What's Cookin'

Two of my favorite ranch-themed books are Meredith Brokaw's (Tom's wife) Big Sky Cooking and Paula Disbrowe's Cowgirl Cuisine. Disbrowe is the ultimate urban cowgirl. After living in Paris and New York City, she decided to try something completely different and moved to a Texas ranch. Brokaw's book is a love letter to Montana. I can guarantee that you will want to buy a ranch in Montana if you even skim through Big Sky Cooking.

Both books are definitely urban cowgirl--the food looks beautiful but a little complex.

Happy Trail(er)s

The Wrangler and I have been hesitant to do the vacation property thing because we can't decide where to buy, how much to spend, and whether to commit to spending most of our vacation time at the same place. I've always assumed that I'm not the RV-type, but after seeing a neighbor's adorable retro Airstream trailer, I started thinking. Maybe an Airstream would scratch the itch for now. We could get away on the weekends, try out a lot of new places, and easily bring the pets along. Check out the Airstream Sport model. Is it an economical "vacation home" or merely an expensive tent?

Two-Step Tuesdays (by Guest Contributor Kimtastic)

My PIC (partner in crime) and I moseyed on down to In Cahoots, a Country Western Nightclub in San Diego, to experience the wonders of line dancing. Line dancing is not for the faint at heart or those with club feet. It requires nimble footwork, a sassy attitude, and the optional cowgirl hat. PIC and I were amazed at the diverse crowd, young and old, poor and poorer, black and white.

PIC and I did not dance, but rather we were on a reconnaissance mission, gulped mid grade whisky and chatted up the folk. We learned that too much whisky can be a bad thing...on a Tuesday night at least. We also learned that we LOVE linedancing and will venture back to In Cahoots next Tuesday. I will provide further updates regarding our western dance experiences next week. Till then, yee haw!

The Roper Rockstar

These boots are hot--my favorite pair right now. They're inexpensive, surprisingly very comfy, and the soles are non-slippery, i.e., perfect for dancing. It's a shame to cover these up with jeans. Let me know if you've seen any dresses or skirts that would look good with my Rockstars. Cowgirl boot-compatible skirts tend to be too dowdy (prairie skirt) or too hoochie (mini jean skirt).

Cowgirl Camp

Each May the Mountain Sky Guest Ranch in Emigrant, Montana, hosts a Wild West Women Adventure week. In addition to the usual activities, there's horse grooming and tacking, cow handling, and roping lessons. The ranch also offers other adults-only getaways, which we Six-Button Cowgirls enjoyed last spring--crisp, cool weather, plenty of horseback riding, delicious meals, cozy fires, luxurious cabins, relaxing massages at the spa, two-stepping with the cowboys...and the lack of cell phone or blackberry reception.

The ranch is owned by Arthur Blank (founder of Home Depot and owner of the Atlanta Falcons). On our way from Bozeman to the ranch, we stopped at the The Pop Stand for amazing hot turkey sandwiches and chocolate ice cream malts. We later learned that Mr. Blank had so enjoyed The Pop Stand on his way from the airport to the ranch that he bought it. Because that's what we all do when we enjoy a good meal--buy the restaurant, of course.

No cowgirl camp for the Six-Button Cowgirls this spring due to schedule conflicts, but I'm hoping we can coordinate a trip Mountain Sky for the WWWA in May 2010.

The Rainy Day Ranch

Hello and welcome to the Rainy Day Ranch, which actually is (for now) a little cottage in Laguna Beach, California. Laguna Beach doesn't evoke images of rainy days or ranches, but that's the point--someday, I hope to be back in a place with four glorious seasons and lots of open space, but for now I make do with my Rainy Day Ranch state-of-mind.

I'm by no means a real cowgirl. I'm an urban cowgirl at best, if by "urban cowgirl" you mean someone who sits at a desk most of the day but concocts little adventures. I don't necessarily want to be "one with the land," but it would be nice to have a small connection. I like my job, but I work to live--not the other way around.

The Rainy Day Ranch is like my imaginary friend that helps me strike a balance between sassy and simple, fancy and frugal. Let's see where this takes us.