Where I Live

In response to Trafford Cole's question (in the comment section of my last post) about my life on the ranch, I decided to blog about it today.

I live in rural Colorado outside of a small city. We bought our property from a gentleman who had farmed it for many years. We built our house in what used to be a hay field. We are surrounded by land on all sides and have neighbors here and there. A live creek runs through part of our property and pinion trees populate it. From my living room window, I can see part of the Rocky Mountains. When these mountains are covered with snow, they're absolutely breathtaking, especially during sunrise and sunset when the sun paints them shades of pink. We can be in the mountains in about 20 minutes. These mountains are as beautiful as any I've ever seen. We make a trip every fall just to take in the vibrant colors of the aspens and other trees as they turn red, yellow, and gold. We can also hike and enjoy the peaceful sounds of the river. During the winter, we enjoy sledding and playing in the deep snow.

We don't raise crops. We raise animals (and lots of kids). We've raised cows, horses, sheep, pigs, rabbits, and goats. We had a bull once that went through every fence to find female companionship. When we tried to raise rabbits, we discovered that my son is very allergic to rabbit fur so we had to discontinue our rabbit raising. People who've raised sheep have a saying, "Sheep are just looking for a place to die." We agree. Pigs--I hate pigs. I chased a big 800 lb. pig enough times to cure me from ever wanting to raise pigs again. Now, we're raising goats and that seems to be the right thing for us. The goats are easy for the kids to handle and it's easy to catch a goat when it's out.

We live in a conservative rural community that genuinely cares for each other. Many of the families descend from the original homesteaders in the area. Though we have members of various religions, we all band together when anyone in the community is in need. Unfortunately, we've had community members whose homes have burned to the ground, who've lost loved ones in accidents or to illness or disease, and who've lost their jobs. In every situation, members of the community have worked together to help each other. It is a community that truly serves one another.

It is a wonderful life. I feel very fortunate to live where I do. It may not suit everyone, but it's perfect for us.