Today

 There are a million beautiful places in the world, but this one happens to be it, for me, right now. Gorgeous way to end a peaceful day of feeding cattle and opening water for them. There is a solitude to the routine of winter ranching and taking care of the animals. Being a 'steward', of sorts, is a pretty good job. When you head into the pasture with a load of cake and several hundred cattle come running to you - you feel pretty loved. (even though you know it is just the cake) I still marvel at the way they respond to your call and come trailing in from half mile or more away and call back. Soaking up the view while waiting : hawk flying overhead, horses running on the ridge, big snow cloud moving in from the West, two coyotes running across the prairie and the complete quiet. You can really see the day progress and time seems to move slower. The fact that it still feels like I just got here, even though it has been several years, must be the result of experiencing life in real time or suspended from reality or in the midst of full reality? Whatever it is - it just is. I see all the events of the years playing in my head like a feature film but not sure I could ever convey how it was and really is some days when I stop to take it all in. ©JEAN LAUGHTON

Lightly Dusted Cows & Badlands

Pre Cowboy - The Rehearsal Years

Well, I never I said I grew up as a cowboy, although I did spend a lot of time riding "the range" (later on larger horses ... ha ha) on my Grandma's farm in Iowa - on the edge of the West. Not exactly in cowboy gear here - for shame, riding Tony the Pony in flip flops in stirrups that are way too long - not to mention being out of western costume and looking to be about outgrowing ol' Tony. But, it was still fun. I will pretend my sister is holding this bucking bronc to keep him settled down until I do my 8 second saddle bronc ride (insert big laugh track). It was a good dry run and practice which I sometimes draw from for the Method acting version of my current cowboy role out West.
©JEAN LAUGHTON 

©JEAN LAUGHTON

HAPPY NEW YEAR from Pony and Me ...

And here he is, the star of the show ... PONY ... Lifting his giant size champagne glass to make a toast for a Happy and Healthy 2012. Cheers to you and yours. May your reality be like a dream and your dreams become reality. Happy New Year from my superstar Pony and Me.
©JEAN LAUGHTON