We’re living in the season of hope. Welcome to spring! Here in south-central Montana, the grass is getting greener each day, baby calves are bouncing around pastures, and my lilacs are quickly developing buds. Like many of you, I spent this weekend working on various yard projects and develo…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
I recently met up with a dear friend for a quick trip through some of Oregon’s coastline and wineries. She and I have been friends ever since kindergarten, when we rode the bus together and giggled and laughed about things that girls giggle and laugh about, talked about boys and classes and …
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
Over the weekend, a storm blew across Montana that brought several inches of heavy, wet snow to many areas. It should help with incredibly dry conditions that much of the state is suffering from. We endured terrible winds for two days prior to the storm, so for about four days we had dark, h…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
Every time I travel back to Lonesome Prairie, I am so acutely aware of its appropriate name. Growing up there didn’t seem all that lonely, as it was what we knew, and of course, school and activities made a difference. I respect the women who live in these remote areas and I think of their u…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCHSERRY
As I continue to plod my way through winter, I’ve been mindful in trying to follow my own recommendations when it comes to managing mental health. In my opinion, the current “open” winter creates a sense of restlessness, as this is supposed to be the quiet time of the year, with sounds, ener…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
This winter, the wind is a huge discussion topic. In many places across the country, it’s been intensely windy and lasting for days at a time. Here in Montana, much of the state, to date, has had an “open” winter, meaning very little to no snow cover or moisture of any significance. This wei…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
I think it was the winter of 1977-78, one of the coldest and snowiest winters on record. I still remember the “treat” of being snowed in on a Thursday and Friday, so we kids had a four-day weekend. I believe it was this winter when I heard my mom repeatedly say that “January has 59 days.” As…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
As I was driving into Billings on a chilly morning in early January, I saw a rancher chopping the ice at his roadside pond for his cows. Seeing that made me smile, as it reminded me of my dad. In the wintertime, it was the first and the last chore of his day. He didn’t have a large herd. He …
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
Today is the winter solstice (Dec. 22). Upon wakening, Rudi, my German Shepherd, and I went outside and were treated to a spectacular eastern sky backlit with delicious orange cream, pink, and lilac colors. It was an intense visual treat. Partnered with the stillness of a Sunday morning and …
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
I was fortunate enough to take a short vacation and escape the cold of Montana and enjoy a few sunny and warm clear sky days in Phoenix. No schedules, delicious food, and a professional football game made for a wonderfully relaxing and fun respite. A bonus to this experience was my first rid…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
I just checked the weather forecast. At this next time week, the day’s high temperature is supposed to be 45 degrees cooler than today. That’s not a bad thing. It’s late November (at the time of writing this column), and it’s time to actually have some winter weather. It’s an opportunity to …
- By DARLA TYLER-MCHSERRY
It’s pretty safe to say that we Americans are obsessed with dogs. Our comic strips and cartoons are full of them – Snoopy, Scooby Doo, and the Paw Patrol, to mention a few. Favorite television shows and movies feature dogs as the stars – Rin Tin Tin, 101 Dalmatians, Lassie, and many more. Re…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
It’s an enjoyable moment listening to the “honk” and wing flaps of Canada geese (also called Canadian geese – sorry, birders) in their V-shaped formations flying overhead. They are amazing creatures. They fly around 40 miles per hour, and with a good tailwind, they can reach speeds of 70 mil…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
We lose minutes of daylight every evening. We gardeners hastily pick our remaining produce, watch the weather reports, and wonder how many more days we can eek out until the killing frost. Some people are geared up for fall, ready to enjoy the cooler weather, hunting, and breaking out the cr…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
A favorite childhood photo is one of my dad and I washing carrots. I was about four years old. My mom had me dressed like an Artic air front was likely to come blasting through at any moment – red overboots, hooded jacket zipped all the way up to my neck, hat, and mittens. Our row of freshly…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
We are losing daylight so quickly. During mid-summer, I can leave my house at 9 p.m. to run and have plenty of daylight. Now, it’s dark when I get up and dark by early evening. Fall is officially here. About 40-45 percent of Americans say fall is their favorite season, about 25 percent say s…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
I’m writing this column over Labor Day weekend, which for so many people, is a definitive time marker. It’s often referred to as the “unofficial end of summer,” and if you are like me, you may wistfully yearn for a few more weeks of late sunsets and skies dotted with puffy marshmallow clouds…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
At the farmers’ market this weekend, I ran into friends I hadn’t seen in awhile. As part of our conversation, we discussed our planned purchases. For me, it was juneberry pies for my cousin and myself, and they were purchasing products for canning pickles. Just the mentioning of this summer …
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
Sitting in the grain truck waiting for my brother to offload the next combine tank of winter wheat, I looked up at the cotton ball cumulus clouds that dotted the Lonesome Prairie sky. I think of them as “summer clouds,” reminiscing back to being a little girl and enjoying the quietness of a …
- By DARLA TYLER-MCHSERRY
I have to believe it’s a common wish among farmers and ranchers to somehow have more time each day during the summer months. Time is so elusive, and time is the great equalizer. No matter what our education level, the current balance in our checkbook, or the list of accomplishments we can ra…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
It’s that time of year – many farmers are gearing up or have begun harvesting. Long hours, hot temperatures, summer storms, equipment breakdowns and other challenges are part of the “typical” harvest season. Health issues can be exacerbated due to additional stress. Here are some things we c…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
If you’ve been reading my recent columns, you’ll know that I’ve become enamored with and kept a watchful eye on Momma Kildeer, her mate, and her nest by my front sidewalk. I’m curious at her choice of nesting so close to the house, but I took it as a compliment she placed her trust in me (ok…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
Our reward for enduring the long, dark, and bitter cold winter is the “endless summer” skies (and yes, that is a nod to the Beach Boys “Endless Summer” album title.) I remember making a Facebook post in January with a photo of the western sky bathed in orange and seafoam green and captioned …
- By DARLA TYLER-MCSHERRY
My best friend tells me that when we slow down enough to pay attention, we can learn valuable lessons from the animals around us. One fault of mine is that I get in too much of a hurry, don’t slow down and pay attention to what is going on around me, and I can end up hurting someone’s feelin…
- By DARLA TYLER-MCHSERRY
Last weekend, I mowed the grass for the first time this year. Living in the Billings, Mont., area, I mow nearly five acres, and the grass is dependent on the moisture from the winter snowfall and spring and summer rains, as I do not live in an irrigated area. Depending on the weather, I typi…