Years ago, Hubby’s brother, Ronnie Arthun,
managed the Montana State University’s Red Bluff Ranch. Hubby recalls that in
the summer, the ranch ran about a thousand head of Targhee ewes on the Taylor
Fork in the Gallatin National Forest.
A herder named Thomas watched over the ewes
and their lambs. With the indispensible aid of his sheepdogs, Thomas kept the sheep
in a bunch, moved them to fresh pasture, and bedded them down at night. The
dogs also alerted Thomas to predators like cougars, coyotes, or bears. Thomas
loved his dogs like family.
Once or twice a week, Ronnie “tended camp”,
which meant taking provisions up the mountain to Thomas. Sometimes Thomas
bagged a deer or grouse for supper, but Ronnie also brought groceries like cured
meat, sardines, potatoes, bread, cheese, eggs, and lard.
Thomas was more gregarious than most
herders. When Ronnie, sometimes accompanied by his wife and sons, came to tend
camp, Thomas was happy for the company and enjoyed cooking dinner for his
guests.
Once when Ronnie tended camp, Thomas served
him some homemade stew along with his staple, slices of bread with lard spread
on them. After they had eaten, Ronnie asked Thomas if he needed any dish soap.
“No need for that,” Thomas said, setting
the plates on the ground. “Shep does the dishes.” Shep, of course, was Thomas’
favorite Border collie.
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| Illustration by Jenny Robinson, jennyrobinsonstudio.com |
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"All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. For after all, he was only a human. He wasn't a dog." ~Charles M. Schulz
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