great picture and so much more than a moment captured, lol my wife Lynne always falls for my jokes and believes ever thing I say even after 17 years
LikeLike
Oct 02, 2013 @ 19:43:31
Yes, you hit it right on:) Now when my hubby says something that sounds like he is teasing or making it up, I usually roll my eyes at him and say yeah right…there have been a few times he was telling me the truth…but yeah I used to believe him all the time too, we have 20 years a head of you…give Lynne a few more years:)
LikeLike
Sep 30, 2013 @ 20:34:56
These photos are like a series of postcards. Really beautiful and full of emotion.
LikeLike
Sep 30, 2013 @ 22:33:21
Thank you so much:) Yes, much emotion here…
LikeLike
Sep 30, 2013 @ 18:20:37
This is the best time of the year everywhere in temperate climates. From New England the the northwest, the lights are ON! I went and took pictures today too. It’s such a beautiful world out there … It always is, but it’s beautiful-er right now. Love your post. Always do!
LikeLike
Sep 30, 2013 @ 22:35:58
Yes yes yes it is very beautiful! We are so blessed to be able to capture our views and life through our cameras! And I agree that now is a special time for photographers to capture cool stuff:)
LikeLike
Sep 30, 2013 @ 17:49:57
Love your last paragraph with the observations and insights.
You were lucky to have such a childhood – more than rare now – and all those things seen, learned, and appreciated.
We didn’t have mountains – just red dirt and ravines and stupid cows that squeezed through the fences. There’s something to life without electricity, TV and running water that teaches what life is.
What a treasure.
Great post and pictures
LikeLike
Sep 30, 2013 @ 22:55:25
Thank you much:) So very true. Life is better without stuff. When WB and I first moved to the ranch in WY. we lived in a camp trailer, my pantry was our horse trailer for several months before the house was done…our stuff was here in OR. WB and I both noticed how much better relationships were as we did not have TV so we did more enriching things in the evenings and I had more time for my horses. Growing up was the same…my folks and I made many good memories. I was blessed to learn this lesson early in life. I do not need much…well maybe my camera:) And you have stories of growing up too…we both have treasures to share!
LikeLike