The End of an Era - The Ridge Ranch

This fall, we say goodbye to Ridge Ranch with the final book in the series: Loving Annie — Isaac and Annie’s story.

(Unless I write the origin story… which I still might.)

Readers met Isaac early on. He’s Conner’s best friend and once served as the corpsman for Conner’s Marine unit. He was also Cooper’s roommate, and in Redeeming Cooper, we saw that Isaac found his happily ever after… but how did he get there?

Over the next few months, I’d love to introduce you to Isaac and Annie in a deeper way — to share their hearts, their journey, and everything in between. It’s a story I still can’t get out of my head.

Let’s send off Ridge Ranch with love.

Meet Isaac
Isaac has been part of the Ridge Ranch family from the very beginning. He’s steady, selfless, and quietly devoted to those he loves.

But you haven’t seen the story behind his happily ever after.

Isaac never failed Annie. He loved her—always. Even when she married someone else. Even when she pushed him away. He left Maple Creek to protect his heart… but he never stopped carrying hers. He never forgot.

Years later, a snowstorm, a stranded SUV, and a brave young boy named Van bring them face to face again. Van is Annie’s son—and in an instant, Isaac sees the woman he never stopped loving… and the family he didn’t know he was missing.

In Loving Annie, Isaac must decide if he’s willing to reopen old wounds to find something even stronger: healing, hope, and a love that never really left.

Meet Annie
Reader’s have seen her from a distance. Isaac’s first love, the one who got away. But Annie was never just the girl who broke his heart.

She was surviving.

Married young to a man who didn’t love her the way she deserved, for reasons most wouldn’t understand, Annie spent years trying to make a broken life work. She lost herself in the process, gave up the one person who truly saw her.

Now a single mom doing her best to protect her son, Annie has rebuilt everything from the ground up. She’s strong, guarded, and more determined than ever to stand on her own.

But fate has other plans.

When a snowstorm, and a wreck bring her face to face with Isaac again, the past crashes into the present and the future she never thought she could have is suddenly right in front of her.

In Loving Annie, you’ll meet a woman who’s protective, honest, and finally ready to fight for the love she’s always wanted… even if it scares her to death.

Next month, we're going to have an opportunity to interview these two. I can't wait.

Writer's Block

    

The dreaded writer's block.

I used to think that writer's block wasn't a real thing. It was just an excuse not to write. Boy was I wrong!!! 

   I have been struggling to write for the past couple years. I have over seventy books started but can't seem to finish a book. I have four that are almost finished but every time I sit down to write my mind goes blank.  So frustrating!!!

    

  Too keep some of my creative brain going, I tinker and make book covers for all those books I have yet to write.

  There are many causes for writer's block.

        Perfectionism, self-doubt, fear of judgement, imposter syndrome, burnout, lack of inspiration, plot problems, lack of time, poor writing environment, digital overload, lack of routine, ADHD, and anxiety or depression. The list is vast.

  

   There can be the continuous feeling of uncertainty about your writing, the fear it won't be good enough, and the fear you're not original are always running around in your mind. Plotting and planning can be overwhelming, and your mind can shut down.

  I am a total Panster when I write. Most of the time I don't know what is going to happen in my book until the characters do it. I find it a fun way to write. I've made attempts at plotting. I use the Plotrr program and though it's a good program, I find the idea of planning out a story overwhelming. Then I shut down.

  A lot of the time I have too many ideas far too many different ideas for too many different books rolling around in my head and I can't grab an idea and run with it. Opening an unfinished book and staring at the pages trying to think of how to finish it is stressful. Then I shut down.

      

  How to get out of the writer's block slump?

     Just write. It may not be what you are intending to write. It might be terrible and nonsensical. Just put things down on paper. Set attainable goals. Instead of forcing yourself to write the best scene of your life, tell yourself to write 200 words.

     Talk with friends or fellow writers. Bounce ideas off of them and get feedback on what you have been struggling with. My cousin is my "creative advisor".

     Face and overcome your inner doubt. An author is their own worst critic. 

     Always remember that you aren't the only one that struggles to write. Each author has trouble keeping focused at times.

    Identify what is holding you back is the key. I discovered something called the neurodivergent author. I fall into that category. So I've been digging into that and ways to overcome. I even discovered dyslexic friendly fonts.

     

   Lately since I can't seem to finish a western romance, I decided to just write nonsensical things rolling around in my head. Writing is writing and I hope to get back to my romance books soon. Instead, I've been writing things outside of my genre and am enjoying the creative diversion.

   I was listening to Radio Classics and Nick Carter Private Detective came on. My brain ran off and I wondered what if Nick Carter was a woman? What if she was half vampire and a detective in the 1920's? So I played with the idea and came up with a few book ideas and started writing. It's been fun. Something completely out of my comfort bubble.

Just for fun book covers.

  During Hallmark season, I kicked around a Hallmark movie style Christmas story. I have a good start on it and it's coming along nicely. Will I actually finish it by Christmas? I intend to. I'm putting my fear of deadlines to the test and will push through my anxiety and get it done.

Happy writing to all!

Let's Shake On It ~ D. K. Deters

 

Recently, I wrote a scene for my work in progress (WIP) with characters shaking hands. While I had received several critiques, only one savvy reviewer flagged it to me. Specifically, I showed a woman shaking hands with a man in the mid 1800s, when, in reality, the handshake for women became widespread late in the 19th to early 20th century.

As it turns out, a wealth of information is available about the handshake.

How did the handshake start? In 1870, Harper’s Weekly states: “In early and barbarous times, when every savage or semi-savage was his own lawgiver, judge, soldier and policeman” two strangers would offer each other their right hand — “the hand alike of offense and defense” — in order “to show the hand was empty, and that neither war nor treachery was intended.”

Before handshakes, a woman might greet a man with a conservative nod or a curtsy. Through the years, the handshake evolved from a simple gesture to a social ritual with several rules of etiquette.

I’ll mention a couple of early guidelines. In a 1900 issue From The Delineator, How and When to Shake Hands: “When a man is introduced to a woman, she does not shake hands with him unless he is decidedly elderly or distinguished. If he is the husband or brother of the woman presenting him, it is natural to receive him cordially by shaking hands; but it is not good form to do so if he is a mere acquaintance.”

Also, from Lillian Eichler’s “Book of Etiquette” published in 1921: “The etiquette of handshaking is simple. A man has no right to take a lady's hand until it is offered. He has even less right to pinch or retain it. Two ladies shake hands gently and softly. A young lady gives her hand but does not shake a gentleman's unless she is his friend. A lady should always rise to give her hand; a gentleman, of course, never dares to do so seated.”

The times have certainly changed since then. Now that I’ve updated my WIP to show the characters politely nodding, I wonder what our ancestors would say about the handshake today.

Dr. Alida Avery - A Brief Look

 

A Brief Look at Dr. Alida C. Avery

 Post by Doris McCraw

aka Angela Raines

Photo (C) Doris McCraw

 Alida C. Avery

Dr. Avery arrived in Colorado in 1874, two years before the state was admitted to the Union. She located in Denver and set up a practice at 339 Twentieth Street, on the corner of Champa. According to the advertisement in the Daily Rocky Mountain News, Dated June 13, 1874, her office hours were from 10:00 to 12:00 and 3:00 to 5:00.

Alida Cornelia Avery was born June 11, 1833, in Sherburne, New York, to William and Hannah Avery. Her mother died in 1842 when Alida would have been around nine. It is said she taught school at sixteen, but in 1857, she began her medical studies at the Pennsylvania Medical College. She studied there for one year. She eventually attended the New England Medical College in Boston, where she received her MD in 1862.

In 1865, she joined the faculty of Vassar College as a professor and the resident physician. She remained there for nine years, at which time she left and moved to Colorado. The article in the Rocky Mountain News quotes the 'Poughkeepsie News' as saying that during her tenure, not a single death occurred among her pupils. The Rocky Mountain News article also states that she usually had around four hundred in her care at any one time.

Alida was also involved in the suffrage movement. When it appeared that Colorado would attain statehood, a Territorial Women's Suffrage Society was formed. On January 10, 1876, at a meeting in Denver, Alida C. Avery was elected president of this organization. She remained active in the movement throughout her years in Colorado and after moving to California in 1887.

Alida also strove to become part of the two medical societies established in Denver in the early years, but they did not discuss allowing women until 1877. Even then, they were still denied membership. By 1881, when Colorado started licensing physicians, that no longer held true.

Dr. Alida Avery died on September 22, 1908, in San Jose, California. Her obituary on ancestry reads as follows: San Jose, Sept 23 – Dr. Alida C. Avery, widely known as a physician and a woman suffragist, and for years prominent in the San Jose Woman's Club, died yesterday. She was a graduate of Vassar and later of the New England Female Medical College and the Boston University School of Medicine. Her property was lost in the 1906 San Francisco fire, and she died penniless at the age of 76. A brother, Dr. J. Dixon Avery of Pittsburgh, and a sister, Mrs. Harriet Bowen of Atchison, Kansas, survive her.

In 2020, Dr. Avery was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame.

This is a repost.

Until Next Time

Doris

When Everything You Wanted Is Nothing You Expected

Authors: Have you ever written a book that doesn't neatly fit in your catalog?

Readers: Have you ever stumbled upon one of these books and wondered what on earth the author was thinking?

All That Glitters is that outlier for me. I started my brand on cowboys and the Montana countryside. As I went along, I created categories for series that had faith themes, series that had lots of chemistry, and series with suspense but all of them were easily digestible.

When I got to All That Glitters, I screeched on the brakes. I knew the story I had crafted was too intense for most of my audience.

It addresses the issue of harassment and se+ual assault in the entertainment industry. A country star on his way up and a country star on her way down cross paths and the story unfolds.

To be clear, the threat is not from within the relationship, but even so, the characters are far from perfect.

Flaws, uncomfortable circumstances, and painful revelations led me to label this book sweet WITH GRIT.

I still call it sweet because there is no language and intimacy is fade to black, but I knew even fade to black would shock some of my readers. So why did I write it this way?

I wanted to explore what I think are the very complicated reasons this reality can exist right under our noses.

I wanted to highlight dreams, ambitions, brokenness, rejection of family values, greed, power and depravity. To bring these to light, I couldn't write characters who behave in the most pleasing, conservative ways.

Real life is complicated. People are gritty. Decisions made in a moment impact us for a lifetime. Everyone doesn't want to read a story like this, but some people do.

All That Glitters doesn't prescribe whether the reader should feel judgment or compassion, anger or grace, but hopefully by the time the Happily Ever After arrives, themes of resilience, forgiveness, and hope will be locked into your heart.

Is this one for you?
Check the blurb and the reviews.

All That Glitters
Cat ❤️ Billy

Outlaw John Wesley Hardin ~ Julie Lence

 Hubby & I married when he was an airman in the Air Force, assigned to Scott AFB in Illinois. Just before the wedding, he secured an apartment for us off base. Two doors down was another young, married couple. They were the 1^st people we met, and the husband introduced himself as, ‘John Wesley Hardin, like the outlaw’. I had never heard of John Wesley Hardin, but Wes and Sonya were wonderful neighbors, so nice and always willing to help. I wish we had kept in touch with them, but through military moves, we lost contact. I always remembered Wes’ introduction of himself and because of that, I introduce you to the John Wesley Hardin, the outlaw.

Born on May 26, 1853 in Bonham, Texas to Methodist preacher James Gibson Hardin and Mary Elizabeth Dixson, John Wesley was named after the founder of the Methodist denomination of the Christian Church. His childhood years, his father traveled the preaching circuit through central Texas before moving the family to Sumpter, where he established and taught school. John Wesley and his siblings attended, and in 1867, John Wesley and another boy engaged in a knife fight. The boy accused Hardin of scrawling a poem on the outside of the schoolhouse about a female classmate. Hardin denied the accusation and the two went at it, resulting in Hardin being expelled from school for having nearly killed the other boy.      

At age 15, John Wesley challenged his uncle’s former slave, Maje, to a wrestling match, which John Wesley won. According to his biography, the following day, Maje (Major Holshousen) ambushed him, to which Hardin shot him five times. He rode for help, hoping to save Maje, but Maje died three days later. With Texas now a Union occupied state, Hardin’s father was of the notion Hardin wouldn’t get a fair trial and told Hardin to go into hiding. He did, and weeks later, lawmen discovered his hiding place. Union soldiers were dispatched to arrest him, and Hardin killed them.

Knowing he would be arrested if he went home, he fell in with outlaw Frank Polk. Polk had killed Tom Brady, and soldiers from Corsicana, Texas were in pursuit of the duo. Polk was captured. Hardin escaped and went on to teach school for a short time in Pisgah, where he claims to have shot out man’s eye to win a bottle of whiskey. Through his own words, the next few years he recounts shooting others, but January 1870, there were plenty of witnesses to a duel between him and Benjamin Bradley. The two were playing cards and Bradley wasn’t happy that Hardin was winning and went looking for Hardin later that night. He drew first and missed. Hardin’s shots hit Bradley in the head and chest.    

January 1871, at 17, Hardin was arrested for the murder of Waco marshal Laban John Hoffman, which he denies doing. While in jail, he states he bought a gun from another prisoner. Later, two Texas lawmen were escorting him back to Waco when he claims he was able to overpower one of them and escape on the lawman’s horse. On the run, Hardin stated three lawmen, Smith, Jones and Davis, caught up with him and arrested him. In Bell County, he killed the trio when they imbibed too much alcohol.  

Jane Bowen Hardin

After these shootings, Hardin moved on to Pilgrim, Texas where he met up with his cousins, the Clements. They talked him into saddling up for a cattle drive to Kansas, convincing him he could make some money. Liking the idea, plus the fact a cattle drive was a good way to escape those pursuing him, he saddled up… and met with more scuffles and killings on the trail to Abilene and afterward. While in Abilene, it’s noted he met up with Wild Bill Hickock and took on the alias Wesley Clemons. By 1872, he was back in central Texas and married Jane Bowen. Jane’s brother, Robert, was a cattle rustler. Hardin moseyed around with him, as well as meeting up with his cousins. August of the same year, John Wesley was wounded in a gambling dispute at Gates Saloon in Trinity. Two buck shots sank into his kidneys and for a long time he thought he wouldn’t live. It was then he decided to settle down and surrendered to Sheriff Reagan from his bed, asking to be tried for his crimes to clear his slate. But Reagan was going to charge him for more crimes than he committed and Hardin escaped from his jail cell, a reward of $100 offered for his capture.

Caught up in a feud between the Suttons and Taylors, thanks in part to his cousins alliance with the Taylors, Hardin admitted to an involvement to the gunning down of two Suttons. He fled to Florida for a spell, then found his way back to his wife and daughter under the name of Swain. Shortly after, he met with his own gang in Comanche, Texas to celebrate his 21^st birthday. While at the saloon, he met up with Sheriff Charles Webb, who, when asked, assured Hardin he was not there to arrest Hardin. Accounts of the meeting between the two suggest that Webb was indeed there to arrest Hardin, that he was reaching in his pocket for the warrant. Hardin’s friends shouted a warning and Hardin killed Webb, with the help of his cousin Bud Dixon and Jim Taylor. Hardin fled. His parents and wife were taken into protective custody, and his brother, Joe, and two cousins were arrested. Later, all three were killed in jail. Hardin parted ways with Taylor, but in 1875, the leader of the Suttons, marshal Rueben Brown, was killed. Historians do not know if Hardin was involved in this, as his bio only mentions Brown twice.  January 20, Governor Richard Hubbard offered a $4,000 reward for Hardin’s arrest.     

Hardin again went to Florida.  From there he was involved in other scuffles until August 24, 1877 when Rangers and local lawmen caught up with him on a train in Pensacola. He was found guilty of killing Webb on June 5, 1878 and sentenced to 25 years in Huntsville Prison. While there, he attempted an unsuccessful escape, was found guilty of other crimes, settled into prison life and became the superintendent of prison Sunday School. He studied law, and became bedridden for two years when an old wound became infected. (In 1892, he was described as 5.9 foot and 160 lbs, with hazel eyes, dark hair, and several scars.) His wife died while he was incarcerated, and Hardin went on to write his autobiography, of which some is overly exaggerated; he liked to fabricate details of his life and the people he shot, of which a lot cannot be proven.

John Selman, Sr. 

At the age of 40, John Wesley was released from prison on February 17, 1894 after serving 17 of his 25 years. He went back to Texas and was pardoned that same year on March 16 and went to live with his children. July 21 he passed the bar and began practicing law. He had a brief marriage to a 15 year old in 1895 then moved to El Paso where lawman John Selman arrested him for brandishing a gun in public. The two engaged in an argument, with Selman’s father, also a gunman, approaching Hardin the afternoon of August 19, 1895. Hardin had words with him, and that night, in the Acme Saloon, while Hardin played dice, the elder Selman entered and shot Hardin in the back of the head, killing him instantly.             

Hardin’s last words were reported to be, ‘Four Sixes to Beat’.

August 27, 1995, a confrontation took place at Hardin’s gravesite. Several of his great-grandchildren wanted him relocated to Nixon, Texas, to be interred next to Jane. The other group, locals from El Paso county, moved to prevent this. Both groups had their own legal support, resulting in a lawsuit ruling in favor of El Paso county.   

Seeing the Elephant

 

Last month, Captain Cavedweller and I stopped by a museum where we heard a phrase that was quite popular with miners during the gold rush, the Civil War, and pioneers on the Oregon. 

That phrase was "Seeing the Elephant." 

Have you heard it before?

It was new to us, so I did a little research.

The phrase is labeled as an Americanism, referring to gaining experience at a significant cost. The phrase gained in popularity in the mid 1800s and lasted through the late 19th century. 

Journals and diaries made not of "seeing the elephant" which was often to say they had been filled with excitement and anticipation only to find great disappointment in the end. 

“I have just returned from the diggings a wiser if not a sadder man. I have ‘seen the Elephant’ and am now returning to the regions of civilization with a trustful hope that greed of gain will never tempt me again to endure hardships and dangers.”

Miner, 1849

The exact origin of the phrase is somewhat murky. Some historians claims it goes back to an Asian elephant display in New York City in the late 1700s which was reportedly the first live elephant exhibit in America. It drew visitors from all over who were anxious to "see the elephant." 

Others claim the phrase originated in a Philadelphia theatre where a makeshift elephant with a man inside to control the movements gained a popular viewing. One night, as the story goes, the man got so drunk, he walked the elephant off the stage and into the music pit, which earned much laughter with people asking their friends if they had "seen the elephant?"

Another story goes back to the time of Alexander the Great's Macedonian warriors who defeated an elephant mounted army in the Indus Valley. It's thought that "seeing the elephant" referred to exotic experiences and journeys in far-off places. 

And a fun origin story is about a farmer who, upon hearing the circus had come to town, set out in his wagon with a load of vegetables and eggs to sell. Along the way, he encountered the circus parade led by an elephant. The elephant terrorized his horses so badly, the bolted and overturned the wagon, scattering his goods in the roadway. According to lore, the farmer picked himself up and said, "I don't give a hang, I have seen the elephant." 

Whatever the origin, the phrase was especially popular with those traveling the Oregon and California trails. The elephant was "seen" during bad weather, after wagons ran over family members, when people died, at river crossings, and when the pioneer had their first glimpse of the trials ahead. The elephant was discussed in terms of their excitement for outcome of the journey.

The elephant was "seen" at river crossings, during bad weather, after wagons ran over family members, after deaths, and especially at a pioneer's first glimpse of one of many roadblocks in the trail ahead. The emigrants discussed the elephant in terms of their excitement for the outcome of their upcoming journey.

I think I need to find a way to incorporate this phrase into one of my historical books. 

USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield is a farm girl who loves to write character-driven romances with relatable heroes and heroines. Her sweet historical and contemporary romances are filled with sarcasm, humor, hope, and hunky heroes.

When Shanna isn’t dreaming up unforgettable characters, twisting plots, or covertly seeking dark, decadent chocolate, she hangs out with her beloved husband, Captain Cavedweller.

Shanna is a member of Western Writers of America and Women Writing the West.

Female U.S. Deputy Marshals of the Old West

By Kristy McCaffrey

The first female U.S. deputy marshal was Phoebe Couzins (born in 1842). Phoebe learned public service at a young age from her parents. After the Civil War, Phoebe and her mother joined the St. Louis Woman Suffrage Association, an organization promoting the rights of women to vote and hold political office. This led to Phoebe pursuing a law degree from the Washington University Law School in St. Louis. Upon graduating in 1871, Phoebe became the first female law graduate of the school. After passing the bar exam, she devoted herself to the women’s suffrage movement. She traveled the country giving speeches about women’s rights.

Phoebe Couzins

In 1884, Phoebe’s father was appointed U.S. marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri, and he made her one of his deputies. When her father died in 1887, she was appointed as interim U.S. marshal by President Cleveland, making her the first woman to serve in that position, but it only lasted two months before she was replaced. Phoebe passed away in 1913 and was buried with her U.S. marshal badge.

F.M. Miller was appointed a U.S. deputy marshal out of the federal court at Paris, Texas, in 1891. At that time, she was the only female deputy to work in Indian Territory, part of what was known as the Twin Territories which also included Oklahoma Territory.

Ada Curnutt moved to Oklahoma Territory with her sister and brother-in-law shortly after the area opened to settlers. The young woman found work as the Clerk of the District Court in Norman, OK, and then as a deputy marshal under U.S. Marshal William Grimes. Her most famous arrest occurred in March 1893 when she brought in two fugitives wanted for forgery. She was twenty-four years old.

Two additional women served as deputy marshals in Oklahoma Territory between 1897 and 1902. S.M. Burche and Mamie Fossett worked mostly in the office, but they also served writs and warrants, as well as making arrests. They were described in the press as an adventurous class of female, young, well-educated, fearless, and independent.

* * * *

A side character in THE SWAN, Dolores Walker (Anna's cousin), is an undercover U.S. Deputy Marshal.

I've also slightly changed the blurb now that the manuscript is in editing. I've included it below.

 

Pre-Order THE SWAN

Amazon | Apple Books | Nook | Google Play

(it will also be available at Kobo and in paperback on release day)

Twin Territories
November 1899 

Dr. Anna Ryan has been spurned by the Dallas medical community for the simple reason of being a woman. Wanting more than a rural practice alongside her mother, also a doctor, Anna accepts an invitation from a mentor to join a private hospital for disabled children in Oklahoma City. But when she falls in with a band of women attempting to protect the rights of Chickasaw orphans, she’ll need more than her medical training to survive.

Malcolm Hardy has skirted the line between lawlessness and justice since escaping the mean streak of his father and his no-good half-siblings a decade ago. In Oklahoma Territory he created enough distance from his family name to find a quiet purpose to his days. But then Anna Ryan walks back into his life, and his hard-won peace is in jeopardy.

The last time Malcolm saw Anna, she had been a determined girl he couldn’t help but admire. Now she was a compelling woman searching for answers that could lead straight to him. But one thing was clear—Anna’s life path was on a trajectory for the remarkable while Malcolm’s was not. Surrendering to temptation would only end in heartbreak.

Anna is the eldest daughter of Logan and Claire from THE DOVE.

The Wings of the West Series Reading Order
Book One: The Wren
Book Two: The Dove
Book Three: The Sparrow
Book Four: The Blackbird
Book Five: The Bluebird
Book Six: The Songbird (Novella)
Book Seven: Echo of the Plains (Short Story)
Book Eight: The Starling
Book Nine: The Canary
Book Ten: The Nighthawk
Book Eleven: The Swan (Coming Soon) 

Connect with Kristy

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Camping Recipes

CHUCK WAGONS OF THE WEST

EVER WONDER ABOUT THE HISTORY OF CHUCK WAGONS? Probably not, but I stumbled upon an article while looking for old campfire recipes and found it interesting. From what the article said, the first Chuck wagon was constructed by a rancher from Texas named Charles Goodnight in the year 1866. Not long after the Civil War, larger ranchers like Goodnight began organizing crews to round up the cattle that had escaped. The ranchers needed a more efficient way of feeding the men on the long cattle drives. The construction included: * A chuck box mounted on the back of the wagon. * A hinged door that folded down to serve as a work surface with drawers for utensils. * A second storage container, called the boot, used for the pots and pans. * A cowhide or canvas sling held wood and dried dung to fuel the cooking fires under the wagon. Goodnight's design became a cattle industry standard, and by the mid-1880s, chuck wagons were being built by both individual wagon wrights and big wagon-building companies. By the late 1880s railroads ended the need for cattle drives and chuck wagons because they moved the cattle by trains. MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IS HERE! Many people all over the United States camp on Memorial Weekend and throughout the summer. and I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite camp fire recipes. If you camp, you have probably tried some of them. 1) EGG IN A HOLE Cut the middle out of whatever kind of bread you prefer place it on the grill or an iron skillet with a tab of butter in the middle add an egg after butter melts. cook the egg for as long as you prefer. note: some like syrup over the top. ALSO, if you cooked bacon to go with breakfast you could use bacon grease in place of butter. 2) CHILI Cook a pound of hamburger or your choice of meat in a large Iron Skillet. Saute onion, garlic, and peppers in with the meat. Open three cans of your choice of beans. open one can of diced tomatoes. open one can of enchilada sauce. Open one small can of tomato paste. Note: use whatever vegies you like in your chili. instead of can diced tomatoes use fresh. Add all cans to the meat and vegie mix. Add chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. My family eats the chili with corn totillas, sour cream, hot sauce and chives. 3) BEEF RIBS Rub the ribs with your favorite seasonings/tenderizers a day or even two ahead, or buy the ribs already seasoned at Costco. when preparing to cook wrap tightly in tin foil all the way around sides, bottom, and top. let the fire burn down to red hot coal- then place the ribs on thegrill or I use a iron flat grizzly man. let cook three or more hours under low heat. An hour before the ribs are ready wrap in tin foil potatoes and corn on the cob and place them within the coals to cook. I wish everyone of you a happy and safe Memorial Day and Weekend. Please, remember the men and women who fought bravely and paid the ultimate price for our Freedom.

The Fort in Morrison Colorado

 

 The Fort restaurant, in Morrison, Colorado, opened for business in February 1963. But the story of how it got there started a few years before. 

 In 1961,  Elizabeth Arnold decided she wanted to raise her children outside the city. As she was reading a book about Bents Fort, she got the idea to make it an "adobe castle".  They hired William Lumpkins, a top architect in adobe construction from Santa Fe, and using 80,000 mud and straw bricks, weighing 40 pounds each, the main building evolved. When the budget was surpassed, the idea for using part of the structure for a restaurant was suggested and The Fort restaurant opened for business.

   That same year the family adopted a black bear named Sissy. They raised their big furry pet, beloved by tourists, for 19 years until she died of old age. 

  Now an historic site, you can visit and eat at The Fort located in Morrison, Colorado and/or sign up for a one-hour tour to discover how this adobe building came to be. (Tours can be booked for groups of ten or more.)

   The food is, of course, historic as well, starting with Rocky Mountain Oysters, Buffalo Empanadas, Bison Eggs, and an array of Mountain Man boudins (sausages) made from Antelope, Rattlesnake, Rabbit, and buffalo.

   Also, a real delicacy, they have roasted Bison Marrow Bones. I'm not sure you'd find this on the menu any place else.  

   Main courses include buffalo served many styles, as well as beef, antelope, duck, elk, quail---with gluten free and vegetarian selections also available. 

 

                                              The IMM in Vail, Co. 

 Years ago, I had the joyful opportunity of eating at the fort with the group to which we belonged, The Independent Mountain Men. We came dressed in period clothing, and had a magical evening, truly a step back in time. 

 The Fort Restaurant is keeping history alive. They have wonderful cultural events, live music, and murder mystery dinners.    

 https://www.thefort.com/the-history-of-the-fort/

My historical romance, Trapper's Moon,  

is a story close to my heart.  

Blurb: As a free trapper, mountain man Kade McCauley is wary of the Hudson Bay Company. Their form of vengeance against those who are not part of the company can be deadly. When he and his partner are attacked, he fights back, only to discover one of his shots struck an innocent. A woman who touches his soul, and he will do anything to keep her safe. 

   While searching for her Native American tribe, Blind Deer crosses paths with Kade—with near fatal results. Once she is patched up, she decides it is safer to travel with him than alone Their uneasy alliance turns to genuine caring, but Blind Deer's past gets in the way, and she must choose between her new love or her old obligations. 

   But nothing in life is carved in stone except the mountains, and those formidable peaks have been known to change the course of a man's life or a woman's.

              

   

My Mountain Man. 

  

My Stories: 

Western Romance: Break Heart Canyon * Undercover Outlaw * Cowboys, Cattle and Cutthroats * A Cowboy’s Fate*Special Delivery. 

Contemporary Romantic Thriller: Fatal Recall

Medieval Romance: The Dragon and The Rose * Iron Heart        *Promise Me Christmas. 

Victorian Romance: Lady Gallant * Victorian Dream 

Fantasy: The Fae Warriors Trilogy: Solace * Bliss * Portence 

Blog   www.ginirifkin.blogspot.com

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DO YOU LOVE ART? by Reggi Allder

How about western/cowboy art? I do. Before I changed my college major to writing, I studied art history. Of course, we learned about the classics. However, I was raised in a small town. Before, moving to a city, I grew up around Western art. It hung in the library, bank, and restaurant my family frequented.

My grandad had an old friend who was a cowboy in his younger days. Clyde had spent many days on the range with the cattle. He used to fascinate us with his stories and his rope tricks. At one point, he had been a rodeo champion, roping steers. But his claim to fame was his painting. A self-taught artist, he drew from his knowledge of the range. He painted what he knew, outdoor scenes with horses, cattle and watering holes. I remember my dad telling me that the mural I admired in the nearby hotel was done by our family friend. He never became a household name, still he gave enjoyment to all who saw his work. We are lucky to have one of his paintings. It is not named but was painted in the California Sierra Mountains.

In college, I searched out other more famous artist in the Western genre. In my research, I discovered Fredric Remington served as a war correspondent for the New York Journal in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. Much of Remington's early writing was reportorial; he later produced short stories, eight anthologies of previously published magazine articles and two novels. I was only aware of his sculptures and later his paintings.

His works of art are in many museums; I saw Fredric Remington’s work in a museum in Los Angeles. I believe it was a sculpture called Bronco Buster. Reminton was born in Canton, New York in 1861. His museum is in Ogdensburg, New York. Though Remington is often remembered for his sculptures of cowboys and their horses, he did many painting of cowboys, Native Americans, and vaqueros. His work is still available today in prints and copied sculptures. Here are a few examples: Smoke Signals

and Vaquero and Morning on the Range.

Our Country Heart book 3 of the Sierra Creek Series has a vaquero, Manuel Gordon, a cowboy who has come back to his home town to start over after years on the rodeo circuit.

OUR COUNTRY HEART Sierra Creek Series Book 3 of 4. Five Stars: “The book was so good, I didn’t want it to end.” “A stand-alone book with great characters!” “If you love cowboys, small towns, second chances, and real-to-life characters, the Sierra Creek books are for you!” Revewed by NL “Perfect when you need a feel-good read.” Now in paperback too! ON AMAZON Have you ever made a mistake you would do anything to change? An actress from Los Angeles and an all-around champion cowboy return to the small town of Sierra Creek to right a wrong. Can they ignore the past and put aside their personal problems for the good of the town? Are they wrong to have confidence in their ability to work together? A man is in town to help reopen the lumber mill. Why is he determined to get in their way and cause trouble? This is one of four books that take place in the small town of Sierra Creek. The engaging characters in the other Sierra Creek books return for another heartwarming read. Find out how Amy, Vanna, Sophie, and their partners are doing. Amazon Page https://www.amazon.com/Reggi-Allder/e/B00G05PJRS If danger and romance is for you, try my first book in the Dangerous Series Dangerous Web

Please leave a comment and tell me your favorite kind of art, just click on comments.