The most satisfying thing about being an observer is I get to open many doors to the unknown and see what’s inside that can appease my inquisitive nature. Following the disciple of Mother Nature's ways, I wanted a method to infuse her teachings so that they are practical to use on a daily basis. At this juncture, I separate learning from observing. Learning for me is assimilating already common knowledge which is very important but observing gives one the possibility to discover something completely new that has the potential to solve our human problems. When I take my ..read more

       I would like all of you that are reading this blog to now visualize that you are no longer looking at your cell phone screen but your standing with legs spread slightly and ready to put a nickel in the coin slot of a 1950s or 1960s Pinball Machine. Nickel is in and the machine comes alive with lights on and a bell rings and up pops a shiny one inch chrome plated ball in the lower right hand corner of the playing field. I pull back the plunger and release it. It sends the chrome ball to the other end of the playing board and because the board has about ..read more

           What would cause me to have a satisfied mind? I guess it’s a lot like counting your blessings. I’m sitting at our kitchen table that seats eight and at our kitchen counter, 10 more are squeezed together for my grandaughter Sammy’s 21st birthday party. A few days before the party I asked Sammy if she had any idea as to what kind of a career she might want. I had asked this question at other times but all I got was a, “I don’t know.” This time was different. Sammy is so good at so many things like being a Cowgirl, a very good cook ..read more

Listen in to hear three generations of the Varian family chat with our old friend Jeanette Trompeter about our history and what we’re up to these days ..read more

        Moderation as defined by my college dictionary says that one should avoid excessive or extreme behavior. So I gravitate to people who are tolerant of other's beliefs but are still able to negotiate in good faith. Mother Nature is again my guide as to where I might find moderation. Yesterday I was hiking for about a mile in the Little Cholame Creek bed looking at all the new Willow and Cottonwood trees that since last spring thousands have reached a height of six to twelve inches and on the creek banks there are Buckwheat bushes, Mule Fat, Yerba S ..read more

             Our house has just gotten a complete Christmas makeover, thanks to our granddaughter Sage Massey and her mother Lillian. It actually got started about a week after Thanksgiving when Zee and I hosted 28 members of the Massey side of the family and all enjoyed themselves immensely. The day after Thanksgiving Sage and Lilly decided that this was indeed the perfect house to entertain in and with Christmas just around the corner, the Brinan and Varian side thought that it would indeed be the perfect place for Christmas. B ..read more

It’s a nice thought but then, how do you pay all your bills if you give it all away? I’m trying to answer that age old question when an outdoor fly decides he wants to be an indoor house fly. Not wanting this interloper in my house I had to search in the pantry for my fly swatter that I thought I wouldn’t need until next summer. My next thought was to ask myself what have I got to blog about at this moment in time? Really nothing. So it’s back to my mission of the moment to exterminate this insufferable fly. I must have a plan for its demise. Looking down at my swatter it dawned on me as I wat ..read more

        At the end of November, one of my granddaughter Sage’s good friends got married at our V6 Ranch. Zee and I have been invited to the rehearsal dinner at the Parkfield Cafe. Thinking that this would be a somewhat sedate affair I couldn’t have been more out of step. Dinner was my favorite that beats any five-star restaurant hands down. It was beef or chicken tacos, take your choice, and I washed mine down with a nice glass of ice water. There were perhaps 70 to 80 mostly college kids to fill the cafe making glasses of water scarce as Coors Lite was ..read more

        Zee and I are sitting in canvas back deck chairs while watching all our four children and five of our grandchildren help Mike and Lilly, our daughter and son-in-law, brand their calves. The other four are scattered everywhere west of the Mississippi River. I don’t know what it is about going to a calf branding but it seems to bring out the best in everybody. I know some of you are asking what about the poor calf that's just been branded and immunized against several different diseases? Well to answer the question directly: the calf must have a b ..read more

          Zee and I built a house big enough to entertain in, but history proved that we have been poor entertainers as I probably can count the get-togethers we’ve had since 1975 on my fingers. But this has all changed this year when Lilly said that she and Mike had invited 31 for Thanksgiving dinner and could we use our house for the celebration. I said yes but there’s an accumulation of cobwebs, old magazines that I might read someday, and dishes that have been stored away for many years that needed washing. Outside there were weeds to be pu ..read more