"V.B., Belated welcome to the novelist group. If you haven’t done so already, you might introduce yourself by telling us what you’re working on in the “Show Me Your Novel and I’ll Show You Mine” discussion.
We do a live…"
Diane Stringam Tolley's Blog – September 2011 Archive (17)
An Unscheduled Trip
Early summer.
The grass is green.
The birds are singing.
The earth smells sweet.
And the irrigation canal is empty.
It was time to bring the heifers, and their…
Added by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 30, 2011 at 8:50am — No Comments
Even Cowgirls Love Gentlemen
I learned two things that summer.
- Barbed wire gates are tricky.
- Some young gentlemen, though they look strong, aren't.
- Oh, and . . .
- Poor guys.
I was herdsman for my Dad.
A simple job, now that calving season was pretty much over.
My…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 28, 2011 at 8:50am — No Comments
If You Want To Be Clean, Stay Out of the Corral!
I've decided that ranching is not 'clean' work.
I had been herdsman for my Dad for several months.
This combined my favourite activity, riding, with various other responsibilities.
Like checking the herd every day for cows that were calving.
Cows that looked like they…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 27, 2011 at 9:30am — No Comments
The Golden Rule
I'm a horrible person.
I mocked/made-fun-of someone.
I have repented.
It was my first day of school.
I was breathlessly, happily, finally in grade one.
I had just enjoyed my first bus ride.
It was bumpy and dusty.
But magical.
I had been…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 26, 2011 at 10:52am — No Comments
Ranch Cats
It was night.
And my dog, Cheetah, was barking.
Something she did a lot. At night.
We had tried to train her out of it, but had never quite succeeded.
It was annoying.
Finally, I went out to see what could be bothering her.
Coyotes howling in the…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 25, 2011 at 7:33am — No Comments
Sidewalk Safety
Occasionally, when Mom got tired of driving twenty miles of dirt roads for everything, my parents would move the family to our town house.
The one in town.
It was a whole different lifestyle for me.
I had a tricycle.
Red.
Sturdy.
With a little plastic tassel…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 24, 2011 at 8:30am — No Comments
I'm Covered, Aren't I?
It was a hot summer day.
The girl who's family owned the only swimming pool in the town was hosting an impromptu pool party with her friends.
One girl came without a swimsuit.
“No problem,” the hostess said, “I have a whole drawer full. Just find one you like!”
She then waved,…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 23, 2011 at 8:00am — No Comments
Music to Soothe the Savage . . . Teacher
I love to sing.
How I love to sing.
I'm not saying I'm any good at it. But I love to do it.
I sing all of the time.
When I'm cleaning.
Eating.
Sleeping.
Shopping. Actually, that is a big one. Usually, people just stare and shake their heads, but occasionally,…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 22, 2011 at 11:59am — No Comments
Important Lessons From the Unlikeliest Places
An animated series aired several years ago, to great praise and equally great censure.
Because of the negative and very vocal comments, I chose not to watch.
For three years.
One evening, while working in my office, next to the TV room, I caught a few snatches of conversation…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 21, 2011 at 8:53am — No Comments
When the Cure is Worse Than the Disease
Okay, it's a very common condition.
But I was twelve.
It was totally the end of the world!
I had acne.
I was devastated.
Looking back, it couldn't have been all that bad, but when I compared my blotched and disfigured face to that of my best friend, with her…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 19, 2011 at 11:29am — No Comments
Hot Time in the Old Town . . . of Milk River
6:45 am.
When most of the world still sleeps, or is just beginning to stir, the ranching families of Southern Alberta are already up and out.
Stock to feed, cows to milk.
Diving into the day’s first chores with unfettered enthusiasm, a smile - brought by the pure joy of work most…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 18, 2011 at 7:24am — No Comments
Our Table
In December, 1999, my husband finished a year-long project to replace the cheap and totally scary table which had been a gathering place for our family since 1979.
These are some of the pictures from the final stages of that undertaking.
The Table
The…
Added by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 17, 2011 at 12:01pm — No Comments
Dining with Dogs: Spoiler/Ick alert!
Wouldn't you just love to invite them to dinner?
I know you've all had one.
Some of you might have had several.
You never forget them, no matter how hard you try . . .
My husband and I were hosting our very first, ever, dinner…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 16, 2011 at 10:39am — No Comments
Raising Heroes
A 'Cute' of puppies
For over 35 years, we have raised Old English Sheepdogs.
I love them.
To me, they are the perfect breed.
Happy, loyal, smart, easily trained, friendly, protective, gentle.
All of the best qualities of DOG writ large.
And…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 15, 2011 at 1:29pm — 1 Comment
Our Vicious Attack Dog Named Muffy
Muffy - okay, she got bigger . . .
We only lived in Winnipeg for eight months.
It was a beautiful city.
It just wasn't home.
But, in support of the breadwinner and student in our family, we had packed up our household and moved.
Dogs and…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 14, 2011 at 11:18am — 2 Comments
Lessons Learned . . . Part 2
When we moved to Winnipeg, we brought everything we owned.
In one of my Dad's cattle trailers.
He cleaned it first.
Sort of.
Moving on . . .
But there were one or two things that we didn't bring.
One of them was a decent kitchen table and chairs.
Oh, we had a table. And chairs.
Just not . . . decent.
Or safe.
We had to dip into our savings and buy something.
I should point out here that Kijiji…
ContinueAdded by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 13, 2011 at 11:00am — 1 Comment
Cleaning . . . And Underpants
My Mom . . . totally NOT cleaning!
Mom liked cleaning.
With six kids, one husband, assorted hired men and various other duties and hobbies, she did a lot of it.
A…
Added by Diane Stringam Tolley on September 13, 2011 at 8:20am — No Comments
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