Take Time to Stop and Smell the… Sagebrush?

January 14, 2021 by Sariah

I love the smell of sagebrush, especially after it rains. I wish I could bottle up that sweet fragrance and release it in the dead of winter. To me, the first whiff of sagebrush in the spring means seasons are changing, so winter won’t last forever. The smell of sagebrush means warmer days, calves, sunshine, no coats, and branding.

So…does sagebrush still smell in the winter? This is how I found out it does!

About ten years ago we lived on a ranch that was covered in a thick blanket of snow by the end of January. My husband was in another state with the cows on their winter range. He was gone all week and he came home on the weekends. The kids (six of them at the time) and I stayed at the ranch to take care of bulls and horses and other critters still on the ranch.

**Saylor is determined to walk up the hill all by herself**

We homeschooled and we didn’t go to town too often with the bad weather. The kids and I spent a lot of time together. One day in the middle of the week – we were all getting a little cabin fever. I thought it would be healthy for us to do something different, like sledding since the weather was decent that day. We had an excellent, big, sledding hill on the ranch. The older kids helped the little kids sled down and then they pulled them back up the hill in a sled. I took some pictures and videos and went up and down the hill a few times myself.

It was refreshing to be out where walls weren’t around us and we weren’t in each other’s space. Towards the end of the afternoon, the sun was starting to go down and I was standing at the bottom of the hill. It was overcast, everything was white all around us, and it was cold. I remember unexpectedly catching a slight whiff of sagebrush in the air. How could I smell anything under all the snow and in the cold? I thought my nose was playing tricks on me, but there was the unmistakable scent of sagebrush in the air even though I could barely smell it! That hint of sagebrush in the air was a pleasant surprise to my winter-dulled senses.

Despite the gloominess of winter around us, I went back to the house renewed. I knew the snow would melt eventually and under all the snow would be the sagebrush and its sweet, desert smell.

So, yes, sagebrush does smell in the winter, but only if you take the time to stop and smell it. I did that day.

A Russian New Year

January 7, 2021 by Sariah

Have you ever thought you needed to do something because you didn’t think you’d have the same opportunity ever again?

That is how I felt on New Year’s Eve of 2012 as we welcomed 2013. We lived in Russia at the time. We were working for a Russian company helping to build ranches and bring the beef industry back to Russia. I didn’t think I’d have an opportunity to see a Russian New Year’s again, so I tried to make the most of it.

Jeffrey and Justin were receiving cattle at another ranch so they weren’t able to be with us. The other kids and I played games and had snacks and eventually they all dozed off for a while. At 2am I woke everyone up and we bundled up and headed out the door. We piled into our loaf van, (imagine an army green loaf of bread on wheels) and we drove to a village about 15 minutes away.

Russian’s don’t celebrate Christmas until January 7th and it is not a big holiday, but New Year’s is a HUGE holiday! People put up New Year’s trees instead of Christmas trees. On New Year’s Eve people gather at their village’s Lenin Square (every village has a Lenin Square) for a BIG celebration after midnight.

Lights were on in many of the houses as we drove through the village. People— families, teenagers, and couples were walking to the Square. The Lenin Square in this village was packed with people and lit up at 2am! They had a big New Year’s tree in the middle of the square. There was loud music and food. People were dancing and setting off fireworks. Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden were in a booth doing a skit. An ambulance was in the Square and police were here and there.

*Low quality picture of Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden*

We watched and took in all the Russian festivities. I got a few poor quality pictures. I remember standing there and looking at my American kids. I thought, “I am in a Russian village’s Lenin Square in the middle of the night with five kids and no husband at their new year’s celebration.” Wow! I knew I probably wouldn’t ever have this chance to be where I was right then.

*My American kids at a Russian New Year’s Eve celebration at a village’s Lenin Square*

It was cold and we didn’t stay too long, nor did I want to draw any attention to ourselves because sometimes we really stuck out as Americans. We can say we have been to a Russian New Year’s party at a Lenin Square (in case anyone ever asks us). I was glad I did it even though it was in the middle of the night and cold and I didn’t have my husband with me.

Back at home, everyone warmed up with some hot chocolate. They were awake after their cold, night excursion. We didn’t play any more games, but I played a song for them by Rascal Flatts called My Wish.

Have you ever listened to the lyrics of that song? It is a great new year’s song.

I hope the days come easy and the moments pass slow
And each road leads you where you want to go
And if you’re faced with the choice and you have to choose
I hope you choose the one that means the most to you
And if one door opens to another door closed
I hope you keep on walkin’ ‘til you find the window
If it’s cold outside, show the world the warmth of your smile
But more than anything, more than anything

[Chorus:]
My wish for you
Is that this life becomes all that you want it to
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small
You never need to carry more than you can hold
And while you’re out there gettin’ where you’re gettin’ to
I hope you know somebody loves you
And wants the same things too
Yeah, this is my wish

I hope you never look back but you never forget
All the ones who love you
And the place you left
I hope you always forgive and you never regret
And you help somebody every chance you get
Oh, you find God’s grace in every mistake
And always give more than you take
But more than anything, yeah more than anything

This is my wish
I hope you know somebody loves you
May all your dreams stay big

That New Year’s Eve in Russia was eight years ago. My six kids’ ages were 17 years old down to 5 years old. This song is still my wish for them every year no matter what their ages.

Happy New Year!

Our Family

November 11, 2019 by Sariah

We are Jeffrey and Sariah.

Our children are: Jasper, Justin, Joseph, Sage, Sophie, Saylor and Jimmy.

L to R back row – Joseph, Justin holding Jimmy, Jasper
L to R front row – Sophie, Saylor, Sage
PC: A. Walters

Our son, Jasper, got married in May of 2018 and his wife, Aspen, is a great addition to our family – she loves Nevada and the desert! Last September they welcome a little boy, Jubal, into their family. They live on another large Nevada ranch that is about two and a half hours from town.

We live on a ranch in the high desert of northern Nevada. Our lifestyle is becoming more uncommon and rare. We ranch, we have a large family, we homeschool, we work with our kids, and we live about 40 minutes from town. We want to share our lifestyle with you!