Tuesday, June 24

Our big treat today was an overnight stay at the Historic Reesor Ranch, which lies on the border of Saskatchewan and Alberta . It was all in the family, at least by marriage. My cousin Erica Johnson is married to Hugh Johnston, whose great-grandfather, W.D. Reesor, established a homestead there in 1904, with 21 horses, 250 cattle, and one hog. Hugh's second-cousin Scott Reesor, together with his wife Theresa, now operates a bed-and-breakfast at the ranch in addition to their calving business. They have also converted their barn into a most attractive bunkhouse, and they were expecting a big group of horseback riders for an event this coming weekend. Two of them had already arrived, and after supper a group went off for an evening ride. We are not riders, but we loved seeing the horses and visiting with these delightful folks. Scott is a cowboy poet, and he recited one of his poems for us. We also visited with Theresa's mother, Diane, who has her own cabin on the property. In our highly mobile society, it is refreshing to encounter a family with such a strong connection to the land. Their children are the fifth generation to live here.