I was raised in a faith community that believed homosexuals are equivalent to murderers. Some years after I came out, my mother sent me a letter and two UPS boxes containing everything from my childhood — baby photos, a stamp collection, matchbox cars — and told me we could no longer be
March at the mountain ranch is not a soft awakening. It is an active negotiation. One morning the ground loosens and trees start to bloom. The next morning, it locks itself under snow again in a final act of winter defiance. We refer to March as the season of Sprinter:
What does it take to survive—and even win—in trying times?. Recently, in my search for answers, I found myself locked in battle with a giant and sinister cell phone company. It was not a battle I had planned to fight, but history rarely asks our permission. The experience
There is a particular kind of anticipatory quiet that settles over the ranch in the early morning, before guests emerge from yurts, before tours and questions are asked, before engagement arrives along with coffee mugs. It’s in that quiet that I’m reminded why this place matters. Not just
Why 2026 is Forcing Us to Choose Who We Really Are Like so many others, I held my breath as I watched hockey star, Scott Hunter, risk everything to courageously invite the love of his life onto the ice after his victory in Heated Rivalry. I definitely was feeling that
“Since you’re now in public office, I should probably tell you all the weird things you do—and all the ways you’re wrong.” My husband, Robert, offered this loving threat shortly after I began my term as a Spokane City Council Member. Robert has always had quick wit
January has a way of stripping things down to essentials. Our mornings are frosty, our breath steaming the air. The daily work does not care who won an election, only that it be done. Out here at the ranch, the seasons keep their own rhythm, and that perspective matters when
A Journey from Magic to Mindfulness As a child, I was absolutely certain I would grow up to be a world-renowned magician. Not a hobbyist. Not a guy who does card tricks at parties. A world-renowned magician. I rehearsed relentlessly, fundraised to buy expensive props, and devoured every
Happy Reclamation Season! “Reclaiming my time!” — a phrase popularized by Rep. Maxine Waters in 2017 — has been around for far longer than the meme. But this year, I’ve noticed the profound influence “reclaiming” has had across the nation. It signals a deep, positive shift: people taking back ownership of
During the pandemic, I was diagnosed with heart failure after landing unexpectedly in the ER. The medical team was covered head-to-toe in plastic shields, gowns, and gloves. I spent hours alone in a dark hospital room. My husband wasn’t allowed to enter. I held onto my cell
Thankfulness is found in the turbulent waters of this historic time, by charting a path toward community and away from the idea of rugged American individualism, self sufficiency, and the nuclear family. So many dream of moving to the mountains and become as self sufficient and removed from urbanity as
We’re lonelier than ever, and it’s killing us. We’re forgetting what community looks like—just when it’s what will save us. But community isn’t found in another app- it’s found on the front porch, at a coffee shop, or out on the kickball field.
Entrepreneurship and small business culture love to glorify hustle. We’re told that success means scaling fast, posting constantly, and staying “on” at all times. The algorithm rewards urgency, and often our peers echo it back: move faster, do more, never stop. But for those of us building purpose-driven
We tease here at the ranch that we have animal pastures and people pastures, and both require husbandry. There is much to be learned about humanity by caring for animals. Particularly, camelids, which include alpacas and llamas, bring a very unique set of lessons to the human than that of
How to Evolve Your Business Without Burning It All Down You started your business with purpose. You poured your heart into the brand, the website, the mission statement. You knew who you wanted to serve. You felt aligned and excited. But now? Something doesn’t quite fit. Your offerings may
Recently, we had a party check into one of our yurts, a grandpa and adult son coming up to help the grandson build a house up the road from us. It was their first time staying at the ranch. During our check-in routine, grandpa pipes up, “my wife wanted
