Roland's Campfire Culture Archives - 2007

January 2, 2007

DISTRUSTING THE MEDIA

It pains me to share with you this critical piece of information: You can't always trust what you read. If you read it here, however, it'll be because I'm flat mistaken. I'll apologize now so my failure won't get in the way later on.

 

January 9, 2007

WHEELCHAIRING WILDERNESS

It was a little over 22 years ago when I first penciled the following column on the back of wadded-up scrap paper, using my saddlehorn for a writing desk. . . .

 

January 16, 2007

HELP! OUR GOVERNMENT IS ON ITS WAY!

You go to sleep right after you're born, live 60, 70, maybe even 80 years, wake up and find you've seen a bunch and done a bunch, but don't know a thing.

 

January 23, 2007

DEFINING A WRITER

Forget all the tripe about one must write in order to become a writer. Bull pucky! There's but one guarantee that a person will become a writer and that's when that person cannot NOT write.

 

January 30, 2007

THE DOG WHO OWNED ME

Any red-blooded masculine male who lusted for a field hunting companion should've had grave reservations about bringing home a three-months-old pup from the hyper-wild bitch, sired by the fraidy cat daddy. . . .

 

February 6, 2007

POKER OR CAMPING: HE'D DO TO DRAW TO

I discovered there's no way to measure desire and heart by merely eyeballing the guy. And what about his love for the unsullied beauty of the land? Where's the measuring cup to judge that?

 

February 13, 2007

WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE?

Half the hunters passing through our camps wanted to take her home with them. Their problem was that they had to get in line -- and I have no intention of trading her in for a new model.

 

February 20, 2007

SLEEPLESS AMID THE HEART OF DARKNESS

They claimed their tipi was the ticket for spending a week in the wilds, and when Stan and I arrived the evening before carrying the guys and their gear back to civilization it seemed they had a right to brag.

 

February 27, 2007

HORSE BLANKETS AND EQUINE SWIMMING POOLS

I glanced back down the runway at Western Hanover's stall-- at the horse who'd brought Hanover Farms millions at winner's circles. What an abused animal -- no swimming pool!

 

March 6, 2007

CAPITAL AND LABOR IN CONFLICT

Am I somehow short of a full deck by assuming we'll solve our illegal alien problem when the last of America's jobs flees off-shore?

 

March 13, 2007

MARCH THE HUNGER MOON

March was the "Hunger Moon" to the Indians, a time of hardship and want, not only for themselves but for most of the wild creatures sharing the land with them.

 

March 20, 2007

THE BENEFITS OF HEALTHY LIVING

If the cavemen enjoyed the benefits of healthy living, why were they so short lived?

 

March 27, 2007

AGE, GIRLS, DOGS, AND LOVE

Jane says I should put my money on dogs. She says dogs show old guys like me more affection than girls.

 

April 3, 2007

A CASE FOR MODERN CONTENTMENT

My generation has it better than the one before. And the next will have it even better because . . . .

 

April 10, 2007

WHITE CANES AND RATTLESNAKES

I don't remember when I first began losing the ability to hear a rattlesnake's whirr . . . but I clearly recall when I discovered it!

 

April 17, 2007

THE SNAKEMAN

Chris Christensen's "Valhalla" differs considerably from his Danish ancestors. His is a rattlesnake den.

 

April 24, 2007

WHO'S PRIMITIVE -- WILDLIFE OR HUMANS?

When we train a dog to shake hands, do we really think Rover does so because he's happy to see us? He does not. Given his choice, he'd much rather lick us in the chops.

 

May 1, 2007

BOOK BANNING: A STEP IN MIND CONTROL

Some people think one book is all anyone needs. Those who hijacked airplanes and flew them into tall buildings on Sept. 11 belonged to such a group.

 

May 8, 2007

TELL MOM YOU LOVE HER

Mothers live and love and share and care, and their kids achievements have little to do with quantifying their own love for them.

 

May 15, 2007

WHAT! A GRIZZLED BEAR IN GERMANY?

Bruno's parents were Jerka and Joze. They were of Slovenian origin by way of the Italian Alps. But Austria laid claim, Switzerland hosted, and Germany preempted him.

 

May 22, 2007

BRUNO GOES HOME

Biologists from four nations pursued him, journalists and photographers lusted after him, and hordes of townfolk ached simply to see him.

 

May 29, 2007

THE BEAR WHO TOURED GERMANY (conc.)

The similarities between European Bruno and his American grizzly bear cousins is stunning.

 

June 5, 2007

LISTENING FOR SPIRITS

I'm a skeptic when it comes to the supernatural--if I can't see it or hear it or smell it or feel it, my logical side says it ain't there.

 

June 12, 2007

ABOUT SILK AND GUNPOWDER

The Chinese invented both silk and gunpowder. Silk was profitable, so they kept its secret. Gunpowder they gave to the first European who chanced by.

 

June 19, 2007

FAMILY OUTDOOR PLAY A HEALTHY TREND

I admire today's trend of families engaging in outdoors adventure together. And I'd like to go back and do more of it with our family....

 

June 26, 2007

THE WORST OBSCENITY

I find it repulsive to read of children starving, then pick up a real estate brochure and see how far the very rich of our time are obsessing with their wealth.

 

July 3, 2007

CONTRACT WITH OUR MAKER

One's patriotism is, in the final analysis, a personal thing. I choose to think it's all part of MY contract with MY MAKER.

 

July 10, 2007

FAMILY ODYSSEY: SPANNING A CONTINENT

My kids cannot recollect life before television; their kids can't imagine how civilization existed before computers.

 

July 17, 2007

WONDERING HOW GOD DOES IT

My point? I don't know the answer to most questions. Which is why I'm wondering how God does it.

 

July 24, 2007

INDIAN BURIALS AND PHARAOHS TOMBS

An open scaffold on a hilltop where, after I'm dead, I can ogle my beloved mountains and all their creatures has a nice ring to it....

 

July 31, 2007

ADVICE FOR THE OUTDOORS BEGINNER

None of the folks you think of as outdoors giants had much expertise when they first ventured into the unknown

 

August 7, 2007

WHERE'S GOD WHEN YOU NEED HIM?

God wasn't there! He'd jumped out minutes before!

 

August 14, 2007

FOREST FIRES A WAY OF LIFE

What happened to Smokey the Bear?

 

August 21, 2007

BEGINNING BACKPACKER'S DICTIONARY

Backpack: Medieval torture device; holdover from the Spanish Inquisition. Used sparingly, the device hurts but little . . . .

 

August 28, 2007

LIFE, LIBERTY, AND HAPPINESS

The DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE targeted the important stuff -- the same important stuff the ancients targeted. May God help us stay focused.

 

September 11, 2007

DESTROYING OUR TREASURES

It's much easier to destroy than to construct. Just ask the administrator who practices destruction under the guise of doing the public good.

 

September 18, 2007

FINDING ELK IS HARD

"Ain't no wonder we can't find elk," Kenny said, leaning across his saddle's horn and staring at the lost horses.

 

September 25, 2007

HIGH TECH PALEFACE WEAPONRY

I was, am, and always will be a hunter. But I believe the prey should have a chance.

 

October 2, 2007

MOUNTAIN WEATHER -- FEW BETWEENS

I've seen some drastic weather changes during a lifetime outdoors. A few could've been fatal. A couple nearly were.

 

October 9, 2007

TALKING TO ELK IS PRESSURE-FILLED

The maddened bull came with a rush, breaking cover only forty feet away.

 

October 16, 2007

STOKING YOUR DOGS WITH PROPER FUEL

Tell the truth, hunting dogs need more than big breakfasts on opening day to supply the energy they need.

 

October 23, 2007

TRACKING AND FINDING WOUNDED GAME

No hunter worth his salt will abandon the search for a wounded animal until every avenue is exhausted.

 

October 30, 2007

HOO'S THERE?

Our flimsy tents were pitch in the middle of a Hansel and Gretel forest of gloomy spurce trees, each of which cast three-foot shadows during a witch's moon.

 

November 6, 2007

HUNTING AS A WAY OF LIFE

Raised in rural Oregon, transplanted to Montana, I'm a westerner, and was, for several years, an outfitter and guide in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. A hunter? Yes.

 

November 13, 2007

WATCH OUT FOR BAD WEATHER!

We did several things wrong, and survival may have been more tenuous than I'm willing yet to admit. . . .

 

November 20, 2007

THE WHY FOR THANKSGIVING

We have a lot to be thankful for, especially that we weren't there for that first Thanksgiving. We'd ought to be thankful, though, that SOMEBODY was there!

 

November 27, 2007

OUR SHARED JOURNEY BEGAN WITH "I DO"

It was back on November 27, 1954 when I said "I do" and she said "I do" and our shared journey began. We began married life without a clue.

 

December 4, 2007

MIDAS TOUCH IN REVERSE

Like Midas, I have a touch . . . sort of. But mine's more in reverse. Instead of gold, most things I touch turn to . . . well, it ain't good.

 

December 18, 2007

THE GIFT OF GIVING

If receiving gifts were were the point of Christmas, we'd all soon give it up -- who needs another gold-and-black-striped tie?

 

December 25, 2007

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET

I'm just naturally skeptical of people who pretend they have few (or no) bad habits. Way I figure, I skin out close to average.

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