Born in the Big Sky Country of Montana and now living in the Buckeye State of Ohio, Richard is the creative mind behind Big Sky Buckeye. Retired after 40 years of teaching, I enjoy writing, photography, traveling, and following a healthy lifestyle.
I am an optimist. It does not seem too much use being anything else.
From Hebrews 6:19-20: “We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Winston Churchill (1874-1965) served the United Kingdom as Prime Minister from 1940-1945 and later from 1951-1955. He unwavering leadership during World War II lifted the spirits of his nation in the darkest of times. He was also a prolific writer with countless published works.
The thing that looks the most ordinary might end up being the thing that leads you to victory.
If you aim to be something you are not, you will always fail. Aim to be you.
Matt Haig (born 1975) is an English writer and journalist. Much of his writing focuses on novels with fictional themes for adults as well as children stories.
This quotations series will focus on four significant U.S. Army generals from World War II. Each man contributed mightily to the overall success of the Allies war effort. This outstanding quartet will feature: George C. Marshall, George S. Patton, Douglas MacArthur, and Omar Bradley. Postings will include two of these gentlemen at a time.
Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964)
No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.
Omar Bradley (1893-1981)
We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the sermon on the mount.
From Isaiah 41:1: “Listen to Me in silence, O coastlands;let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak;let us together draw near for judgment.”
American writer Madeleine L’Engle captures the essence of meaning found in this poem with these words: “Deepest communion with God is beyond words, on the other side of silence.”
The annual county fair wraps up most of its activities on Saturday, and the PRCA rodeo highlights the day’s events.
Professional cowboys travel to this small town every August in search of top prize money as they show off their skills. However, the real adventure and fun arrives at the end of the rodeo competition.
Every year the Wild Horse Ride wraps up the afternoon. Gathering from the area’s farms and ranches come “wannabe” cowboys.
The goal for each rider is to mount a horse and ride around the race track. It’s winner-takes-all at the finish line.
The riders are divided up into teams, and each team consists of two other individuals. The mugger controls the untamed horse’s head so it cannot rear back. The shanker holds the lead rope so the wild horse doesn’t run away. The rider is left to saddle the anxious horse and race it.
As the announcer starts up the competition, a mad scramble commences as each team frantically works together. One rider, LeRoy, is the first to saddle and mount his overly aggressive horse. He turns his horse around and heads to the race track, well ahead of the other riders.
However, there remains one big problem. LeRoy’s mount is galloping in the opposite direction around the track, and he will never be able to turn the horse around. The crowd roars with laughter at LeRoy’s dilemma.
To this day, many rodeo goers still remember “Wrong Way” LeRoy!
This informative post will be posted on Saturday along with my usual writing. You are invited to participate with the opening question.
Brain Teaser Question
What letter would come next in this sequence?
O, T, T, F, F, S, S, E, ___
(answer found at the end of this post)
Featured Facts
North America is blessed to be home to the second fastest animal in the world. Second only to Africa’s cheetah, the pronghorn has the ability to reach a speed of 60 miles per hour.
Combining outstanding vision with its extraordinary speed, the pronghorn manages to avoid predators most of the time. Both males and females have horns. The male’s horns will grow to a length of 10-12 inches while the female’s remain as small bumps on top of her head.
Here are a few interesting facts about the pronghorn:
Able to survive at least a week without water
Habitat: grasslands and deserts
Diet: grass, low shrubs
Lifespan: 6-10 years
Able to leap up to 15 feet
As herbivores, the pronghorn digests its food twice as it eats, swallows, and then regurgitates the food from its stomach. The animal then chews up the smaller pieces as cud, which allows for greater absorption of the food’s nutrition.
The prairies of Montana, the Dakotas, Wyoming, and Nebraska provide the largest year-round range for the pronghorn in the United States. They will frequently migrate up to 150 miles as they move back and forth between summer and winter feeding grounds.
Left: A young pronghorn buck. Right: Map of pronghorn year-round range in the United States. (Courtesy of Pinterest)
Big Sky Buckeye 