Here is grit. Here is America.

[CT10ring]

Here's a letter written to me in 2009 from a single woman - living far north in North Dakota. The desolation is hard. Winters are hard. Life is hard. I've experienced - some. Just in case you are about to throw in the towel. on the U.S. This woman is standing pat. By herself. Trying to keep the stove going. I shot on her ranch. Read between the lines. If you are feeling sorry for yourself- read this. Don't throw in the towel on America. "can't wait for spring". - after minus 40 temps. If this is not American optimism. well. count me in.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

She could be in a chris knight song

 

[CT10ring]

Dusty Stevens, this woman was amazing. Americans have strength, originality. grit.
I recall traveling to Ireland w my - now ex-wife (another strong IRE woman). visiting relatives.
They said - to me - you are so American!
now - I understand. free and strong and optimistic.

 

[tac284]

She could be in a chris knight song

He could make the opposite version of South Dakota with that gal...

 

[CT10ring]

He make the opposite version of South Dakota with that gal...

train jumped track some time ago.

.

 

[CT10ring]

you can't route that heavy load. feels like. just one man.

 

[GotRDid]

Could we start a care package campaign for her? I know that has been a while ago, but let her know she is not forgotten.
GotRDid.

 

[CT10ring]

Could we start a care package campaign for her? I know that has been a while ago, but let her know she is not forgotten.
GotRDid.

I'd have to drive to N. Belfield, ND to find out - her situation. I'm hoping for the best. Spent some time shooting on ranches; ranchers. straight shooting.
don't recall ever any complaints. I'm glad to have met her. Most guys / ranchers don't write back. Judy - was afraid of nothing. another rancher in ND

 

[GotRDid]

Please advise if you can on an update.
GotRDid.

 

[CT10ring]

He could make the opposite version of South Dakota with that gal...

Rancher's wife.
Left up in a hard land.
Her son checked in. Winter was -40.
If this is not grit. well.
I can't say.
The wind in ND is cold.
Rolled my truck over in ND badlands 2019 Oct.
Couple ranchers pulled me/truck out.
Near Marmarth, ND.
Fort Dilts- is a good place to check out - if you are "out there." N Dakota.

 

[outasite`08]

Here's a letter written to me in 2009 from a single woman - living far north in North Dakota. The desolation is hard. Winters are hard. Life is hard. I've experienced - some. Just in case you are about to throw in the towel. on the U.S. This woman is standing pat. By herself. Trying to keep the stove going. I shot on her ranch. Read between the lines. If you are feeling sorry for yourself- read this. Don't throw in the towel on America. "can't wait for spring". - after minus 40 temps. If this is not American optimism. well. count me in.

Bill, The Love of a friend is certainly expressed by you. Just the fact you saved a her letter since `09 says alot. Good for you. I hope all is well with Judy. This site is sure something this morning. Go with GOD in all your travels. Jeff

 

[ND shooter]

I know this lady. She lived 3 miles from me up until about 3 months ago. She and her family have been our neighbors since the early"60's. She just had auction and moved to Bismarck. Her and her sister used to ride on my dad's school bus.

 

[Will Henry]

Kind of a day in the life of most rural dwellers in the north country and most wouldn't have it any other way. WH

 

[Hino895]

Spent a weekend at the Petro truck stop in Fargo one winter.
Dropped an injector in my big truck had to wait till Monday to get it fixed.
30-40 below wind chill.
50 yard walk to the truck stop and your face would hurt before you got there.
Don’t know how they do it up there in the winter.

 

[itchyTF]

She has nice handwriting.

I noticed that too.

 

[CharlieNC]

Compare this gritty can-do attitude to the urban must stay inside and work at home, the essential employees and government will take care of me, classes who don't have a clue how to fend for themselves. Unfortunately they are the voting majority.

 

[Racebannon3855]

Thank You for sharing that note, reminds me of a farmer's wife that lived at the end of the dirt road I grew up on.

When my grandfather left for WW 2 my Grandmother was pregnant with their first child. Too make ends meet she sold the cows and machinery and moved in with a neighboring farm family. When that husband and wife were well into their eighties I stopped one late fall afternoon to check on them. They were both quite upset and when I asked why they told me that lookng out the window and not seeing a wood pile in November was keeping them from sleeping. Seems there sons did not want them to have a wood stove going, or did not want to work up the firewood. Being raised in a house that only had a wood stove I saw her point and brought her a heeping load of some of the knotiest hickory I had ever worked up. It did not pile well and the wife kept pulling out the nasties pieces.

When I asked if she was gonna put them on top of the pile, she replied "No, I am gonna hide them so the boys don't use them during the day. Knot wood like this will let me sleep from 11 till atleast 6."

When I have a bad day I just go home and look at the knot wood in the pile and think about how I can atleast sleep all night. A famer or rancher's wife can teach you alot about perspective.

 

[Bob L.]

She has nice handwriting.

It’s almost a lost art.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Spent a weekend at the Petro truck stop in Fargo one winter.
Dropped an injector in my big truck had to wait till Monday to get it fixed.
30-40 below wind chill.
50 yard walk to the truck stop and your face would hurt before you got there.
Don’t know how they do it up there in the winter.

Ive been cold in north dakota for sure, fargo is miserable just like minot, but international falls takes the cake for cold- and ive been to the north slope and siberia. The lake effect over in new york feels very cold too. Only cold place i didnt go but wanted to was antarctica. They used diesel gensets down there and that wasnt my specialty.

 

[Will Henry]

Like I said, it's a day in the life. Most would never consider what they do to get by, day to day, as being anything special. It's just life. It's kind of a trade-off. You trade convenience and comfort for a sense of self sufficiency. Sadly, this self sufficiency is an affront to the modern civilized society. They prefer that we be live in a comfortable, leisurely, and reliant manner. Various levels of government dictate how we use our property, how we earn our money, how we live.
25 years ago, we had no power, no phone and I had to walk a half mile out to the road because the snow was too deep for me to drive into the house with my 4WD truck so I parked out there. Today, I have an electric bill, an internet bill, a phone bill, a TV bill and have various levels of government crawling up my butt all the time. I think I was better off 25 years ago.
Today, if the snow gets too deep, I have a D-4 cat which starts easily with several pulls on a rope and once started, with two or three passes, the drive is clear. I still have to cut my firewood but today I just have to throw it in the dump truck and, to unload, I just pull a lever. Luxury. Comparatively speaking, as I sit here, watching the BS news and pecking away on my laptop, I'm pretty spoiled. I just dumped my second load of wood in the yard this afternoon and since I contrived to run over the handle of my splitting maul with the dump truck (misjudged my location) I won't have to split it until I put a new handle on the maul. If I don't feel like starting a fire or if it is cold enough I want to keep the house warm overnight, I can just start up the pellet stove.
Seriously, even though we have chosen to live a comparatively independent lifestyle, I don't think I do it as well as my grandparents could because they were born to it. Sometimes, I feel like I'm faking it. WH