When Harney County helped the war effort.

This story was published August 7, 1942 Burns Times-Herald

Lamb Barbecue Draws 216 to Fish Lake!

Prior to the enactment of the Taylor Grazing Act in 1934, sheep were a ubiquitous sight on Steens Mountain in Harney County, Oregon. The ensuing years brought a drop-off in numbers, however, sheep continued to remain popular with the local stock-raising community. In 1942, a group of Harney County sheepmen sponsored a community lamb barbecue in support of the county war bonds effort.

The view from the Steens Mountains.

“The sheepman-sponsored lamb barbecue Sunday atop Steens Mountain drew a counted 216 Harney County men, women and children to Fish Lake and sold 67 war bonds to start Harney County toward its monthly quota.

The picnicking guests of the sheepmen devoured four Alex Geokan-barbecued lambs as well as a huge supply of cold slaw, spaghetti, a specialty prepared Geokan bordelaise sauce, and ice cream.
They danced on a newly erected 14 x 24-foot open air dance pavilion to donated music from Warren Watson’s Crane orchestra, aided by a piano moved up the mountain from Frenchglen school house.
They heard brief addresses from Mr. Geokan and Ray Voegtly and the thoroughly enjoyed Ruby Hershey and Beverley Powell, Burns girls who appeared in attractive new uniforms for a baton drill and dancing acts.
Contributing lambs, dinner supplies and effort to the barbecue were Ebar brothers, Bill Griffith, Billy Barry, Dennis Herilhy and Mr. Geokan. Helping in the serving were Mrs. Harry Z. Smith, Mrs. Neil Smith, Burns McGowan and Charles Schroeder.”

Thanks to the Claire McGill Luce Western History Room at the Harney County Museum in Burns, Oregon for some of the pictures and the story.

I you want to hear more about Harney County Cowboys, check out my anthology set n Harney County Oregon.
Harney County Cowboys-Three Book Set

Tied To A Dream

No more cowboys…
Or western knights-in-shining-armor…
Not even the Marlboro Man himself!

Being alone has taught Frannie to be self-sufficient, but being Superwoman is harder than it looks.

She’s pulling an all-night drive to reach her next rodeo. It’s past midnight on a lonely mountain road, and if she doesn’t catch a few winks, there’s a better than average chance she’ll run her rig into the river.

Dreams of winning barrel races are interrupted when a stranger knocks on her truck's window. He’s a cowboy by the looks of his black Stetson and tight Wranglers. But what’s the man doing out here?

His deep blue eyes and sexy smile have her reaching for the door handle when her brain finally takes control. Her mama taught her manners, and her daddy taught her to be tough. But, her brother and her ex pounded home the fact that not everyone is trustworthy.

His offer of aid is tempting.

She knows being safe is better than sorry, but he’d helped her earlier at the rodeo, and sometimes a cowgirl has to go with her gut.

You’ll love this contemporary rodeo romance, because love isn’t always blind.

Dancing Creek Ranch

She couldn’t leave the idiot there to die.
But what was she going to do with a half-frozen cowboy?

Dancing Creek Bar manager, Catherine Silvera, stared at the waterlogged, unconscious man sleeping in the only vehicle left in the parking lot. His Stetson was crushed beneath his head. Did she know him?

At three a.m. the other employees and patrons were gone. Her first inclination was to leave him to sober up. But the temperature was dropping faster than Wiley Coyote’s anvil. Her second thought was to call the sheriff.

Her hand hovered over the cell phone.
Wait! She recognized the cowboy.
This man had helped her years ago, when she couldn’t help herself.

The smell of liquor filled the interior of the truck. Drunks were above her pay grade, but she owed him. It would only take a few minutes to repay his kindness then make tracks like a coyote-shy rabbit with hot breath on her tail.

You’ll love this contemporary rodeo romance because sometimes old dogs do learn new tricks.

Rocky Road Home 

That wasn’t a cowboy!
So why was she still checking him out?

The rumble of the Harley drowned out the radio in her truck. George Straight sang about Amarillo and she just stared. The light seemed to stay red forever, or maybe time had stopped. Why didn’t the pony tail and leather jacket bother her? Maybe it was the cheekbones?

He turned his head. The chiseled chin pointed right at her and paused. Sissy flashed her best smile, wondered if her hair was a mess, and without even knowing why, switched on flirt mode. It was a mindset she stepped into when she wanted to make the cowboys fall in love with her.

Nothing!
He didn’t nod.
He didn’t speak.

She wondered if he winked but couldn’t tell behind his sunglasses.

The light turned green and the thundering horses of his hog took him away. Even though he’d gone, she remained in the moment. She didn’t hit the gas. She just kept thinking to herself, who was that man? And why would she care? She liked cowboys.

He was definitely not her type.
A car honked.
And time started again, but would she ever be the same?
Her story would soon begin in a way she never imagined possible.

You’ll love this contemporary western romance because not everyone is what they seem to be.