Be who you are and
say what you feel, because
those who mind don’t matter
and those who matter don’t mind.

~Dr. Seuss~

 

I honestly cannot believe that October is here; my mind and spirit are hanging back there some place in August. Considering the mild summer that we experienced, I could have stayed there a lot longer. Unfortunately, reality does sink in when my eyes stray to the calendar beside me. This past month has been more than a whirlwind: between hitting these deadlines, running this office, taking cattle sale photos, shooting video footage, chili cook offs and the everyday to day must do’s, not to mention some of the best crowds around the dinner table just about every night, I think I might just need a vacation from my life.

Here is the regrettable truth — that vacation isn’t going to happen any time soon. Things look to get even busier, so I need to find my respites in small measures, and that should be easy to do as the weather turns to fall, my preference of all the seasons. I’m going to make a run for a spot called “Apple Hill,” where the many apple ranches cook up a storm and provide an amazing day of baking apple smells and the sound of folks enjoying the world. These day trips are going to be my refuge. I’m going to take an afternoon out to just sit in the pasture and enjoy the fall calves. On the many drives from here to there and back again I’m going to soak up the changing landscape. As fields are harvested and the trees begin to change color, this will be the stuff to keep me grounded.

Autumn around the Western Cowman offices also means, what else, but the Western Cowman Photo Contest. While we’ve received quite a few packages of photos, I believe the new rules will have the numbers down somewhat this year — this being a good thing, as managing over 900 photos becomes a daunting task. The packages are awaiting me at home where this evening we will begin checking them in. Although, I did get a special photo in the mail from one of our longtime photographers, Karla Schwoerer. It wasn’t intended for the contest, just a photo to give me a giggle. Both Karla and I love our dogs, and we have come together over time by sharing our losses of our beloved pets and the joy that they bring to our lives. I’m sharing her photo with you because, these are just the things in a day that our dogs do that provide us with a chuckle. Thank you Karla for sharing this endearing photo with us.

We’ve got an amazing panel of judges lined up this year with David Stoecklein at the helm, so be prepared to be amazed once again when the November issue hits your mail boxes. But I’m getting ahead of myself as usual, because what you’re holding is a very incredible October issue. This issue has some articles that apply to everyone. If you’ve watched the news lately there has been a rise in rabies seen in wildlife, and this can affect all of us — tune into the article “Rabies Alert” on what you should watch for in your cattle and horses. A lot is being said about grass fed beef these days, and this is something that may work for you. Find out more about it with the article “Grass Farming.” These are just a couple of the special pieces and more that this October book contains.

Well, life is moving pretty quickly for all of us these days. It seems we make time for work and other obligations, and while that’s important, the most imperative thing we must remember is that our lives do not just consist just of obligation — they’re adventures as well. With this in mind, I’m going to head down that trail that will provide those simple pleasures and those interludes in the day for loving, laughing, loafing and always, of course, learning. Enjoy your October issue, watch out for goblins, and may your harvest be a fine one.

….. Happy Trails