From Around The Globe

Today's post covers housekeeping and a bit of an update.

A couple weeks ago I called my webmaster to find out how foaling season is going and to get caught up on new USDA regs. These regulations are a very troubling invasion of privacy and property rights, all done in the name of consumer health. This federal livestock registry won't just affect cattle and poultry producers but will also affect other "agricultural operations" such as horse breeders and people that show cats.

Provisions include site registry, animal identification requirements as well as strict record keeping laws. Pat promises an update soon...stay tuned...

In other news from the webmaster- get this! Last month HMR received over 132,000 hits. That's more hits than our ISP gets on their homepage. We also had 17,000 unique visitors. Now I wonder where is everyone coming from and how the heck do they find us?

We have zero advertising...zero promotion...so I'd like to say thanks to everyone who has stuck with us through the years. That includes IGRA cowboys Darcy, Perry, Hank, Jeff, and Brad who continue to represent us.

So if you've got spare time, head on over to http://www.highmountainranch.com . In the fall, we'll celebrate our first decade online...maybe we should throw a party or have another contest????

By the way-speaking of our last contest, although we've had many, many good guesses-no one has figured out yet just which quote, repeated SEVERAL times throughout the many pages of HMR.com, was attributed to our fine lady featured last month. So come on folks-I know you can figure this out.

Here is one additional hint: It involves the Rodeo Princess and a certain talented roper, bless both their hearts.

Now onto the mail bag...

Hey Tim,

I just got caught up on your latest post, and I have to say that for someone who cannot see very well, you sure are becoming quite a photographer. While a lot of credit must go to the subject and who created it, you have vision enough to capture the "purple mountains' majesty" and in some cases, REALLY purple! I also sent a letter in support of the measures to preserve the area in question. When I went through Montana years ago, we travelled very close to that area. Incredible! I told them that if my Adirondack Mountains deserve protection, then certainly this does as well. One of these days I'll get back up there. I recently bought a time share in hopes that it motivates me to take more vacations and visit sites like that. Thanks for the great photos. Dave

Yeah, amazing how a digital camera can make up for double vision eh? A big thanks to Kevin my partner who has been known to back up half a mile or come to a screeching halt with no warning because I thought "I saw something."

For folks that would like to further support the proposed Scotchman Peaks Wilderness Area- why not get your fall wardrobe "casual wear" from here: http://www.scotchmanpeaks.org Jump over to their store to get your fix on a "hoodie" and do some good works bound to get you into heaven. (Just kidding mom...)

Another read writes:

Hey Tim, Was reading your stuff again, and hearing the respect you have for cowboys and mountain people I thought I'd tell you about "The Whorehouse Bells Were Ringing" and Other Songs Cowboys Sing.

Collected and edited by Guy Logsdon *ISBN:* 0252064887

It was one of my favorites at my bookstore I owed in Virginia City MT. We specialized in old west books and history. This collection by a man who sought out old cowboys and recorded what the alternative verses were, when the nearest females were heifers and ewes. Amazing history and characters. I thought I'd heard of everything, between gay roommates in college, San Francisco in the 80's, hippie communes and the confessions a minister hears, but one quiet day I was leafing thru this collection of songs and lyrics and starting reading when I felt a blush start at my bellybutton and roar across my chest and turn the top of my scalp pink. I hadn't heard everything, I still could be educated. Hope you snag it sometime, and enjoy. your fan,

Lewis

review@ http://www.press.uillinois.edu/s95/logsdon.html

title sample@http://sniff.numachi.com/pages/tiWHBELLS;ttFATALWED.html

I've got to get the audio copy of that book...or maybe Kevin can read me some bedtime stories???

Lena just took a trip to Singapore...Here's her thoughts on the trip...

As some of you may know, I have recently travelled to Singapore to solve some paperwork for my Indonesian temporary visa.

Although I only spent 1 week there, I was very impressed with this oasis of western culture in this big Asian sea.
Singapore (= singa+pura= Lion City) is a small island, located just below Malaysia. (south east asia). Started as a UK colony by Mr Raffles, it soon became a most developped young nation. I say 'young' because it only gained its independence about 50 years ago (history was never my forte, so don't take my word for it. Better google it !!)
It is absolutely full of malls and shopping centers, especially on Orchard street where all south east asia goes shopping!! It excels in financial services (significant stock market), trading (big harbor), education and cleanliness:)) It is also famos for its multiethnicity (4 official languages: english, mandarin, malay, hindi) also reflected in the city's various districts: little india, chinatown, arab street, holland village etc
Food is great (very diverse, affordable and good in quality) such as laksa, tea tarek, roti prata, martabak, mee goreng, sushi, ice kachang etc
People are much more relaxed in terms of religion, clothing and behavior.

Although I went there for "business" (visa papers), it felt like a real vacation. I had a very pleasant stay, tanning, enjoying my host's jacuzzi, walking around taking pictures and trying not to look like a dumb tourist:) I even found time to enjoy some reading, too.

You will find enclosed 3 pictures:
my ride in the balloon, a panoramic view of s'pore and a hindi temple.

Lena

And theres this:

Having enjoyed reading your first two books online, I am wondering where the third (Tremendously Wonderful) book can be found... the website says it was published in spring 2005? Looking forward to it. Also I'm curious as to how your optic nerve problem is doing since the last update mentioned is March 2004? Thanks for providing many hours of reading entertainment - and quite a bit of inner contemplation too... -Charles

O K- so yeah "that book"...the one that was supposed to be published last year...covering material written pre-2002, pre accident, pre surgery, and covering a few things that came later. I lost it on my last computer....and we thought was forever gone...

Well I think it's mostly recovered.

At the time I posted the 2005 publication date, my agent Adam Chromy was wanting to front me the cost of self publishing, something he never does. We'd been dealing with all sorts of editors that loved my work but many editors don't get to make the final call. So we were talking about self publishing...

The third book was all done, edited...but then I went and lost it. All of it. Bad Computer.

So thanks to Mark Lowe, who thank God had a copy of it. I've got it back. And for those of you who crave new material, several of those essays have never been published. I promise to keep everyone posted what's next. As soon as I know.

As for the vision, optical and closed head injury issues-there's more deterioration and little in the way of answers. I wish I knew. As soon as I know more...I'll be sure to post an update...

Tim, Your stories are irresistible, Specially about the Lady of easy virtue posing about the official Oakland CA tour guide.

Then the Story of REBOUND, I felt this way 21.May.1993 in the early morning hours in Wilmington Delaware when my Wyoming Cowboy Veryl Dwayne Stoneking left the bonds of this earth life. I said to my self I never want to experience death ever again, not even my own, I had many best friends and cousins died in Irish bombings, AIDS, Murder in South African, where they tossed human life in the street as if it was a commodity.

I have remained single by choose fore 13 years, I met some doosies in the Gay community sense then I could not wait to live in rural Oregon to get away from those bastards down there in the SF gay community. It's fun to visit from time to time to appreciate what I have and is so much saner.
Many people of my caliber are moving in droves to isolated areas and I question why.

This about the 10th time I have read REBOUND and the emotions it stirs, someone leaving or death or loss it creates a void.
I have spoken to my younger Brother this morning in London about this very issue, he has been happily married to another man fore 13 years they met a week after Dwayne past away.

My Brother Ian has been excessively hard on me lately fore not enlarging that void again to let someone in. I look forward to travel this week end, I will write a few lines to of what kind of emotions such beauty will stir visiting the National Parks, expressing the gratitude to be able to do this.
Hugs and stuff
Cheers Mate
Glenn

When I get a letter like this, its very humbling. No matter where we are transplanted from, in this letter writers case he's a Brit, the West is an amazing place. As is the world of the Internet...it is making us all neighbors...

Tim

highmountainranch@povn.com or you can comment here on blogspot...:)