I missed you last night! Daniel called me at the library while I was there working at the book discussion. Tess was ill, and he wanted me to stop by. Long story short, I spent the night at their house without ever making it home. Everyone seems to be doing better now, but I’m hoping I don’t catch this horrid bug!
What was even more funny, was that I had pre-written last night’s post during the day out in my studio. Our discussion book was Deep West: A Literary Tour of Wyoming (affiliate link). Throughout, the question was raised about “What Makes a Wyoming Writer?”
My scattered thoughts:
Reading about Western Writers of Wyoming. Names sifted into my brain through years of reading and living in the Cowboy State. Impressed by paragraphs and phrases I envy. Knowing I have tiny bits of a storyteller in me, but unable to pull forth a lengthy tale – interrupted by Life (“The bulls got out, could you… ?”), my attention span (I need to finish this project, that present), and a family full and blessed.
The storyteller voice echoes in my head bouncing from the rimrocks and cliffs of memory, unable to grasp and hang on tightly. My father could entertain with a story. A grandfather, long gone, known for his weaving of tales. I ache to ask another grandfather of “The Little People”, bedtime threats for my mother. Wanting stories that won’t reveal themselves, I’m left with my own tales. I seek them, but more often, they appear on their own. Broken scenes in my mind…
* I want to share how brittle cold a bit can be at 0˚, clutched in your hand. Puffy breath seeks to warm it before a frosty muzzle reaches your way. A headstall is slipped over equine ears, and the snaffle slid into place.
* I want to share that distinctive rattle-clap of loose horse trailer doors shimmying down a two track.
* The boot squeak of snow steps.
* The fuzzy enthusiasm of cowdog eagerness.
* The whistle of bird wings overhead, the intent look of antelope.
* The rip of grass as cattle graze.
* The jingle of tack at a trot.
* The leather language of saddles.
* The meanness of a too-tight barbed wire gate.
All these come to me in pictures, pictures that I seek not only to write about but that inspire me to create art as well.
A photo.
A watercolor.
A braided rein.
A crafted necklace… share who I am, what I love, gifts of time and patience.
I am not a Wyoming Author, but I am a Wyoming creator, sharing what I can, when I can, in the many formats I can. My focus is on the giving – hoping at some time blessings will continue to flow to the receiver… perhaps, with their own story to tell…
Find me here!
You do it all so well! What an inspiration you are.
Ah, but you are a gifted writer who spurs me on to thoughts and ponderings that I didn’t know I had. Thank you!
Joanne, you are so right about the nasty flu bug going around. My husband and I both were very sick with it for weeks all through Xmas and New Years. It’s been 4 weeks and I still have no energy, and am still coughing. Ugh. Carol, I hope the bug doesn’t spread all through your family. It is no fun. (And I had a flu shot in Sept.!!)
Carol, You are an amazing wonderful poet, writer and creator in so many mediums. You are also such a blessing to me and to many others! Thank you for sharing it with us. 🙂
Sandy I so agree with you that Carol is an amazing writer and creator. I look forward to each post.
Carol you are a blessing to so many, your blog readers as well as your friends and family. 🙂
You do an excellent job of painting pictures with words, and your pictures enhance that. And ditto on the barbed wire gates!
Sorry to hear your family has fallen to this year’s ‘creeping crud’ (flu/cold). I haven’t been sick in years, and I got it this time. Not fun. Think I’ll give it a miss for several more years!
I think you are a Wyoming writer. The stores you share through your blog tell more stories than most people can tell within their books.
I hope all your family recovers or escapes from illness. They’re lucky you’re there and able to step in when needed.
I love your short essays! You may not be a novelist, but you’re definitely a writer. And one of my personal favorites!
Often fewer words are more powerful than many.
You are a Wyoming story teller. You tell us about life as it really is, the joys and the sorrows, and the little things that make each day a blessing.
Aw, I argue with your statement of not being an author. You create, I read. It maybe short, but I love reading your words and creating the image in my head.
So the dictionary says: a person who writes a novel, poem, essay, etc.; the composer of a literary work, as distinguished from a compiler, translator, editor, or copyist.
Your blog posts I would say fall under short essay’s….. and you COMPOSE them.
I want to read the story about the 0 degrees, and the fuzzy excitement of a cow dog, and all the other things you mentioned! Write away my friend – WE WILL READ!!!
AH!!! Carol, you ARE an author. If you put all your blogs onto paper and enclosed them with a cover and back, there would be a book. It is like reading and savoring a good book, page at a time.
Those pesky wire gates!!! I carry extra ranchers friend (baling string) and make the gate to fit me.
God bless you.
Oh your blog is really bringing back memories for me today! Especially those horrible too tight barbed wire gates! I HATED those things!!
Yes Carol. I am certainly blessed by reading your posts about your ranching life. Thank you. Glad you are ok and hoping your family are getting better. I missed you yesterday. Said a quick prayer for you before going out for day with granddaughters. They had a wonderful 15 minutes of play at dusk, outside while the wet snow was falling. They will be disappointed that their world is not white this morning, though I’m guessing it will be slick underfoot as temps dropped below zero again last night. The winter bug we have roaming around gives cough and cold symptoms and decides it will visit you for 5-8 weeks on and off and leave you with no energy or will to do much. Nasty thing. It has not visited us yet.