I spent the summer waking up at sun-up, baling hay, moving irrigation pipes, putting up fences, making trails, and riding horses for two weeks. It was my third summer at a ranch in Idaho, but it has always been one of my favorite times of the year–being only 30 minutes from Jackson Hole.
With the rugged Tetons overlooking the ranch, I saw the sun rise above the mountains, the valley changing from perpetual darkness to morning, the dew in the alfalfa fields, soaking me in morning as I worked. I could see aspens dotting the base of the mountains, and showing the landscape change to Ponderosa Pines or Douglas Firs as the elevation increased. I saw the summit of the Grand Teton (well above tree line) become white in August as a soft blanket of snow fell upon it.
This ranch is a place that I love for its natural beauty, but also a remembrance of the wilderness that it gives me, and the chance to get away from the craziness of life. To be able to find joy and contentment in doing hard physical labor is a lesson that can be learned on the ranch. In society, it seems that this concept in many circumstances has been lost. Being at a ranch has given me a new perspective concerning this idea. Though people may think that doing daily chores are monotonous or boring, it is fulfilling to me.
To know that you are accomplishing a job with your back and your hands is simply a joy to me. There were actually times when work crews would compete for time in moving the irrigation pipes.  My group actually got the lowest time at 6 minutes.
Hard physical labor can be fun and exciting. After moving pipes, I would actually run through the whole stretch of pipes, to let myself get soaked by its sprinklers.  We would then pile up in the back of the truck because that is simply how you get around on a ranch.
Though modern conveniences help enrich our lives, and let us able to spend more time on things that we enjoy, it is nice to get away for a while from the urban world’s distractions. Perhaps that is reason why so many people are attracted to the backcountry of the Rockies, and the Jackson Hole area.
I remember one particular hard job was when we were taking down the rails on a fence. For several hours, I had to slam the sledgehammer into the rails to get them loose. It is a job that I would recommend not trying. I spent most of the lunch-break curled up on a chair because I was so exhausted.
Another day, we had to clear several acres of thistle. Picture having a scythe, and slicing it back and forth, back and forth, as sharp points of thistle move against your hands and arms. This has given me an everlasting detestation for thistle. Even so, there is beauty in this unpleasant plant. I still think that the purple flower that thistle produces is still remarkable in its own way. Beauty can be found everywhere.
Nature has taught me a lot of lessons. With the ranch being surrounded by aspen trees, it is inspiring to find that the groves of the aspen trees were all supported by one mother tree, being inter-connected and sending the nutrients to a sick tree–the aspens living in coexistence.  I find that nature can give me analogies and insights into the real world of relationships and challenges in life. For example, we can learn from the aspens to be unified in purpose, and help those in need.
To live on a ranch, and be in nature is something I love. It has actually given me the desire to someday have a ranch one day myself, and allow others to learn the lessons that I have learned while being there, taking pleasure in the simple joys of life.  From my time in that special valley, I have learned to look into a different lense of life than I would otherwise have ever known. I am grateful for those glimpses.
Anna Shumway • Apr 9, 2011 at 9:15 pm
so cute.
love the looks. its fun to see how the globe has changed.
Cecily Palmer • Mar 17, 2010 at 12:50 am
Jonathan,
I particularly enjoyed this article!
I can’t believe that you finished pipe in 6 min. Our top time I believe was 11 min.
Cecily