Celebrate Good Times ( Come On)

This post is most likely FOR FAMILY ONLY because who else would want to see pictures of a painfully DIS inhibited family doing karaoke?

Ah! but what good times we celebrated!

The Christmas week is over and everyone has returned to their various homes now. I was asked - do you think this will happen again? with all of us together? I certainly hope so. We sure do have some good memories to take into 2010.

Should you not be family and made it all the way to the bottom of this photographic indulgence, you have shown either great curiosity or astounding fortitude. No matter, these characteristics bode well for you in the new year. May it also be, as my good friend, Marco, has put it, filled with Sweetness and Light.

Christmas on The Prairie

Christmas on The Prairie

not everybody is up for these "late " hours.
karo gave all the girls cool gray scarves. Chics abound at the little house on the prairie.

TF gets the film credit here.

Christmas on The Prairie

Last night was the first night of Christmas with everyone here except the sorely missed J, O, M, + V and G.

Mary took this picture of two sisters. I am clearly prejudiced but must say, two beautiful sisters.

Artists and Writers PERFORMANCE

A much anticipated act, Lisbeth as La Grandmere...
Amy and Betsy sing a beautiful duet ( with a bit of competition from Eddy Puss Rex ).
Carols by a chorus of creators....
Dave shows a painting, an unveiling of work done under Dee's tutelage...
and a buffet of brilliant creations .

Alison's videos of some of the performance will follow and Dancing Queens below should NOT BE MISSED ;>!

The Little House on The Prairie Rocks

Yesterday was the annual Artists and Writers December meeting/party. It is always at my house ( little - by JH standards - and on the prairie) and the theme is always PERFORMANCE! The Dancing Queens above are a writer flanked by two painters. HOOOO HAH!

There were other acts as well so some stills will follow. Enjoy the show below! ( it will take a little time to buffer. Stick with it.

LAND.TRUST. EXHIBIT

This and the following 2 post are a property in easement that is in a sense The True West. It is a working ranch of both agriculture and livestock as well as a wildlife corridor. It sits in Buffalo Valley, WY, a place as rural and intriguing as it sounds. It is easy to romanticize the lives of the two ranch managers on this property...easy and wrong for work it seems is never ending. I do think, however, it is holy work and surely in a most beautiful place.

LAND.TRUST. EXHIBIT

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LAND.TRUST. EXHIBIT

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LAND.TRUST. EXHIBIT

This young ranch manager heads a team of other dedicated young people operating a large and important ranch. They are young people who represent the future of ranching . They have "new ideas to keep this place rooted in tradition".

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LAND.TRUST. EXHIBIT

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LAND.TRUST. EXHIBIT

A dude ranch of long standing history in Teton County - the property, in fact, was one the site of the stage stop of the eastern side of Teton Pass - is now a guest ranch.

The management of this ranch is made up of two superstars in my opinion. One came out from the east for a summer job 20 years ago and never went back home. The other, who at 80 impressive as hell ( as she might put it), has been ranching the place since 1950.

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lAND.TRUST. EXHIBIT

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land.TRUST. EXHIBIT

This property is now in easement. It is the site of an adult ecumenical retreat center with 2 large lodge buildings and several log cabins. It is a wildlife corridor as well. People and wildlife co-exist well in the summer months but during the winter, except for the young ranch manager and his wife, the long horn sheep reign. I understand the number of sheep who pass through there is really astounding. Little wonder....at the end of a long, long valley tucked under an imposing mountain range, a glacier in sight on the far peaks, it must be sheep heaven.

There is a palpable spiritual meditative quality to this property that is surely enhanced by the presence of ancient petroglyphs situated in the heart of the retreat complex. One of the instructors and early directors is pictured in front of a petroglyph lovingly known as "yoyo man" because of the design.

lAND.TRUST. EXHIBIT

A property soon to be in easement. While there is livestock on this northern Wyoming property, its outstanding significance is the cabins. They are old and hold a wealth of memories for the family. These cabins, in existence, well before the present owners who remember coming as small children, require more or less constant attention in order to stay in existence.

LAND.TRUST. EXHIBIT

It is early days but JHLT is hard at work to put this family farm, homesteaded by the owner's great grandfather before Wyoming was even a state, into easement. Easement would allow the farmer to keep the land and the way of life of generations. It is possible that an approximate 4000 acres can be thus saved from development. It is an incredibly beautiful area nestled up against the mountains. Although historically a farming community, much has been sold off for housing development. Sad but wonderful that this one may be saved.