An Association with Nature

My camp, being located in the Palo Duro, afforded me the privilege of close association with nature. I loved to ride to a steep ledge and view the canyon at sunrise and to smell the dewy cedar and listen to the mockingbirds. I learned to know the trees, shrubs, and flowers in their season and the signs and legends belonging to each. I have fed wild turkeys and quail the bread and beans from my table. I delighted in a plunge at the big spring, formerly a watering place of the Indians. The hoot of the owl, and howl of the coyote, were music to my ears through the long night. My comrade was my horse. A feller could spend lots of time pettin’ and currying a horse. We would soon have a feeling of confidence between us—a feller often had a horse smart enough to learn tricks.

From The Camp Life of a Cowpuncher by Carroll Doshier as told by Jim Christian