Life Along The River

Over the Hills

She resolved not to cry. Not then. Not ever. No matter what he did. He could be mean as he wanted, smash everything into a million little pieces. “Mustangs are not orange,” her sister said, and wagged her finger at her. They were painting the horse models they’d gotten for Christmas. Her brothers had gotten…

After the Snowy Day

When they wake in the morning the fire has died, and frost covers the windowpanes. New snow blankets the ground outside. The woman, her husband, and the boy push themselves out of bed. The man makes a fire while she readies water for boiling. Soon they drink coffee and hot chocolate, wrapping their hands around…

Grouse

It’s the hard business of being that gets to me. That’s what I’m thinking. I’m thinking about the way you get worn down. The day in and out of work. Stumbling at the end of a day in the woods, or no woods, the ones cut down and me thrashing through the dog hair…