They say the cowboy is a dying breed. While some may think so, the ranch families that are still around are doing an outstanding job of raising children to work hard and carry on the traditions. As long as there are cattle, horses and people to feed, there will be people in the agriculture industry.

Through some recent life events, I have come to familiarize myself with the acronyms MSHA and OSHA. Before this year, I had never heard of MSHA; I knew OSHA had something to do with safety because I often heard cowboys say, “This probably isn’t OSHA approved,” while doing something fairly dangerous.

Depending on where you call home, spring and winter swapped places this year. While the Winter Olympics were taking place, it was 50 to 60 degrees in Idaho. But once March rolled around, winter decided to show up.

Nike’s mission statement is: “To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.” In 1988, at a Nike advertising meeting, the slogan “Just Do it” was coined. Their slogan pairs beautifully with their mission, because sometimes the hardest part of getting inspired to put in the work is to put your shoes on and just do it.

As an older Nevada gentleman thumbed through a dusty stack of faded photographs from yesteryears, he asked me what I noticed about the photos. “Is it the lack of fences in the backgrounds?” “Nope.”

Spelling was not my strongest subject in elementary school (to be honest, it still isn’t), but thankfully spell check is as common as the cold nowadays. Whether it was your forte or not, some schools had an annual spelling bee to determine who the queen (or king) bee was.

We as human beings put up so many guards and make tons of excuses to protect ourselves from looking like idiots. We don’t want to admit we don’t know something for fear of hurting our image. Those guards and excuses I am talking about can all be summed up with one word: pride! Pride is the enemy to potential.

“You’ll go just past Mineral Springs and hang a right at the camp trailer. If you pass a random recliner on a switchback in the road, you went too far. You will know when you’ve made it to the paint cans because you get service and there is a little clearing in the sagebrush.”

As a young girl, I remember looking forward to this day for months. I could hardly sleep because I was afraid I wouldn’t hear him downstairs and miss him. Santa was not who I was anticipating; I am talking about my dad and those special days when we would take cows to the sale barn.

Extension cords strewn all over, creating booby traps for the next set of ropers coming in hot. Checking the fuel level periodically. Chatting at high volumes to overpower the extreme noise. I have never been fond of the hum of a generator.