I have had the privilege of living on a farm or ranch all my early life. Ranching is tough work, and requires and develops a fortitude and grit in a person, like none other. So many joys and highlights. Highlights of new life, chickens, pigs, calves, management of crops, stock – managing the times with the bull so the cows, gave birth at an expected date, assisting with C-Sections. Low lights, when animals were lost, (coyotes reduced the calf-crop and killed some moms during the birth process.) (fire destroyed hundreds of young chicks once – an accident of course, but a huge financial loss to my dad.)
Marriage and family (five kids and now 20 grandchildren) brought more opportunity to bring every bit of skill and endurance to the table and these children, now adults though living in cities, now seek every opportunity to leave the city for all-to-brief periods of time, and return home to the Cariboo life, with their children. The place where the drama of life unfolded and these stories were born.
Later, I studied at the Justice Institute of B.C. and majored in Mediation and Negotiation, with emphasis on Conflict resolution. Under contract with the Attorney General of our Province, I worked with families, offering Child Protection Mediation and Family Mediation. I also was Co-Therapist to groups for assaultive men, men who had assaulted or abused their intimate partners. All rewarding work, and my favourite.
Pulling this all together, stories began to fashion within me and many made it to paper.
Enjoy these. They are for you.
Love,
Laura