It seems my ties to land are irrational, until I read of other's longings for places they've never even been, such as in the recent Scotland thread we had.

I grew up hearing family stories of how my great grandparents homesteaded a ranch in Western Colorado, just a few miles down the Colorado River from Glenwood Springs, which is another "just a few miles down" the Roaring Fork River from Aspen. My dad and mom grew up in the New Castle area on their parents' ranches. That area and their homesteads have always been a big part of our family identity.

The most tragic story told us was how my dad's parents lost their beloved Sundown Buttes in the depresssion. If I have remembered correctly, part of it was then purchased, as a kindly favour, by my dad's uncle. At any rate, before, there lived my dad and his family; since there has been his uncle, in the past, and now his cousin and five generations of his family living there.

Dad's cousin, Barton, is a good ole boy. Has to be close to 80 or older, by now. Tall, lanky, the epitome of the old time gallant rancher-gentleman. A year ago January he came to my mom's funeral in blue jeans, dress shirt, and cowboy boots, with red binding twine sticking out of his hip pocket. When I teased him about it, he told me about being out feeding the cattle early in the cold before sunup. Good people, salt of the earth, lots of their kids and their kids' kids living on the hundreds of acres.

Fortunately, the oldest part of my family's homestead is an elk refuge and safe from the madness which has overtaken Colorado. That is where the old, original log cabin lies.

In talking to my dad today, I found out the rest of the old place may not be so lucky. Barton is considering selling out for a subdivision to feed the greed which fuels that whole area now, with people driving up the Colorado for 30,40,50 miles and more to work in Aspen and elsewhere along the route of gentrification.

None of us blame him for considering this; after all they are offering him $20 million. It is a story I know is oft repeated across our land and it makes me terribly sad. Just seems there should be some way to help people out to keeo the old places intact and free from the clutter of the "gotta have its."

So, here's to the old homestead, literally. I suppose my grandsons will never see it, except in the faded photographs which I am grateful to have. Sorry this is not a very upbeat TFTD, but it struck at my heart and it helps to share, just as it did when my daughter's horse died.

Thanks for understanding, my friends. It just seems a tragedy....

kat