July 2026 — Settling In

Closing came and went in May without a hiccup. The land is ours.

Since then we've been up to the ranch more times than we can count, and we've had family join us for a good number of them. The hiking has been everything we hoped. The shooting range has been a lot of fun. And the four-wheelers have been the biggest hit of all — the little kids can't get enough of riding around.

We put out a game camera, and it's already earned its keep: moose, deer, elk, fox, and — a few weeks ago — our first bear. It's beautiful up here. Peaceful and quiet in a way that's hard to describe until you've stood in it.

There's work, too, and we're glad for it. Mark, Somers' dad Gary, Somers' uncle Mike, and Somers' brother-in-law Nathan started clearing brush along an old logging road. There's still plenty left to do — logs to pull from the creek, dead wood choking the stream — but it's the good kind of project. We're taking it all on with a smile.

More to come.