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‘The Working Cowboy’s Life’ Is Storybook Combining Ranch Character, Poems, Pictures, Fun, Sadness, Faith

By
Frank Buchman
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“Every cowboy has had their fair share of experiences to remember, relive, forget, and ignore.”
Not many have the ability to share them with the rest of the world.
Bruce Brock of Cottonwood Falls can.
Longtime acquainted with Brock, first time a decade ago doing a story about the local-legend cowboy jack-of-many-trades and beyond. Several others before and since have written stories about Brock who is a published author in his own right.
At an Extension Board Christmas gift exchange, the office professional selected a package where Brock’s latest book had been wrapped. Arrangement was others could “steal” a desired gift if they didn’t want to unwarp an unknown.
So, the book was “stolen,” and reading has just been completed. Titled “This Working Cowboy’s Life,” the bound-composition features Brock’s stories, poems, and illustrations with Biblical support.
His personal description: “The good, bad, and embarrassing with a little faith thrown in.”
Copyrighted last year, this third book he’s published is dedicated to his parents Merrill and Nancy Brock.
“Dad was a carpenter who always seemed to hit the nail on the head. Mom is a retired schoolteacher specializing in reading and seems to take pride in selling my books.
“Above all, my parents taught me morals, values, and the love of God.”
Self-described, Brock has “Many God-inspired talents, cowboying, carpentry, art, leather worker, poet, author, playing the guitar, song writing…”
He admits: “Not all of these talents a person would consider me an expert, but I do my best.”
A quick read, Brock’s 84-page paperback includes true yet sometimes exaggerated short stories about real life experiences. Written in cowboy terminology, some words and descriptions are clearly defined for the most lay reader.
Youthful days in southeast Kansas to working vast Colorado ranches to Flint Hills experiences are uniquely related. Often quite “funny” to those who’ve “been there, done that,” yet sobering “life as it really is.”
Once picked up, readers are unable to lay the volume aside. Story telling intermingling poetic prose with meticulous true-to-cowboy-life artwork generate a natural feeling of comradery. Carefully considered Biblical scripture magnify spirit of the cowboy and his writing.
“I believe God loves every human being no matter their race, age, gender, or religious belief. He doesn’t like the sinful things we do. God sent Jesus to pay for all our sins on the cross. All we have to do is accept Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior. He is the only way to God and salvation.”
In summary Brock’s heartfelt blessing to readers is expressed from Second Peter 1:2. “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord.”
In an original biographical feature story printed on January 20, 2013, Brock had a vision. “My goal is to publish a book of my cowboy poetry portrayed with my artwork,”
A decade later almost to the day. “Yep, this cowboy is (still) an architect of leather, art, poetry, all relating to the Flint Hills way of life.”
Perhaps the best thing about Brock’s latest book now in this ranch library is the author’s personal autograph. “To Frank, See you down the Trail. ‘+’ Bruce.”
“The Working Cowboy’s Life” can be acquired through [email protected].

CUTLINES
Working on a leather project in his shop a decade ago, Bruce Brock of Cottonwood Falls has just published his third book.
One of several copyrighted illustrations in the third book published by Bruce Brock.
“The Working Cowboy’s Life” is a book of stories, poems, and illustrations by Bruce Brock.

Horticulture 2023 Newsletter No. 4

By
Ward Upham
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https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html

Blog Post: http://www.ksuhortnewsletter.org

Video of the Week: Attracting Birds to Your Backyard
https://kansashealthyyards.org/all-videos/video/attracting-birds-to-your-backyard

FRUIT
Pawpaw Trees: A Native Fruit
Even though pawpaw is native to eastern Kansas, many people in the state have never eaten one. Fruits resemble fat bananas and are generally up to 6 inches long and as much as 3 inches wide. The taste is unique and is difficult to describe but is often said to resemble bananas or pineapple and has a texture somewhat like custard. They are rarely grown commercially because they are difficult to ship and do not store well. Ripe fruit will only hold 2 to 3 days at room temperature and up to a week under refrigeration.
Pawpaw prefers a well-drained, moderately acid (pH 5.5 to 7.0), moist soil and high organic matter content. Organic mulch is also recommended. Irrigation will be helpful to necessary depending on what part of Kansas they are grown.
In the wild, the pawpaw is an understory tree and may do better with partial shade, especially during the first 2 to 3 years. Protection from high winds is also advisable due to the large leaves. The pawpaw is a small tree that may reach 20 feet high but is less broad. Trees require cross-pollination and so at least 2 and preferably 3 different varieties should be grown. These trees are pollinated by insects other than bees such as beetles and flies and must be planted close together. Trees should be no further than 30 feet apart in order to insure good pollination.
The soil for planting should be prepared in advance of receiving the trees. Amend the soil with organic matter in the area where the trees will be planted. Do not amend just the soil from the planting hole especially if the soil is heavy and has high clay content. If you do, you have essentially made a pot that will hold water and may drown the tree. Rather add organic matter to the area in which the tree will be planted before digging the planting hole; at least a 10- by 10-foot square. You may want to treat the entire area where your trees will be planted. Add 2 inches of organic matter to the surface of the soil and then till in.
The planting hole should be the same depth as the root system but 2 to 3 times as wide. Pawpaws have fleshy roots and are better planted in the spring (April) rather than fall unless container grown. Container-grown plants can be planted virtually anytime.
Keep newly planted trees well watered. The soil should be moist but not waterlogged. Keep the planting area completely free of weeds or any other type of vegetation within 3 feet of the trees. Mulching is recommended.
There has been a significant amount of work done on pawpaw by Kentucky State University. You can reach their pawpaw site at https://tinyurl.com/y3xnr8pe . Information on growing pawpaws is available from Peterson Pawpaws at http://www.petersonpawpaws.com Neil Peterson’s pawpaws are the result of over 25 years of research and have been widely tested. Though Neil no longer sells his varieties directly, he does list a number of nurseries that carry them.

The Kansas Forest Service (https://www.kansasforests.org/conservation_trees/) has seedling trees available for sale though I would recommend getting named varieties instead if you wish to plant only a few trees. The fruit from named varieties will be of a higher quality than that from a seedling tree.
Named variety pawpaws are available from Stark Brothers (www.starkbros.com ) and Raintree Nursery (www.raintreenursery.com ). Also check with your local garden center for trees.
The University of Missouri has a couple of different pawpaw cultivar trials. You can find results from one of these trials at https://centerforagroforestry.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/pawpaws.pdf (Ward Upham)

Fruit Trees and Frost
If you are considering purchasing fruit trees this spring, there are certain factors that should be considered for some of our fruit tree species. Spring in Kansas is often unsettled with apricot and peach tree flowers being very vulnerable to late frosts that can kill fruit buds. Of course, the tree itself will be fine but there will be no to little fruit for that year. Other species of trees can also be affected but apricots and peaches are by far the most sensitive. Also, the closer a tree is to full bloom, the more sensitive it becomes to frost.
Apricots are more likely to have frost kill flowers than peaches because they bloom a bit earlier. Though there are late-blooming apricot varieties, the differences between full bloom on early and late-blooming varieties appears to be slight. Research at Virginia Tech in the 90’s showed a maximum of a 4-day difference between early and late varieties. However, in some years that may be all that is needed. The trees in the study that were considered late blooming included Hungarian Rose, Tilton and Harlayne. Harglow was not included in the study but is also considered late-blooming. See https://tinyurl.com/y35ntxau for more info.
Peaches are next on the list for being likely to be caught by a late frost. With peaches, two characteristics become important when considering whether they will be damaged. Like apricots, bloom time is very important but fruit bud hardiness should also be considered. In this case, fruit bud hardiness refers to hardiness to late frosts rather than the ability to survive extreme low temperatures during the winter. Late bloomers included ‘China Pearl’, ‘Encore’, ‘Intrepid’, ‘Contender’ and ‘Risingstar.’ See http://contentdm.nmsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/AgCircs/id/73025 . The ‘Intrepid’ cultivar also has shown excellent cold hardiness when in flower. See http://www.google.com/patents/USPP12357
So, are there other considerations when looking at possible frost damage? Location can be very important. Planting on a hill which allows cold air to drain to lower elevations can help. Also, a location in town will be more likely to have a warmer micro-climate than an exposed location. Some gardeners will add a heat source under a tree during cold nights if they are close to a building. Heat lamps and charcoal briquettes are sometimes used but safety should be the first consideration. (Ward Upham)

TREES
Dutch Elm Disease Resistant American Elms
Our John C. Pair Horticultural Center near Wichita established a National Elm Trial in 2007 with 18 cultivars. All of these are Dutch Elm Disease (DED) Resistant with 4 being true American elms. The cultivar ‘Jefferson’ would have been a fifth true American elm but proved to be the same cultivar as ‘Princeton’. The remainder are either hybrids or other elm species. The four true American elms are ‘Valley Forge’, ‘Princeton’, ‘New Harmony’ and ‘Lewis and Clark’ (Prairie Expedition). All have shown excellent tolerance to DED. Characteristics listed below are primarily from our study at the John C. Pair Horticultural Center but storm breakage is from the University of Minnesota.

‘Valley Forge’
Survival: 100%
Crown Shape: Vase
Lacebug damage to foliage: Minimal
European elm flea weevil damage: Minimal
Storm Breakage: Fair
Comments: Strong grower, broad spreading

‘Princeton’
Survival: 100%
Crown Shape: Vase
Lacebug damage to foliage: Minimal
European elm flea weevil damage: Minimal
Storm Breakage: Fair
Comments: Impressive grower, upright habit, attractive tree

‘New Harmony’
Survival: 100%
Crown Shape: Vase and round
Lacebug damage to foliage: Significant
European elm flea weevil damage: Minimal
Storm Breakage: Not in Minnesota study
Comments: Narrow, upright habit with strong, central axis

‘Lewis and Clark’ (Prairie Expedition)
Survival: 80%
Crown Shape: Broad oval
Lacebug damage to foliage: Minimal
European elm flea weevil damage: Minimal
Storm Breakage: Good
Comments: Strong grower with broad spreading habit, some wetwood.

Storm damage can be minimized by pruning when the tree is young. Maintain a central leader but prune out all lower branches as the tree grows and branches increase in diameter so that there is room to work under the tree. Also prune out branches attached with a narrow angle as these are most likely to give way in ice or wind storms. For more information regarding the study, see https://webdoc.agsci.colostate.edu/bspm/NationalElmTrial/AUF2017.pdf For photos and information on hybrids and other species of elm, see https://webdoc.agsci.colostate.edu/bspm/ElmKansas.pdf .
(Ward Upham)

Start Trees Off Right
Research from K-State’s John C. Pair Horticultural Center has quantified the effect of controlling grasses around newly planted trees. Jason Griffin, William Reid, and Dale Bremer conducted a study to investigate the inhibition of growth of transplanted, seedling trees when lawn grasses were allowed to grow up to the trunk. There were five treatments, including three with different species of grass:
1. Bare soil maintained with herbicides.
2. Area under tree mulched 3 inches deep.
3. Tall fescue allowed to grow under tree.
4. Bermudagrass allowed to grow under tree.
5. Kentucky bluegrass allowed to grow under tree.

All treatments were applied to Eastern redbud seedlings as well as to pecan seedlings. All trees were fertilized according to recommendations and watered during the growing season with up to 1 inch of water if rainfall was deficient. At the end of two years, trees were measured and harvested. Data was taken on caliper (diameter) 6 inches above the ground, weight of aboveground portions of the tree, leaf area, and leaf weight. There were no differences in any measure between the mulched treatment and the bare soil treatment for either tree species. All measures showed significant growth increases if lawn grasses were controlled around the tree.
Results include the following:
1. Caliper: Caliper measures 6 inches above the soil surface were twice as large for plots without grass than for those with either fescue or bluegrass, but only 50% larger when compared to the bermudagrass plots.
2. Top growth weight: Redbuds showed a 300% weight advantage for plots with grasses controlled than those without. Pecans showed a significant 200% increase.
3. Leaf area and leaf weight: Leaf areas were 200% larger in plots without grass competition and leaf weight showed a 300% increase.
The obvious conclusion from this study is that grasses must be controlled under a newly transplanted tree to get the best possible growth. Though there were no differences in growth whether mulch was used or not, you may still wish to mulch for aesthetic reasons or to help control weed growth. How far from the trunk should the grasses be controlled? Try a minimum of 3 feet. (Ward Upham)

LANDSCAPING
Now is a Good Time to Design Your Landscape
The dark, cold days of winter are a good time to dream and plan for the upcoming growing season. Have you always wanted to landscape your home but didn’t know where to start? We offer a number of publications available to help you accomplish your dream. This collection includes everything from general landscaping publications such as “Residential Landscape Design,” to specific works such as”Naturalistic Landscaping” and “Low-Maintenance Landscaping.”
You can download printed publications for landscaping free of charge from https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/horticulture-resource-center/publications/publications/turf-ornamentals/landscaping.html . Information on plants recommended for Kansas can be found at https://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/recommended-plants/index.html .
You may also request printed copies from your local K-State Research and Extension office. There may be a small charge for printed copies of larger publications.
If you need to know how to contact your local extension office, go to http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/Map.aspx and mouse over your county. (Ward Upham)

MISCELLANEOUS
Bird Feeding
Severe winter weather is not only hard on people but can be a life and death struggle for birds. Though birds also require water and shelter, food is often the resource most lacking during cold weather. Many different bird food mixes are available because various species often prefer different grains. However, there is one seed that has more universal appeal than any other: black oil sunflower. If you are new to the bird-feeding game, make sure there is a high percentage of this seed in your mix. White proso millet is second in popularity and is the favorite of dark-eyed juncos and other sparrows as well as the red-winged blackbird.
As you become more interested in bird feeding, you may want to use more than one feeder to attract specific species of birds. Following is a list of bird species with the grains they prefer.
– Cardinal, evening grosbeak and most finch species – sunflower seeds, all types.
– Rufous-sided towhee – white proso millet.
– Dark-eyed junco – white and red proso millet, canary seed, fine cracked corn.
– Many sparrow species – white and red proso millet.
– Bluejay – peanut kernels and sunflower seeds of all types.
– Chickadee and tufted titmouse – peanut kernels, oil (black) and black-striped sunflower
seeds.
– Red-breasted nuthatch – oil (black) and black-striped sunflower seeds.
– Brown thrasher – hulled and black-striped sunflower seeds.
– Red-winged blackbird – white and red proso millet plus German (golden) millet
– Mourning dove – oil (black) sunflower seeds, white and red proso plus German
(golden)millet.
Extended cold periods can also make water unavailable. A heated birdbath can be a
tremendous draw for birds during times when all other water is frozen. Energy use is usually less
than what most people expect IF the heater has a built-in thermostat.
If you would like more information, Chuck Otte, Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent for Geary County has a series of backyard birding guides at http://gearycountyextension.com/NRMW.htm (Ward Upham)

Fertilizing Houseplants Throughout the Year
Houseplants should not be fertilized with a consistent amount of fertilizer throughout the year. The amount required depends on the season. Normally houseplants that rely on natural sunlight are not fertilized at all from November through February as the light levels are so low that fertilizer is not needed. The light intensity is less during the winter as the sunlight must pass through more of the atmosphere resulting in less light energy. Also, the days are shorter resulting in even less light available for growth. Fertilizing during these dark months can do harm. Fertilizer are salts and can build up in the soil if the plant doesn’t take them up due to slow growth. Eventually the fertilizer salt content can reach a level that roots are burned.
So what is a simple method for fertilizing houseplant? Fertilize at the rate recommended on the label of your fertilizer from March through October. Don’t fertilize at all during November through February unless the plants are receiving supplemental lighting. If they are, then fertilize the same amount throughout the year.
If your fertilizer recommends fertilizing once a month, try splitting the concentration recommended in half and fertilize twice a month. The total amount is the same but the frequency is doubled which may result in a more efficient use of the fertilizer. (Ward Upham)

Contributors: Ward Upham, Extension Associate

Division of Horticulture
1712 Claflin, 2021 Throckmorton
Manhattan, KS 66506
(785) 532-6173

For questions or further information, contact: [email protected] OR [email protected]
This newsletter is also available on the World Wide Web at:
http://hnr.k-state.edu/extension/info-center/newsletters/index.html
The web version includes color images that illustrate subjects discussed. To subscribe to this newsletter electronically, send an e-mail message to [email protected] or [email protected] listing your e-mail address in the message.

Brand names appearing in this newsletter are for product identification purposes only. No endorsement is intended, nor is criticism implied of similar products not mentioned.

K-State Research and Extension is committed to making its services, activities and programs accessible to all participants. If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision or hearing disability, or a dietary restriction please contact Extension Horticulture at (785) 532-6173.

Stretch the groceries

By
Debbie Dance Uhrig
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It’s been a while since I shared my recipe for southwest chicken burritos. I should be saying: ‘Bonnie’s recipe for southwest chicken burritos!’ Either way this recipe is a dandy. It’s a great way to stretch the meat and get a great deal of bang for the time spent in the kitchen!

This week I prepared a delicious rump roast in the crockpot. Which I might add is a good place to prepare a rump roast. The cost for the big roast was about $20.00. Our family has had about 4-5 different meals from the $20. Roast. This weekend I decided to do a beef version of the Southwest Chicken burritos. They turned out great. The big recipe yields our family plenty for daily lunches. When everyone says they’re done with them, the wraps head to the freezer for a fast meal at another time. (Usually they don’t get to this stage!!!)

Here are some changes I made as I flipped it to beef:
I used 1 1/2 large green and red peppers
NO cilantro, because my spouse doesn’t like it!
I drained both corn and black beans into the dish.
The beef was chopped very small.
Left the spinach in, my favorite part
Switched the cheese around.
Added wild rice I had cooked in the freezer 1 1/2 cups, approx.
With all the added vegies and rice we stretched the contents even more.
I also didn’t use as much meat as the chicken version indicates. Maybe 2 cups.

Usually if I make a couple of large meals each week it carries our family for 3-5 meals. This week I was also able to procure 3 quart jars of ‘Rebecca’s’ Tomato
Basil Soup. You bet, I know how to make good homemade soup, but after an 8-9 hour workday, it’s divine! It’s divine even after you’ve been home all day!
Add the grilled cheese sammies and it becomes a gourmet meal. I knew you would ask me where you can purchase this wonderful soup. Here in Branson I get mine at the Amish Store, $5.95 a quart. You can order it on line, but it’s just way out there in price. If you live near any Amish or Mennonite stores I would check with them or consider asking them to carry it.

Remember whenever you are making tomato soup, especially good ole’ Campbell’s, don’t add water, add milk or half an’ half & milk together.
Put in a pat of butter, dry basil, and lastly a sprinkling of parmesan or a light white cheese on the top. A couple of years ago I did grilled cheese sandwiches, gourmet style, and tomato soup for a baby shower. Everyone raved about the soup, gang, it was Campbell’s with all the embellishments!! (I did sneak in a little heavy cream.)

This past weekend I shopped with my friend, Jan, and with Ervin & Phillip, on Sunday, for household items. I didn’t get much done on the home front except laundry, but it was a great weekend. Even got in a few banana pancakes for
Breakfast.

Look out for those friends and neighbors this week. Reach out, see if you can lighten someone’s load. Simply yours, The Covered Dish.

Southwest Chicken Eggrolls

3 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup red pepper chopped fine
1 onion chopped fine
4 cups cooked chicken diced and seasoned with salt & pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked black beans drained
2 cups fresh spinach chopped fine
1 cup frozen corn
1/3 cup jalapenos chopped fine
2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 tsp garlic powder
1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro
12 oz. shredded pepper jack cheese
Flour Tortillas

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Add red peppers, onions, jalapenos and corn. Cook until tender. Stir in cooked chicken, black beans and spinach. Add cumin, chili powder, and cayenne and garlic powder. Stir and cook until thick; stir in cilantro, melt in cheese.

Using medium soft taco size flour tortillas, place 1/3 cup of filling into the center of the tortilla. Fold the side edges in and roll tightly. Wrap each in plastic wrap and place on a cookie sheet. Freeze overnight. Then place in Ziploc freezer bag and put back in the freezer.

Monterey Jack can be used if Pepper Jack is too spicy. To bake place frozen unwrapped eggrolls on a jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown and crispy. Approximately 30 minutes. Could also be deep fried.

Serve with a sauce mixture of sour cream, salsa of choice and guacamole.

Bonnie started in 2015 as my assistant. I’ve gained a great cook & friend.
The staff says we’re foodie trouble. We’re both creative and we throw something new around on a daily basis.

A LIFE TIME OF HATING SNOW !!!

By
Sandy Pugh
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I HATE SNOW AND COLD!!! My dislike of snow and cold started before I was even born. As I am writing this on Sunday the 22nd of January it is a day just like the day I was born. When my mom went into labor in the early hours of the 23rd of January, my dad had to drive her to Nashville, Kansas from Medicine Lodge.
But daddy was the ambulance driver for Medicine Lodge Hospital so he was used to driving in this kind of weather. So the trip to Nashville was no big deal from them. I am sure he made the trip in record time in the snow.
The hospital was small in Nashville and was actually in an old house on Main Street. The rest of the day for my mother on that snowy day was not as easy as the drive there for my dad. Since the house didn’t have any hallways, they had mom out walking up and down the sidewalk in front of the hospital.
Mom always told me about the day I was born when I had a birthday and how they made her walk up and down the sidewalk in the snow to get her labor going better than it was. I made sure to tell her when she told the story that the snow and cold was the reason I didn’t want to be born. I am sure the day of my birth made me hate snow and cold.
But mom’s torture of me and the snow didn’t end that day. When I was 2 and we lived in Medicine Lodge she thought that my dog Brownie and I should go out side at least once each day for the fresh air and to play in the snow. Brownie and I both hated the cold and snow.
So as soon as he had done his business I was back pounding on the door to be let in. Some times I never got off the porch but just waited on him to come back so we could go in. We would be warm and play in my bedroom until the afternoon and she thought we should go out again.
When I was in school in Mullinville from 3rd grade until senior year, we lived about 4 blocks from the school. Mom thought it was good for me to walk to school so she never drove me to school. I can only remember 1 time she drove me to school and the weather was like today when we got up but it was still snowing.
There was about 8 inches on the ground when school started that day but by the time they let us out an hour early it was closer to 1 1/2 feet on the ground. They let the kids in the country have the day off but town kids had to go to school so it would count as a day. The town kids were always in school no matter what the weather was. Another reason I the hate snow.
When I graduated beauty school my folks lived in Macksville. I moved home and worked in a salon there in town for awhile and then a year later accepted a job in a shop in Kinsley. I drove to work every day for that job. Only one day in the 2 years of working in Kinsley was there bad weather. That day there was snow on the ground and highway when I left Macksville and headed west.
I drove a Pontiac Catalina convertible so it was always very stable in any weather. But that morning there must have been ice under the snow. I didn’t get very far as I headed west before trouble hit. All of a sudden the nose of the car started to turn to the left and the Catalina made at least two revolutions in the middle of the road and ended up facing back toward Macksville. I decided to go back home and stay off the road and out of the hated snow.
My husband and I live about 3 miles north of Hutchinson on Monroe. From 56th street to our addition Monroe is going uphill. When there is snow like we have today or it is snowing it is a real adventure to get home or to town, especially in my Honda Accord.
When I worked at Wesley Towers one of my jobs was driving the residents to the doctor every day. Sometimes that was exciting in their little Honda that I drove. I still hated snow and cold but I’d had plenty of experience in the snow and the residents preferred to ride with me especially in bad weather.
So I have had a life time of hating snow but learned to deal with it whether I wanted to or not. To contact Sandy: [email protected]

Snow; Love it or hate it

By
Steve Gilliland
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As I sit here this morning in the warm comfort of my living room watching the snow flakes fall, I’m reminded just how magnificent our Creator is. First the flakes were huge like doily’s and filled the sky. Next thing I knew, they were tiny, scarcely qualifying as snow flakes and barely coming down. Back and forth that cycle went for the rest of the morning.

Show me one person who doesn’t have some sort of love-hate relationship with snow. It
seems as though a person either love it or hates it, and for some of us it depends upon the
day. It’s hard to explain how something that makes the landscape suddenly seem so sparkling clean and pure can turn on you in an instant and ruin your day. I was reminded today how much I love to watch snow fall and how beautiful it makes everything it touches, but also how much I hate removing it from my driveway. I’m kind of a purist in that I believe God put it there and I don’t want to shovel it and take away any satisfaction He might get from taking it away himself! Yes, to the traveler, home owner, maintenance man and commuter, snow is often an unwelcome inconvenience. To the outdoorsman, however, snow opens up a whole new world of opportunities.

For the outdoors photographer or painter there is no other canvas that compares to an outdoor scene sporting a fresh snowfall. Suddenly, as if by magic, the mundane becomes majestic, the drab becomes dynamic and the everyday becomes extraordinary. Outdoor spots we pass daily with no recognition suddenly become scenes from a calendar. Like the lava lamps of days gone by, the look of the landscape slowly changes from hour to hour with the wind.

Obviously, skiers and snowboarders live for fresh snow. After an overnight snowfall, hills too steep to climb become mere carnival rides beneath their feet. Cross country skiers can, in one day, see country it would take them several days to see on foot without the snow. And let’s not forget the farmers. As a rule of thumb, ten inches of snow equal one inch of rain, and snow supposedly brings with it good nutrients too, so even though we will not be getting any amount near ten inches, every little bit of moisture is welcome, given the dry state of our land.

Hunters and trappers can benefit greatly from a fresh snowfall. Tracks of deer, coyotes, bobcats and other game animals are tough to spot in our often-dry Kansas soil, so trying to learn their movement patterns can rely on being fortunate enough to see the animals themselves. Remember going to dances back-in-the-day when your hand was stamped with a mark that only showed up under a special “black light?” That mark was there the whole time but only became visible when put under the light. Just like the black light, snow suddenly shows tracks of wildlife that have been traveling those same paths for months, but leaving no visible signs.

After a significant snowfall a few years ago, I spent time scouting an area I still had yet to trap. It was a soybean stubble field along the river where my wife harvested her first deer several years before. Besides hordes of deer tracks, I followed 2 sets of bobcat tracks as they meandered back and forth across the field and between several freshly made brush piles. I tracked a coyote for several hundred yards and was able to observe exactly how it related to certain land features. I followed coyote tracks on a frozen drainage ditch and could see where it had stopped to nose around under logs and other attractions. Its tracks showed me cattle trails it had traveled along the steep banks and where it had entered and left the ditch. Closing my eyes, I could almost see these animals as they left the footprints that held my attention.

So, the next time it snows, after you’ve shoveled the driveway, cleaned the walks, swept the deck and cursed the weatherman, grab your camera or walking stick and head for the woods. It will definitely influence your relationship with the “white stuff” as you continue to Explore Kansas Outdoors.
Steve can be contacted by email at [email protected].

 

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