I can think of no better way to begin this blog than with the Facebook post by one of our member ranches, Bonanza Creek Ranch: Thank you to Bonanza Creek Ranch for the very comforting and inspiring words. With all of us either in quarantine, self-quarantine or honoring social distance, it’s a new world […]
I bought my first cowboy hat in 1979. I am not a cowgirl, nor did I live on a ranch or a farm. My home was in a middle-class suburb of Cincinnati, nowhere near a dude ranch. But at the time, it was very cool to wear a cowboy hat, no matter where you grew […]
I have often wondered – what is the strict definition of the word dude? The term is used often and in various circumstances, but what does it really mean? According to J.J. Gould, who in his 2013 article entitled “A Brief History of Dude” published in The Atlantic, a “dude” is one of the following as […]
When I was a kid, one of my fondest memories is of my family plunging headfirst into the Christmas season. Just about every room in the house was adorned with Christmas decorations; a fresh tree was purchased every year and was covered with tinsel, ornaments, and a star for a tree topper. Decorating the tree […]
For a single idea to permeate a culture, or to retain the original intention, it takes a strong, clear message. Around here at the Flathead Lake Lodge, that message was established in 1945, and the message was “family.” In Bigfork, Montana, on our ranch, family isn’t just the Averill’s, whose patriarch, Les Averill, founded the […]
It’s November. Where did the time go? Most of our dude ranches are closed for the season, yet they are already preparing for the 2020 season. Some ranches are still in operation and welcoming guests throughout the year. This month includes a day for the special purpose of our country celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday. The […]
