Before I submitted my first column, before I ever even thought of publishing a book, back when the only writing I’d done was in private journals and song lyrics, I adopted two orphan lambs and …

A musician I used to tour with once introduced me by saying, “She writes quiet songs in a loud time. I think we need more quiet songs.” I remember being surprised–it was like catching sight of myself in a mirror I thought was a window, and I didn’t recognize myself at first. I’ve thought a lot about the comment over the intervening years, marveling at what an interesting thing that was to say, and also wondering if it is true. I have done more than a decade of creative work since then …

We made it! This week, we officially crossed over from winter into spring, a rite of pas sage that’s always worth celebrating. And while that passage means dif ferent things in different parts …

I woke up the other night from a dream that seemed so import ant I couldn’t go back to sleep. “I have to remember this,” I told myself. Usually, my dreams fade before morning. …

I’ve been feeling a lot of nostalgia lately. My kids are suddenly helpful and independent so much of the time that parenting abruptly feels like a totally different job. It is utterly delight …

My daughter’s birth day is a week before Christmas, which she loves. “I get twice as many presents!” she of ten reminds her broth er, who has to wait until June to get a sec ond …

Last week marked my tenth wedding anniver sary to the Man of the Ranch. As is our cus tom with momentous occasions, we celebrat ed by staying home, doing our chores, and since it also happened to …

Those of us who dwell west of the Missouri and east of the Rocky Mountains know something about wind I’d wager the rest of you don’t. That’s a bold statement, I know, and I’m …

Every year I think about planting tulip and daffodil bulbs. Some years, I remem ber to buy the bulbs, most years I don’t. And only twice have the bulbs I miraculously remembered to buy and …

This year, we’ve had a few cold, gray days, but for the most part it has been warm and sunny. I keep telling the kids we need to get outside and enjoy the last of the fine weather, but as balmy …

I’m sitting at my writ ing desk staring at the screen. I’ve been sitting here for a while. I was sitting here yesterday, and the day before, too, wondering what to write. I’d …

I sat down to work on my column yesterday, and wrote the following sentence: “I wonder if this is the most beau tiful October of my life so far, or I’m just getting better at ap …

Enough rain fell this spring to green the grass through the first half of summer. The young lambs and calves frolicked while the mamas happily grazed. People harvested their first crop of hay. …

Eight years ago, I was eight months pregnant, and inundated by too many young roosters, I decided something needed to be done. I was learning quickly what happens if you wait too long to deal with an …

We’ve spent the better part of the last few weeks under ‘red flag’ warnings. High winds, high temperatures, grass and ground as dry as old bones are a recipe for prairie fires. With …

As the tagline for my new book states, "My little pasture on the prairie started out as a borrowed strip of land at the end of a street in Bison, SD..." Thinking it would be fun to play …