With barely a full company's worth of troops currently able to stand or bear arms, Rowan ordered the brave soldiers to take their rest and enjoy the fruits of victory. The Count declared a day of celebration in the town, and a great many wine and ale casks were breached. Some of the now veteran warriors found dalliance with the grateful townsfolk, or their f...
He rode into our valley in the late autumn of 1882. I was a mere lad then, barely tall enough to see over the old hay wagon. In the clear Colorado air, I could see his progress a mile away. At first glance, there seemed nothing remarkable about him, just another stray rider taking the dirt road toward the group of frame buildings that was our little town. Th...
This story is part of an ongoing series. The chronological order of my stories is now listed in WifeWatchman's biography. Feedback and constructive criticism is very much appreciated, and I encourage feedback for ideas. This story contains graphic scenes, language and actions that might be extremely offensive to some people. These scenes, words and actions...
Chapter 1 Tommy Thorpe (32), who farmed alone, was whistling as he worked on maintenance of the highway boundary fence-line when he saw an on-coming cyclist making hard-work of riding up the incline. He finished replacing missing staples on some of the battens (droppers) strung between two supporting posts on the almost mile-long of that section of fencin...
Forward A middle aged couple from California, seeking a change in their lives, books a short vacation at the end of the summer season at a Montana guest ranch. While there, they not only enjoy the colorful scenery and ranching lifestyle, but get in touch with themselves again in an unusual manner featuring a volcanic hot tub in a remote hidden valley. Emm...
The July heat in Denver had been insufferable for weeks. For days on end the mercury went into the high 90's by late morning. Without air conditioning in either our house or my trusty, but rusty, Jeep Wagoneer, Wendy and I just suffered through it. At least it cooled off by bedtime, but for the most part it was just plain hot. Escaping from the city was th...
It was late when I got home. I had finished my last trip down the Middle Fork of the Salmon earlier in the day and I was tired. The summer floating season had been great. I guided six trips during the summer. Like always, I had the pleasure of introducing this national treasure to people from all over the world. The guide crew was an excellent mix of young p...
Chapter Thirty-Two -- The Benefactor The harvest was as pitiful as everything else about the children's destitute farm. Even with Vesna's late-summer efforts to salvage the garden, its produce would have been barely enough to feed the occupants for a month. So... the failed harvest meant several trips to the market to purchase food for the winter, along wit...
The intense sun reflected from the white of the tent would have blinded me except for the sunglasses. Stepping out of the car I was struck by the contrasting colors; the rust red cliffs surrounding the valley, the green of the pasture offsetting the brown of the sage brush laden hills in between, the pure white of the tent and pasture fence, the off white of...
Hyandai and Harlen followed the marching army for some miles before the army had veered off the paved road. Obviously they had slowed their pace, as well. Harlen saw them ahead, a drawn out and ragged line of troops now. Marching four abreast through woods was not easy and they had quickly given it up, moving instead in small clumps of men generally heading...