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Index of WindbreakAbout This Index
This index was created by Mindy Keskinen during the winter and spring of 1999 while she spent some weekends at Windbreak House as a retreat from a hectic job. Thanks Mindy! Some additions and changes were made by Tamara Rogers prior to posting it on this website. Most people in the book are listed in this index under their first name and by their relationship to Linda (family, friend, neighbor). Those with a more formal relationship to Linda are listed by their last name. Look for domesticated animals under the species name-- thus Phred is listed under "cat," and Rebel will be found under "horse." Use this clickable alphabet to jump directly to the portion of the index you want to search, or scroll on down. A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z Index to Windbreak: A Woman Rancher on the Northern Plains 777 see Triple Seven Ranch AL (Linda’s neighbor) annual ritual with John, 55-56 creek pasture chores, 71, 90, 104 mouth-to-nose calf resuscitation, whiskey chaser, 95 see also Neighbor ANNE (Linda’s aunt on father’s side) fire near her place, put a few things in car, 92-93 see also Family ANTELOPE fence-crossing technique, 190 ARROWHEAD found by George, 143 ART Tom’s collages with calf ear notches, 26 Linda used to barter eggs for paintings, 146 AUCTION see Sale Ring AUDEN, W. H. on Eisley, 65-66 AUNT see Anne, Jo / Josephine, Family AURORA BOREALIS see Northern lights back to alphabet back to top BADLANDS "like a foreign country," xiii blue haze hanging over Badlands, 29 Cuny Table and description of area, 30 BALLOON hot air balloon: passes house; dog barks, 33 BANANA dried 25 pounds, 40 BEEF see Butchering, Calving, Cattle BERRY, WENDELL "to know the dark, go dark," 118 BILL (Linda’s neighbor; married to Margaret; daughter Bonnie) see Margaret, Neighbor BIRD “snowbirds” (species?) zipping in noisy flocks overhead, 87 after spring blizzard, 132 waving the birds to safety, 178 see also individual bird species: Blackbird, Bluebird, Buzzard, Cedar Waxwing, Cowbird, Crane (Sandhill), Curlew, Dove, Eagle, Falcon, Goose, Grouse, Hawk, Heron, Killdeer, Meadowlark, Nighthawk, Owl, Swallow, Turkey, Vulture BIRTH clean patterns of birth, life, death, xiv life out of death, 93 life and death struggle of backwards calf, 113 See also Calving, Cattle, Death, Nature BLACK BEAUTY (book): parents' gift, left under tree, ix BLACKBIRD Linda’s appreciation of God for blackbirds’ song, 66 redwing, 107, 115 none dead after blizzard, 135 at storm's end, 138 flies at Linda and George, 139 see also Bird BLACK ELK "power of earth works in circles," 140 See also Indian BLACK HILLS description, sights, xiii blue and icy, 72 Keystone trip refreshing, 91 wild flowers, 170 fire, 175 wild plums, 200 BLACK HILLS ENERGY COALITION see Environmentalism BLAZE see Horse BLIZZARD "Late March Blizzard" (poem), 114 See Snow / Sleet BLUE see Cat BLUEBIRD like a rare gem to a jewel lover, 138-139 see also Bird BONE “Bone,” poem, 69 BONEYARD children took samples home, 139 Whirlaway runs through boneyard, 145 BONNIE (Linda’s neighbor; parents Margaret and Bill) see Margaret, Neighbor BOVARD see Mildred BRADBURY, RAY on Eisley, 65 BRANDING Tom's calf-ear collages, 26 branding in Nov., 40 spring branding/dehorning/castrating yearlings, "castrating female," 118 gathering supplies, Linda/John agree eartags too costly, Linda reflects on future of ranch, 140-141 Linda’s and John’s brands, 141-142 branding detailed, 140-143 injuries, 142 cows find calves instantly, 143 late spring branding, 150 BUFFALO yearlings with cows over east; Oliver's reaction, 7 back in pasture, 26 in pasture to east, bulls in front, 146 Indians say buffalo returning, 146 BUFFALO GAP trips for cake, 37, 53, 56, 76, 88 BULLET Linda uses to write notes, 16 BUTCHERING crippled heifer, and canning, 13-14 yearling butchered on tipi poles, silly labels, 107 Mildred concerned for cleanliness, 111 BUZZARD raids nest, 175 see also Bird, Vulture back to alphabet back to top CAFFEINE health effects, 39 CAKE (CATTLE FEED) in paper sacks, 33 feeding to cattle, 34 from Buffalo Gap, 37, 53, 56, 76, 88 as lure for cattle, 102 sole spring feed with enough grass, 107 buried in snow, 137 "hell of a thing" when still feeding on June 1st, 158 CALVING calving season, 102 (and following pages, esp.107-136) breech birth, cow dies, 84 “several hundred dollars worth of coyote feed,” 84 “matronly waddle,” 89 premature calf dies, 103 Panther and calf, 111 prolapse, 113 backwards calf, 113-114 twin-calf joke, 115 dead calves, 115 “wrong kind of kick,” 116 calving season handy social excuse, 116 too-large calves, Charolais cross, 119, 124, 125 John on calving two-year-olds, 121 "tailing her up," 122 instinctive mothering vs. affection, 122 hoofless calf, 123 hoofless calf dies, 125 colostrum too rich?, 124 Charolais vs. Angus calves' behavior, 129 George collapses, 130 neighbors' cows calve simultaneously in blizzard, 140 lost heifer calves, 148 calf born dead in June, 165-166 See also Cattle CALVING TIME “Calving Time” (poem), 135 CARL (Linda’s uncle on father’s side) killed in WWII, 9 see also Family, Uncle CAT Phred, on George's shoulder, 8 Phred, George, and Cuchulain sleep through windstorm, 9-10 Phred sits on steps with Linda and Cuchulain, 11 Phred licks Linda's tears, 22 Janet and Jacob poisoned, 29 George lured Phred from friend, 29-30 Phred growls at deer, 80 Linda dreams of and remembers Blue, 88 Phred’s disdain for snow, 93 Bluebird killed by cat, 138-139 Phred scared by Linda's Wicked Witch of the West laugh, 145 CATTLE Hereford/Angus stock on Hasselstrom ranch, x Charolais bull visits pasture, 13 Longhorn bull visits pasture, 15 feedlot calves yield "overly fat beef America favors,” 17 truck arrival, sale, walking quietly among cattle, 17 met Hudson at sale ring, 17-18 bringing cows home to sell, 25 Tom's calf-ear collages, 26 weaning, 33 moving dry cows over east, 35 trailer to sale, 40 "drouthy," 41 ranchers discuss calf prices, renting pasture, 41 350-lb calf from over east, 43 winter feeding, 45-46, 56, 60, 62, 71, 76 winter injuries, 46 bird's-eye view of feeding, 48 Angus/Hereford bulls fight, 55 selling in winter, 60 winter deaths and sickness, 64, 66, 67 calves eat creep feed, "C'calf," 75 calf in house bawls while Linda on phone, 75 silhouetted in snow, 79 January thaw sickness, 82, 83 "several hundred dollars worth of coyote feed," 84 calculating feed needed, 86 "styles" in diseases, in breeds, 87 "matronly waddle," 89 creek ice, 90 absorbing sun, in trance, 91 bulls hungry for heifers, 92 "intelligent reasoning," 102-103 calves' behavior, 103 recognizing cows, 105 John:"Never count the dead ones," 106 ability to sense fear, 108 sorting in mud with new calves, 112-113 sixth sense for working with cattle, 117 lice (red cows vs. black), 119, (lice treatment), 150 cows plot to avoid boredom, 123 savor food, 123 butting games, 127-128 minimizing cows' pain, 128 icy blizzard, mud aftermath, struggle with old sick cow, 131-132 effects of snow/chill, 133, 134 transplanting orphan calf, 134 "something will survive" despite humanity's hopelessness, 135 emergency feeding, 137-138 dragging old cow to boneyard, 139 neighbors' storm losses, cows drown in dam, 140 branding, 140-143 bulls unable to perform?, 143 Linda drives cattle using a Wicked Witch of the West laugh, 145 catching Whirlaway, 145-146 steers observe pasture romance, 146 to sale in Sturgis, 150 selling replacements, 167 calf breaks jaw, 173 cow struck by lightning, 190 stock spooked by dark underpass, headlights, 212-213 John sells them "when they're ready," 213 See also Branding, Butchering, Calving, Ranching, Trailer CEDAR WAXWING in trees, will pass again, 57-58 see also Bird CHARLES (Linda’s grandfather on father’s side) some of his history, 8 ledgers, 58-59 in poem "Memorial Day," 152 see also Family, Grandfather CHEYENNE RIVER RESERVATION Hudson at Cherry Creek / Diamond A Cattle Company, 18 see also Indian CLOTHING attire for winter chores, 42 frozen jeans drying inside, 77 dressed for spring in town, winter on ranch, 129 wool resists wet, 133, 137 well-dressed newsman vs. Linda's bitten nails, 135 Linda envies bib overalls, 144 manure-caked jeans, 146 Phyllis's handwovens vs. "shoddy, gaudy" mall products, 160 See also Hat CLYMAN, JAMES Mountain Man, rode over Rockies with Jedediah Smith’s trappers in winter, 72 COLLEGE / UNIVERSITY Linda as student at University of SD, Vermillion, ix graduate school at University of Missouri-Columbia, ix teaching at Christian College (now Columbia College), ix teaching at Black Hills State College (now University), Spearfish, x see also Education, Teaching CORA (Linda’s grandmother on mother’s side) birthday, 28 Linda feels her presence in kitchen, 28 her death, tearing tubes from arms, 32-33, 215 (poem) "sunrise and a good day to die," 33 lamplight, 82 speaking well of people in old age, 88 chickens: one hour from barnyard to table, 109 see also Family COW See Branding, Butchering, Cake, Cattle, Calving, Ranching, Trailer COWBIRD returned March 14th, 107 see also Bird COYOTE shot by Game, Fish & Parks official, 11-12 eating heart and liver, yapping, 13 hunting mice, 17 in snow, 44 howling at bagpipe chanter, 18 "morning constitutional," 39 luring deer, 48 how many howling?; act wild but appear modest, 95 attacking calves, 104, 105 John: "won't kill healthy calves," 105 howling, 117 stripping carcasses, 127 coydog?, 129 teaching young?, 144 pass through herd, 144 responds to honk, 190 CRANE, SANDHILL "seem to just appear in the sky,” 39 flying north, 137 see also Bird CRAVEN CANYON petroglyphs, 34 CUNY TABLE see Badlands CURLEW George’s description, 143 spring behavior, 147-148 see also Bird CUSTER COUNTY FAIR see Fair back to alphabet back to top DAM in government lease pasture, 5 giving up swimming in them, 13-14 deer in dam bottom, 25 filled once in 50 years, 138 neighbors' cows drowned in dam, 140 frogs singing, 143 dry, 146 muddy, 190 see also Water DARKNESS flashlight needed to sense trail, 117 Wendell Berry: "go dark," 118 DEATH grandmother's death prompts Linda's thoughts on reincarnation, cycles of nature, 32-33 "sunrise and a good day to die" (John), 33 deathbeds too crowded, 43 life out of death, 93 plans for wills, 95 moral dilemmas on ranch in spring, 128 scent of death mingles with flowers, 145 See also Birth, Cattle, Nature, individual names DEER “Deer” (poem), 36 in bottom of dry dam, 25 young one alone, 26 George coughs while deer hunting, 43 seven outside house, 80 sail over fences, 119 DIAMOND A CATTLE COMPANY Hudson at sale ring, 18 DIGGING George helps dig 60 pounds of potatoes, 7 “Digging Potatoes in January” (poem), 23 DIVORCE see Marriage DOG Cuchulain, 8 slept through storm, 9-10 starts day, 11 barks at Black Hills squirrels, 25 waits up with George, 29 barks at balloon, 33 company in bathroom, 71 hunts mice, almost struck by falling tree, 83 ticks, 140 swims in tank, 146 death, 198 grieving death, 200 bought new puppy, thinking of name, 211 DOVE like mist, 143 see also Bird DREAM (LINDA'S) daydreamed of horses, 16 of horse Rebel, 22 of baby (Michael), 25 of attacking a man; pet lynx; dry leaves, 29 of smothering, 56 of cat Blue, 88 after George's throat operation, 204-205 DROUGHT 3-year spell, 5 2-year spell (short of feed), 16 affects haying, 170 see also Dam, Heat, Water DRYING “Drying Onions” (poem), 96 DUMP old magazines to city dump, 33 see also “Sunday Clothes” magazine back to alphabet back to top EAGLE eagle with snake, 7-8 on George's birthday, 205 Lawrence imagines reincarnation, 33 in cottonwood, 63 see also Bird EARTHQUAKE measured 5.6 in Cheyenne, 34 EAST / GOING OVER EAST ten gates, 6 cows and calves mixed, 7 pairing up cows, calves, 8 and following pages bringing calves home to sell, 16 into 777 pasture; ripper used, 27 George feeds cattle, 37, 38, 39 moved 8 dry cows, 40 bluebells, 144 dry and dusty, 149 Linda recalls past trips over east, 162-163 buffalo berries, 201 moving cows to school section, 212 EDUCATION talk with Lawrence on "reading and thinking," 32 see also College / University, Teaching EISLEY, LOREN Linda reading one of his books, 65-66 ELK bugling in poem "Rankin Ridge," 2 listening for elk at Rankin Ridge, 15 curlew's call as indescribable as elk's bugle, 148 ENVIRONMENTALISM Linda’s separate existence as rancher and environmentalist, x ranchers balk at name "environmentalist," xiv Lawrence living his beliefs, 11 Black Hills Energy Coalition initiated measure against nuclear waste dump, 14-15 Linda speaks at Watertown meeting, 29 pre-election activity, 35, 37 election day voting, election party, the day after, 38 election spending and voting results, 39 Linda staffs anti-nuke dump table at Custer County Fair, 205-208 ERIC brings Leslie Silko to party, 28 see also Friend ERIN (Linda’s stepdaughter from first husband) paper on Linda; concerns about career, marriage, 10-11 see Family, Heather back to alphabet back to top FAIR, CUSTER COUNTY description of Fair, Linda’s memories, 206-208 Linda’s horseback accident at 14, 206 country fairs as way of appreciating neighbors, returns to them as adult, 206-208 Linda staffs anti-nuke dump table at Fair, 205-208 Michael has fun at the Fair after all, 208 FAIRBURN Hudson's family came in 1883, 18 FALCON "tiny, fast one," 15-16 injured by cats, 22 caught meadowlark, source of poem, 24-25 see also Bird FAMILY see Anne (aunt), Carl (uncle), Charles (grandfather), Cora (grandmother), Erin (stepdaughter), George (husband), George (uncle), Harold (uncle), Heather (stepdaughter), Jo (aunt), John (father), Michael (stepson), Mildred (mother), Sue (cousin) FATHER see John, Family FENCE / FENCING bringing tools over east, 6 repairing buffalo damage, enjoying fencing, imagining future, 32-33 George fencing at creek, 39 checking dike pasture fence with father, tumbleweeds on fence, 39 George fixing fence while Linda loads wood, 40 cows walk over drifted fence, 89 cows follow fence in snowstorm, 103 wood/steel posts, 144 downed by buffalo, 146, 149 FIRE methods of firefighting, 3-5 flaming, spinning cowchip, 4 child missing, 5 prairie fire aftermath, 4-5 fire started by train, 15,000 acres, 5 plowing fireguards, 14 fireworks safe at New Year's; "never that dry 'til June," 88 fire near Anne’s starts with garbage burn, 92 what would we save?, 92-93 bonfire in snow, 93 keep water handy at branding, 141 forest fire in Hills, prairie fire at Kyle, 175 fire at rendezvous, 182-183 neighbors' losses to fire, 198-199 Linda imagines fire, then lightning strikes, 209-211 fires in Montana, 203 FLOWER potted lavender, lilies of the valley, 7 gladiolus, 9 digging tulips, gladioli, 22 names of wildflowers: aromatic aster, prairie aster, salsify, gumweed, goldenrod, mullein; calves in grass "like daisies blooming" (George), 128 spring wildflowers, 145, 147 summer wildflowers, 158, 166, 168 in Black Hills, 170 see also Garden FOOD digging/storing potatoes, 7-8 pickling, 8 canning, drying, 11, 12-14 apple butter on ceiling, 11 "like a squirrel storing food," 12 drying pumpkin, squash, "ready to face winter," 14 bought cases of vegetables; 30-lb. tin of Michigan cherries, 26 George's oatmeal a sign of fall, 33 soup stock/oxtail soup, 40 steaming/drying pumpkin, 79 drying onions, 91 freezer requires planning, 108,109 wild onions, 147 wild plums, 200 buffalo berries into jelly, 201 see also Garden FRIEND see Eric, Jerry, Jim, Lawrence, Mavis, Phyllis, Tom see also Neighbor FROG singing at dam, 143 back to alphabet back to top GANDHI "insignificant....but....do it anyway," 113 GARBAGE bag in driveway, 24; exposed after snowmelt, 80, 86 GARDEN native plants around house, 12 digging tulips and glads marks summer's end, 22 ordering seed in Jan., 82 digging parsnips in January, 85 “Scrubbing Parsnips in January” (poem), 85 “Mulch" (poem), 100 planting in spring, 123, 124 post-snow storm, 138 early crops frosted, 150-151; destroyed by hail, 191 see also Flower, Food GEORGE (Linda’s husband; father of Michael) brief history, x "when kids played King of the Mountain, I was the mountain," 5 pretends not to know Linda when vocal on environment, 9 bagpipe chanter practice, 18 appears in t-shirt when Linda unable to sleep, 19 "thy rod and thy staff shall comfort thee," 20 "funny-looking dog," 20 shoots Rebel, 22 Linda dreams of baby (Michael); talk of adoption, 25 cherries from Michigan, 26 with cats, Janet and Jacob, 29-30 "don't worry about dishes," 30 "panic muscles" sore from riding Sage, 33 petroglyph, 34 fencing at creek, Linda brings sweet rolls, 39 grinds teeth at night, 40 snow tests knowledge of land, 55 "Breakin' Wind," 60 on old-timers' weather comparisons, 64 hugs Linda at desk, 67 on resolutions, 71 snowballs with Michael, 71 feeds alone when Linda injured, 74 thaws pipes, 79-80 burns through fingernail, 90 brings ties for fence, 90 chocoholic, 93 buys twin-calf joke, 115 hunting turkey, 122 says Linda silly to like stupid cows, 123 playing cards until checking time, 124 "thank you!" to meadowlark, 124 "let's wait until he gets a little sicker," 125 broke limestone to plant cedar, 126 "won't let you say shit if you're covered with it," 127 calves in grass “like daisies blooming,” 128 lets stranger use phone, Linda gets gun, 129 checks old, sick cow at midnight, 132 finds arrowhead, 143 romance in pasture, 146 auctioneers "pounding them out," 150 buys hat for Linda, 163 at rendezvous, 177 and following pages early birthday celebration, 187-188 salsa made "tongue roll up like a window shade," 191 stacking hay teaches Mike value of college education, 191 gaining own identity in Hermosa community, 207 birthday, 207 see also Family, Illness, Michael GEORGE (Linda’s uncle on mother’s side; father of Sue) visited in Craven Canyon, 34-35 says animal rights activists would have ranchers bury cows, 119-120 see also Family GINGER see Horse GOD Christmas Eve discussion with parents, 66 GOOSE "tracks in the sky," 29 flying north, George's sign that we've survived winter, 104 see also Bird GOVERNMENT LEASE PASTURE moved stock from there to Lester pasture, 40 cattle out a month early, 190 GRANDFATHER see Charles, George, Family GRANDMOTHER see Cora, Family GRASS "packaged inside a cow, what we really sell," xiv ranchers close to grass: best forage, overgrazing, xiv rain softens, eases grazing, 27 types, named and described: big bluestem, more blue; swamp grass, clown green, little bluestem, warm bronze, sage, soft as down, glows silver-blue; tumbleweeds, squirreltail, three-awn, porcupine; blue grama and buffalo grass, 27-28 "grass remembers snow," 106 spring's new grass, 121 tipi circles?, 140 GRASSHOPPER spraying for grasshoppers kills birds, 191-192 grasshoppers like heavy, winged rain 193 grouse catch grasshoppers, 194 see also Insect / Arachnid GROUND SQUIRREL see Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel GROUSE wrung neck of roadkill; ate with game hens, 34 bell-like calls, 71 flying from volcanoes of snow, 93 size of flocks, 95 catch grasshoppers, 194 see also Bird back to alphabet back to top HAIL destroyed flowers, 9 several, severe, 16 vicious, banged new paint, 19 in May, 144 rhythm (always a pause), 164-65 John: "in a dry year, if you get rain, you get a nasty hail," 189 hailstorm, 189-90 see also Weather HANDS “Hands” (poem), 214 HAROLD (Linda’s uncle on father’s side; married to Jo) history of his ranch, x Harold tells story of his father, 8 description of Harold; he drives posts with sledgehammer, 8 no children; ranch divided, 9 heart attacks, 42-43, 55 moves cattle in winter, 71 crutches at eighty, 76 on Ginger's supposed death, 81 on grasshoppers hatching in January, 82 reacts to Linda's office, 82 describes ice, 90 cream seals a tire hole, 102 re-uses 82-year-old cedar post, 201 see also Family HAT we never call them cowboy hats, 162 hat with vulture feather, 163 see also Clothing HAWK spiral, 6 with falcons, 15-16 wet red-tail on porch, 19 soaring, 32 white-breasted, 87 sparrow hawks, 117 see also Bird HAY estimating bales, 18 winter feeding, 45,47 See also Cattle, Haying HAYING "Haying: A Four-Part Definition" (poem), 156-157 mowing/raking/stacking, 168, 169-71, 173, 196-97, 200 rules for haying, 175 haying amidst nearby fires, 175-76 Linda guilty leaving for rendezvous, 177-78 George teaches Michael to stack, 191 mowing tough grass, 199 HEAT "cooled to 90," 12 dry heat exhausting, 15 "send heat," 48 See also Drought, Weather HEATHER (Linda’s stepdaughter from first husband) has made Linda a stepgrandmother, 207 see also Erin, Family HEMINGWAY, ERNEST on shooting horses, 22-23 HERMOSA one-family ranches, x pioneer town, xiii graveyard, 151 HERON two Blue Herons on south hill, 124-125 one alone, 140 see also Bird HODGKIN'S DISEASE see George, Illness HORSE teethmarks in saddlehorn, 7 "gentled" rather than "broken," 15 "I love being alone on a good horse miles from highways and houses," 41 pasture vs. corral, 61 Linda concussions, 65 HORSE: BLAZE bought for $80, ix first horse, 16 HORSE: GINGER pastured in driveway, 11 alarmed by shots, 11-12 assumed dead, 81, 83 found alive, 106-107 aging, 196 HORSE: OLIVER reacts to buffalo, 7 moving short-eared bull, 9 in 777 pasture, 27 over east, 35 father waiting with him saddled, took bull to dike pasture, 39 threw tantrum tied behind pickup, broke every rope, but when fastened with tow rope, acted like a real cowhorse for a change, 39 led behind truck, 54 cold ride to creek pasture, 72-74 falls on Linda's leg, 73-74 stranded in winter pasture, 81 bluebells under hooves, 144 spooked by slicker, 163 in electrical storm, 166 good cutting horse when mad, 167 jumped in dam, 169 HORSE: REBEL retired at 25, 15 Linda begins to ride, smooth gait, one organism, 16-17 horse speed more satisfying than car speed, 17 subject of dream, 22 death, Hemingway on shooting horses, 22-23 bones return to earth, 28 grave, 149 good cutting horse, 167 HORSE: SAGE hard to catch, 9 hard to load, father's trick, 33 practice loading in stock trailer, 35 stranded in winter pasture, 81 pros and cons, 195-196 to sale, 196 HOUSE, RANCH (Windbreak House) location, xiii description (fits landscape), 12 greenhouse, furnishings, 13 frozen pipes, 79-8 foundation on limestone slab, 126 native plants for yard, 138 parents make rare visit, 143 back to alphabet back to top ICE 3 inches on dam and tank over east, 34 chopping for cattle, 43, 53, 63 "beauty and menace," 48 icicles on horse's mane, 73 on George's mustache, 76 trouble for cows, 90 25 miles in 1-1/2 hrs on slick road, 104 icy blizzard, mud aftermath, 131 and following pages see also Weather ILLNESS / INJURY (LINDA) acne rosaria, 39 diarrhea (suggestion for coverall design), 55 horse slipped on ice and fell on Linda’s right leg, 65 riding-related concussions, 65 Oliver tramples Linda’s left leg at creek crossing, 73-76 nausea from sewer vent, 78 visit to doctor for trampled left leg, 80-81 trying to drive with injured leg, 87 no splint; using crutches only on stairs, 90 relationship with injured leg like “a close friend who once betrayed you,” 95 trampled leg still bad; inventory of injuries after branding, 144 trampled leg still hurting and mending, 158-159 horseback knee injury at age fourteen, 206 ILLNESS / INJURY (GEORGE) Hodgkin's disease, x, 9, 19, 20 asthma medication, 7 sterile, 9 to Denver, doctor, radiology, "hospital slippers can make you sick," 19 rather die than take more chemotherapy, exhaustion, trouble breathing, 20 reluctant to talk about illness, Linda frustrated, 20-21 irony of environmentalist woman / radioactive man, 21 how would Linda live without him, 21 not thyroid cancer, inactive, needs pills, 28 throat obstruction, 68 Linda confides fears in letters to friends, 94 fractured vertebra, 117, 119 scratched cornea, 124 collapses after pulling calves, 130 cartilage blocking throat result of radiation, 201-202 in hospital, 202-205 operation to remove cartilage, 203 Linda on showing emotion around illness, 204 discusses aging with Linda, blue-hair contract, ring, 205 see also George INDIAN walking to get somewhere, not for exercise, 29 reservation housing, school, landscape, teaching, 30-32 Yellow Thunder camp benefit, 45 Linda Crazy Horse novel, 45 tipi circles?, Black Elk quote, 140 arrowhead, 143 George: Indians say buffalo returning, 146 anniversary of Little Big Horn, 169 at rendezvous, 186 INDIAN NAMES George: animals name themselves, Red Feather Dancing, 149 Linda as Iron Bladder, 173 camp names, 180 Michael as One Moccasin, 181 INITIATIVE (Initiated Measure against nuclear waste and uranium mining) see Environmentalism INSECT / ARACHNID treat red cattle for lice, 119 neighbor died from toxic lice treatment, 150 dog covered with ticks, Linda rips her clothes off, 140 spraying for grasshoppers kills birds, 191-192 grasshoppers like heavy, winged rain 193 grouse catch grasshoppers, 194 mosquitoes, 195 spiders in tomatoes, 174 back to alphabet back to top JANET and JACOB see Cat JERRY cabin near Hulett, 198-99 in Cheyenne, post-hospital visit, 205 see also Friend JIM AND MAVIS paid a visit with new Harley, 13 shared roadkill grouse meal, 34 Willie Nelson concert, 45 Christmas visits, 64-65 "nothing startles a nurse," 74-75 plans for burial, will; Jim leaves guns to George, 95 help butcher, silly meat labels, 107 at rendezvous, 179 and following pages George's birthday, 207 see also Friend JOHN (Linda’s father; married to Mildred) Linda's stepfather (term not in 2nd edition), ix "only real" father, need for privacy, xi youngest of family, rheumatic fever, college, accounting, ranch divided, 9 "hate to drive over grass," "take care of the little things," 9 "it helps to be smarter than the cow," 13 supervised while Linda rode Rebel; rain "more like sweating," 19 Rebel "gone, dragged over hill," buried, 22 "sunrise and a good day to die" at grandmother's death; force of life never ends (implication?), 33 wonders about trees' consciousness, tempo, 33 trick to load Sage, 33 eye surgery, thought he'd keep patch, 35-36 annual ritual with Al re: feeding, 55-56 recognizing cows, 57, 105 "get it [the ledger] away from me," 59 leaving for Texas, "Jottings from an Old Man," 61 "cheaper to feed them planks," 63 Linda refers to John journal, 65 questions Christianity, 66 bobtail cow rule, 90 "spend like a miser, but keep the cows doing all right," 93 coyotes won't kill healthy calves, 105 back to work as soon as home, 108 people in Texas "just waiting to die," 109 conveys important info casually, 121 on calving two-year-olds, 121 no swearing allowed, 127 wonders whether to kick cow or George, 130 "wouldn't feel right" leaving cow to die in mud, 131 "she was a good old cow," 139 Linda admires style working cattle, 141 agrees ear tags too costly; Linda reflects on future of ranch, 141; sees roping as dying art?, 143 in Hermosa graveyard, 151 "hell of a thing when still feeding hay and cake on June 1," 158 watering trees, 159 "When My Father Waters His Trees," poem, 192 selling replacements for first time, 167 bolt cutter Linda's birthday gift, 177 deciding whether to mow or leave alfalfa for seed, 196-97 Linda's adoption birthday reflections, 199 understands cattle spooked by underpass, headlights, 213 sells cattle "when they're ready," 213 see also Family JO / JOSEPHINE (Linda’s aunt on father’s side; married to Harold) getting food for fire fighters, 4 brings food to Linda after cold cattle drive, 73 called about fire at Anne’s, 92 called at 6 am, 125 "such lovely tits," 134 see also Family JOURNALS Linda's "daily lists of labors," 27 parents', 65 grandfather's ledgers, 58-59 first husband's betrayal, 93 back to alphabet back to top KILLDEER spring song, 144 see also Bird back to alphabet back to top LAME JOHNNY PRESS history of name, x operated 1971-1985, x see also “Sunday Clothes” magazine LATE “Late March Blizzard” (poem), 114 LAWRENCE cabin, cutting firewood, living beliefs, 11 work in BHEC, 14-15 cutting wood, 24-25, 29 conversation about education, 32 reincarnation as eagle?, 33 burns brush with George, chocoholic, 93 advice on lice, 150 see also Friend LEONARD (married to Linda’s cousin Sue) on branding crew, 141 see also Family LESTER, SILAS (pasture named for previous resident) Maude as mail-order bride; alfalfa and cottonwoods; Model A; spring where Linda soaks shirt, leans against "trees' thighs," 6-7; cream can and salt shaker, 7 stock from government lease pasture, 40 dam in section next to Lester pasture has water, 151 see also Lindsay (John) LeSEUER, MERIDEL "life is not a straight line but a series of interlocking events, " xiv-xv workshops in Vermillion, 158, 159-161 spiritual poetry reading, 161-162 dedicatee of poem "Tapestry," 171-172 LICE treat red cattle for lice, 119 neighbor died from toxic lice treatment, 150 see also Insect / Arachnid LINDSAY, JOHN (pasture named for previous resident) John collects cows from Lindsay pasture, 39-40 John Lindsay on morning work, 61 stock to Lindsay pasture, 144 mowing bottom, 196-97 see also Lester (Silas) back to alphabet back to top MANFRED, FREDERICK in Vermillion, 159-160 MARGARET, BILL, AND BONNIE (Linda’s neighbor; married to Bill; daughter Bonnie) description, state water board, Linda phones her about earthquake, 34 Linda phones her about northern lights, 41-42 car accident, 44, 45 planting trees, 44 quotes Frost, 53 Linda visits in hospital, 54 at home, 62 Bonnie's homecoming, 77 reviews trees with Linda, plans to plant more, 78-79 plans book, 89 cracked rib coughing, 111 helps move steers, true neighbors, 120 Bonnie and Bill stuck in driveway, 131 Margaret trades eggs for “Mulch” poster, 146 plants 500 trees, 151 see also Neighbor MARRIAGE (Linda's first one) "divorced man with three children," unnamed, ix shaky, ended 1973, ix divorce, 21 benefits of working separately, 40 MARTIN (neighbor’s hired hand) "I'm what's left of him", 94 see also Neighbor MAVIS see Jim and Mavis, Friend MEADOWLARK caught by falcon, 24-25 spring harbingers, 107, 116 George: "thank you!," 124 sheltering in hay bales, 132 dying in spring snow, 133 Linda saves from cat, 133 after storm, 138 see also Bird MEMORIAL DAY visit to cemetery: weeding and wandering, 151 “Memorial Day” (poem), 152 METEOR sign that writing will wait, 117 MICHAEL / MIKE (George’s son, Linda’s stepson) first mention, without name, x age 14, plans visit, 37 winter visit, 67-71 chores a diversion; invents games, re-animates Linda, 67 snowball fight, 71 calculates feed, 86 summer visit: bombs prairie dogs, 163, 164 haying, 177 at rendezvous, 178ff One Moccasin, 181 hatchet accident, 185 moving stock, 190 at Cuchulain's death, 198 Michael has fun at the Fair after all, 208 kisses Ginger's nose?, 208 Linda reflects on his growth, 208-209 departs at end of summer, house quiet, 209 see also Family MICHIGAN bought cherries from near George's family farm, 26 George in orchards with grandfather, 39 MILDRED (Linda’s mother; married to John) private journal, 65 on Bovards' "hard heads," 65 propping frozen jeans "like quiet relatives" to dry, 77 stronger after Texas winter, comments on John, 109 "jack up the zipper and run a new pair under them," 110 sympathizes with Linda despite differences, 111 church is yearly gift to her, 126 maybaskets, 138 bluebell bouquet from John, 144 refrains from criticizing Linda’s house at Mother's Day dinner, 143 rhubarb for Linda, 147 Linda's adoption birthday reflections, 199 see also Family, Mothering MOON phases, hunter's, 26 ring indicates change in weather, 47, 83-84 moonlight soft, caressing, 76 MOSQUITO see Insect / Arachnid MOTHER see Mildred, Family, Mothering MOTHERING talk of adoption, 25 part-time stepmother, 26 parenting vs. writing, 147 rendezvous offers Linda role as wife/mother, 178-179 Linda's Hermosa contemporaries, 207-208 MOUNTAIN LION “only seconds away” at rendezvous, 186-187 MOUSE hunted by coyotes, 17 "mouse city" under snow, 87 nests and food stores, 195 MUD in corrals, 131 art of walking in mud, 132 MULCH “Mulch” (poem), 100 Margaret trades eggs for poster of poem, 146 back to alphabet back to top NATURE "Mother Nature has a nasty streak," 19 can't be battled, 54 covenant with nature, 72-73 centuries of cold reach up from earth, 106 mouthful of manure a taste of reality, 107 See also Hail, Ice, Weather NEIGHBOR see Al, Bill, Bonnie, Margaret, Martin, Shirley NEW YEAR resolutions (365 sunsets), 70-71, 92 safe for fireworks, 70 NEWSPAPERS Rapid City Journal (Linda internship), ix Sioux City Journal (Linda on staff), ix NIGHTHAWK first of season, 151 see Birds NORTHERN LIGHTS "waterfall in the sky,”10 description; watches them with George; calls Margaret even though late, 41-42 NUCLEAR WASTE VOTE COALITION election night, 38 see also Environmentalism back to alphabet back to top OLIVER see Horse OVER EAST see East / Going Over East OWL hooting, 35 hunting, floating by house, 76 corpse left to nature, 102 its mate?, 103 George spots burrowing owl, 128 burrowing owls in prairie dog holes, 133 see also Bird back to alphabet back to top PAINTING like writing poetry (fun for 5 minutes), 16 painted folks' house and garage, 18 PERCEPTION as factor in the viewer (sandhill crane example), 39 Linda: "I pride myself on my perception,” 40 PETROGLYPHS in Craven Canyon, 34-35 PHRED see Cat PHYLLIS a weaver; Linda’s host during Vermillion workshop, 160 tornado leapt house, 162 see also Friend POEMS in book: “Bone,” 69 “Calving Time,” 135 “Deer,” 36 “Digging Potatoes,” 23 “Drying Onions,” 96 “Hands,” 214 “Haying: A Four-Part Definition,” 156 “Late March Blizzard,” 114 “Memorial Day,” 152 “Mulch,” 100 “Rankin Ridge,” 2 “Scrubbing Parsnips in January,” 85 “Seasons in South Dakota,” 48 “Staying In One Place,” 52 “Tapestry,” 171 “This Is,” 176 “When My Father Waters His Trees,” 192 POETRY like painting, fun for 5 minutes, 16 Linda reads James Welch’s poem “Christmas Comes to Moccasin Flat,” 30 poetry written by kids on reservation, 31-32 going back over old poems, 37 spiritual poetry reading by Meridel LeSeuer, 161-162 See also Writing PRAIRIE description, xiii-xiv fall colors, hills vs. prairie, 27 See also Grass, Fire, Flowers, Weather PRAIRIE DOGS burrowing owls in their holes, 133 bombing, 163, 164 PRICES OF CATTLE see Cattle No entries under the letter Q back to alphabet back to top RABBIT feet never touch the snow, 71 baby rabbit jumps in driveway, 151 be careful when haying, 175, 197 RAILROAD train passing in night, screech of ungreased wheels, 35 "never that dry 'til June," 88 RANCH (HASSELSTROM FAMILY) extended family operation, 125-150 cows, x location, description, xiii map, xvi-xvii school section, government lease, 5 Linda reflects on future of ranch, 141 See also Cattle, Calving, Rancher / Ranching RANCHER / RANCHING family ranches in trouble; camping syndicate, operation, methods, xiv temperament, "If I'd known how bad I was hurt, I'd a' died,” xiv won't identify as environmentalist, xiv differences between good and poor cattlemen, 9 roadkill "how ranchers survive," 34 eavesdropped conversation on borrowing to buy ranch, cattle prices down, 41 not in it for money (could live off interest from land sale), 72-73 changing sense of community, 88 repetitive but not routine, 117 "rancher tan," 138 roping a dying art?, 143 RANKIN RIDGE “Rankin Ridge” (poem), 2 hearing elk bugle, 15 see also Elk RAPID CITY location, xiii shopping (cherries from Michigan), 26 REBEL see Horse RENDEZVOUS gear, tipi pole tripod used for butchering heifer, muzzle-loading club,13 attending rendezvous camp, 177-189 arrival with Mike, 179-180 fire in camp, 182-183 latrine duty, 183 Linda’s birthday, 184 Linda teaches girls about plants, 185 Indian dance circle, 186 mountain lion, 186-187 tourists, 187 George’s early birthday; rifle gift, 187-188 leaving camp, 189 RESERVATION see Cheyenne River Reservation, Indian, Teaching ROADKILL ate roadkill grouse, "how ranchers survive," 34 see also Grouse back to alphabet back to top SADDLE teethmarks in saddlehorn, 7 Hudson’s saddle, 18 SALE RING Hudson (man at sale ring), 18 in Sturgis, 40 description of June sale, 167-168 SAGE see Horse, Sagebrush SAGEBRUSH “soft as down and seems to glow silver-blue,” 27 grows as if deliberately spaced, 30 SARTRE, JEAN PAUL LeSeuer on Sartre’s self-hatred; Linda thinks of ex-husband’s study of philosophy, 160 SCRUBBING PARSNIPS “Scrubbing Parsnips in January” (poem), 85 SEASONS “Seasons in South Dakota” (poem), 48 the seasons dictate work, ix drama of nature's cycles, xi fall returning to school, 5 fall chores, 28 signs of spring (skunks, hitchhikers, RV's, motorcycles), 104 dressed for spring in town, winter on ranch, 129 see also Hail, Heat, Ice, Nature, Snow / Sleet, Weather SCENIC town, 31 SHEEP storm losses, 140 SHIRLEY (Linda’s neighbor) rare visit triggers thoughts on community, neighboring, 88 see also Neighbor SILKO, LESLIE line from Ceremony: “the old mule’s bones,” 28 comes to party; talks with Margaret and Bonnie, 28-29 SKUNK cake thief, 103 sign of spring, 104 SNAKE Linda stepped on rattlesnake; “walked up to the tail end,” 13 Linda sees rattlesnake “as if I’d created him by thinking of him,” 190-191 SNIPER rumored shooting tires and gas tanks, 30 SNOW / SLEET blizzard of '85, xi "cold purity," 12 sleet storm, 35 county plows driveway, 43 gunning pickup through drifts, 54, 133 crusted snow injures legs, 59 snowball fight, 71 "little snow, big snow," 72 swirls made by tumbleweeds, 78 ranch archeology (snowmelt reveals all), 86 cows walk over drifted fence, 89 beauty of fresh snow, 93 feeling it falling, 94; follow fence in snowstorm, 103 snow remembers grass, 106 spring blizzard, 129 and following pages snow too heavy to be blown, 132 blizzard of '49, 133 snow squall like great white hen on nest, 137 snowstorm losses, 139, 140 see also Hail, Ice, Weather SPIDER spiders in tomatoes, 174 see also Insect / Arachnid SQUIRREL Cuchulain barks at Black Hills squirrels, 25 see also Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrel STAYING “Staying in One Place” (poem), 52 STEPMOTHER see Family, Mothering STOCK TRAILER see Trailer SUE (Linda’s cousin on mother’s side; married to Leonard, daughter of Uncle George) on branding crew, 141 see also Family “SUNDAY CLOTHES” MAGAZINE established, ix-x hauled old issues to dump, 33 see also Lame Johnny Press SUNRISE "and a good day to die" (father after Grandmother died), 33 SUNSET Linda’s resolution to see 365 sunsets, 71 SWALLOW which is Lawrence's dad?, 32 barn swallows back, 129 flight patterns, 139 nesting, 147 see also Bird SWIMMING in stock dams, and coliform bacteria, 13-14 back to alphabet back to top TAPESTRY “Tapestry” (poem), 171 TEACHING (JOBS HELD BY LINDA) at Christian College (now Columbia College), ix at Black Hills State College (now University), Spearfish, x Linda earns extra money by teaching workshops on writing and publishing, x at Indian Reservation, kids’ poems, 30-32 at the Newcastle Writers’ Club workshop, 147 workshops in Vermillion, 158-162 see also College / University, Education TELEVISION see TV THIRTEEN-LINED GROUND SQUIRREL “racing everywhere in the grass, cheeks fat,” 147 THIS IS “This Is” (poem), 176 TICK dog covered with ticks, Linda rips her clothes off, 140 see Insect / Arachnid TOM collages with calf ear notches, 26 on branding crew, 141 see also Friend TRAILER / STOCK TRAILER John’s trick to load horse (Sage), 33 practice loading Sage in trailer, 35 hauling cattle, trips to Sturgis, how hard it is to stop a loaded trailer, 40 TRACTOR in "Haying: A Four-Part Definition," 156-157 maintenance, 175 TRAINS see Railroad TREE in prairie gullies, xiii-xiv mother rakes, Linda glad for no trees near house, 8 Lawrence cut for cabin, 11 counting 150 tree rings, 11 leaves' fall colors contrast with prairie grass, "cottonwood lights a valley," 27 reincarnation as aspen?, 33 father wonders about trees' "slower tempo," 33 Margaret's trees, 44, 78, 79 Linda Christmas tree, 62 "whole ecology" in cottonwood's core, 83 Margaret plans book, 89 at dam, 92 planting trees around Linda’s house, 126 John plows furrows for trees, 127; plants pines, 141 Margaret plants 500 trees, 151 John waters trees, 159 "When My Father Waters His Trees," poem, 192 TRIPLE SEVEN (777) RANCH hired man rumored quitting rather than ride horse across ripped ground, 27 "cell theory" of range management, 35 searching for missing bulls, 41 picking up cow, 43 buffalo in pasture, strange calves to come?, 146 TRUCK STOP meal after hauling cattle (overhearing ranchers' talk), 40-41 TUMBLEWEED description, 27 piles in gullies chest deep to a tall horse, clear over fences, 39 TURKEY flock of wild turkeys triggers thoughts of grandmother, 32 see also Bird TURTLE snapping, size of dinner plate, 13 TV Linda watches TV, "something will survive," 135 back to alphabet back to top UNCLE see Carl, Harold, George, Family URANIUM see Environmentalism back to alphabet back to top VETERINARIAN bone down cow's throat, 42 weighing cost of vet's fees, 68, 81, 128 fixed prolapse, backwards calf, 113 "wrong kind of kick," 116 Caesarian, 124; sawed up calf inside mother, 124 pulls dead calf, 165-66 VOTING voting in small town, 38 see also Environmentalism VULTURE keep prairie clean, 119 see also Bird, Buzzard back to alphabet back to top WATER no natural running water on ranch; xiv "a million creeks" after snowmelt, 87 clearing irrigation ditches, 112 runoff, 135, 138 See also Dam, Drought, Snow / Sleet WEATHER as an "intelligence," 56 thunderstorms/clouds/lightning, 167-65 lightning starts fire, 209 See also Hail, Heat, Ice, Nature, Snow / Sleet, Wind WELCH, JAMES poem "Christmas Comes to Moccasin Flat," 30 WHEN MY FATHER WATERS HIS TREES (poem), 192 WIND storm slams doors, 9 silence wakes Linda, 9-10 fences down, weight of tumbleweeds, 10 65 mph, 36 "as if a dentist stopped drilling," 74 tornado-like wind from southwest, 127 feel foolish in basement, 127 WINDBREAK “we all need a windbreak,” epigraph Linda plants around house, 12 See also Tree WINDBREAK HOUSE see House, Ranch WOOD cutting firewood, counting 150 rings, 11 load of post ends from Custer, 37 WOMEN ranch womens' similarities; Linda writes on their behalf, x Linda as rancher's daughter/wife, 10 general, "poetry of womanhood," in work, 27 LeSueuer on women's stories, 160-62 pioneer women's work, "This Is" (poem), 176-77 See also Mothering, Work WORK general, "fall chores almost ritualistic," draining hoses, 28 benefits of working separately, "being together 24 hours a day is only a teenager's dream of love," 40 attire for winter chores, 42 Linda stuck with cooking, 69 laundry, 77 cocoon of reading as antidote for working together, 87 Margaret cracks rib coughing, keeps working, 111 LeSeuer on women's stories, 160-62 pioneer women's work, "This Is" (poem), 176-177 WOUNDED KNEE Hudson's father moved dead, 18 see also Indian WRITING story draft on computer, 16 "how I define myself between poems and stories," 27 focuses on own work, 33 works on poems, 36-37 works on stories in head (can't sleep), 39 listening to conversations a writer's habit, 41 Crazy Horse novel, 45 Windbreak/Breakin' Wind, 60 hug from George, 67 resolutions to maximize writing, 71 injury allows writing time, 74 NY visitors making documentary on regional writers, 76-77 interrupted by cooking, 80 "office of a demented shaman," 82 callers ask if Linda napping, 90 stories fill mind, 91 writing a priority to save in case of fire, 93 letters, 94, 111 "I don't know you well enough" re personal question, 112 writing vs. mothering, 147 writing while driving, 159 See also Poetry, Teaching WRITING WORKSHOPS see Teaching No entries under the letters X or Y or Z back to alphabet back to top |
