Whistling Badger Blog

This is not my ditch.  This is a pretty ditch. "...by grace you have been saved, through faith..."  Ephesians 2 Summer has arrived at Casa Wilson, and that means a lot of things:  Naps, long walks, longer runs, play time with the Badgerling, lots of outside work, and occasionally, time to think.  Lately, while drilling screws, cutting firewood, and setting irrigation dams, I have been thinking about grace, faith, and works.  There seems to be a lot of confusion about those things.  But after twelve years or so of growing hay, I don't think it's all that hard. We live in the middle of a big hay field, and every year we have the grass mowed and baled.  We keep a few bales for the garden and the chickens, but we sell most of it.  It's fairly easy money; it feels good to know our land is productive, and there is nothing like the smell of a fresh-cut hay field.  It's the smell of life, the smell of growth, the smell of money. Of cour...

I type this from Old Town Coffee, an establishment peopled by attractive, cool-looking people wearing fashionable, outdoorsy clothing.  Seriously, every person in this place, including the baristas, looks as if they just finished a race or a wilderness adventure.  Except they're clean.  I don't quite fit in, being a bit non-clean (having just finished a trail run) and decidedly non-fashionable.  But it is happily noisy and busy and it's a good place to reflect and type a few thoughts about real life. This is my first time online in over a week, and a rich and eventful week it has been:  an explosive- and friend-filled Independence Day, huge PRs for Sarah and me in  the 4th of July 5k  and a 2nd place finish for me (I've never earned prize money in a race before; I have to say I rather like the feeling), an utterly fascinating all-day guided tour of the Red Desert, a birthday party involving an insane number of sugar-buzzed small children and their ex...

Stop counting the miles. Stop longing for the finish. Just enjoy the ride. Feeling pretty fast til I surprise some  pronghorn : humbled, but inspired. Running unknown trails my memory is stirred: I wish I could find the truck. Easy, light, smooth, fast just like Caballo Blanco the first mile or so. I have seen elk run five miles through these same mountains And not break a sweat. Altitude training In triumph, I top the ridge Gasp! Gasp! Gasp! Gasp! Gasp! No past, no future, Just now:  each step a journey Every breath a prayer. Living God, thank you for aspens, flowers, good health, for strength that humbles.

The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting. You will not forsake the works of Your hands. Psalm 138   Note:   I carried this lesson around with me for almost two years before I was ready to put it into words.   Thanks to Mara for letting us enjoy and learn from her art. I would like to share with you a parable of sorts. I have a friend in Sheridan named Mara Schasteen .   Among other things, Mara is a painter who creates still-lifes, landscapes, and portraits.   Her most magnificent work, in my opinion, involves aspen trees and chickens.   Yes, I said chickens.   Now, anyone who can make a chicken look magnificent (Really.   I mean it.   Stop that snickering . ) has some phenomenal talent and dedication.   Mara is becoming "kind of a big deal" in the art world.   She is also a wife and the mother of four children; her youngest, Emme, loves to play in the studi...

My long time readers (come on, you know you're out there--all three of you) might or might not remember my attempt at winter fly fishing a couple years ago.  That day, I got skunked.  And very, very cold. Last weekend, I had another go at it, with guide service provided by my friend Mike, a fishing guru if ever there was one.  That know-how, and a loaner set of waders, did the trick. Here is the smallest one I caught: And here is one of the bigger ones: I landed about five or six roughly this size; I was too busy laughing and hooting to keep count.  They were all browns, though I hooked one monster rainbow that got off after a fairly epic, ten-minute battle.  The fishing was so great, we almost forgot how miserable the weather was.  Good thing I was wearing more wool than the average sheep. We let them all go, so they're still out there.  And no, I won't tell you where "there" is...unless the price is right.  But you probably can'...

A nice picture of Thailand. I made up this recipe for my wife.  She can't eat meat and wasn't in the mood for stir fry, but all we had in the fridge was stir fry-type veggies, so I decided to try something different.  I used this as a starting point, but heavily modified it from there.  It ranks 4/5 on the coveted Wilson Recipe Scale, losing one point only because it doesn't include chocolate, bacon, aged cheddar, or onion rings. As-is, it is vegan and gluten-free (the latter being accidental).  It would be nice with the addition of some thin-sliced beef, shrimp, or chicken.  And like most recipes, it would be INCREDIBLE with bacon added:  just a slice, fried crisp, finely crumbled, and added to the sauce. What you need For the sauce: *1/4c peanut butter, preferably a smooth, all-natural type *2 T Hot water *The juice and zest of 2 limes.  If you don't know (I didn't until today), zesting limes is really easy:  Just scrape them over a...

Sarah and Katie have been reading Care Bears books lately.  They decided I was "Braveheart Bear."  I guess I can live with that.  But the original Care Bear in question wasn't really my style.  So, a bit of fun with Gimp... Aye.  Much better.  ARE YE READY FOR A MAULIN'?!