Holy smokes! Here we are again nearing the end of another fall hunting and fishing season. It is appalling how fast an autumn can fly by at the Shepp Ranch. It is a busy time of year. People come and go in all directions amidst the spectacular displays of the Salmon River country in the fall.

Many faces appeared in our fall staff lineup. Matt and Megan helped launch us into the season wrangling and housekeeping, respectively. Their buoyant personalities were missed when they returned to their homes in Boise. We were delighted however, to have Stefan Curtis, Daniel Koveikis and Melissa Wolosyn join the crew, all of whom proved to be invaluable constituents in this Home Sweet Home of ours. To our great joy Katy Shanley came to lend Charles a hand in the kitchen during the last month. Without all of their help it is questionable as to whether the rest of us could have survived the fall at all.

When only not so long ago it seemed that the leaf raking and bed making would never end, suddenly we find the trees have bared their branches and the number of impending guests is down to the last of the last of them. The snow line has been creeping down the mountainside, the garden is tilled, flowerbeds are being tucked away for the winter under blankets of leaves, and cold hardy bulbs have been buried. Things are winding down.

The work visas for our pack animals are due to expire in a mere five days for all but six of our stock. Those that don’t stay will make a long journey down the river trail, up Sheep Creek and over to the Wind River pack bridge. They will spend their winter just outside Riggins in yet another picturesque Idaho pastureland.

In similar news, the pigs’ stay at the ranch will reach a terminus tomorrow. They have relished in their jobs cleaning up leftovers at the ranch. Day after day the devoted pigs maintained unfailing enthusiasm and merry spirits. Truly admirable dedication. They have been solid hands er, hooves, here at the ranch. We appreciate all of their hard work. Thanks pigs.

The pigs’ neighbor, another steadfast fixture here, Miss Paris Hilton, has a bit of news herself. Our udderly gracious, brown-eyed, milk giving beauty queen is pregnant! This was wonderful to learn for us as her life here at the ranch was dependent on it, and we are quite fond of Miss Paris.

We owe her pregnant status to Mr. Dick Davis, long time Shepp ranch friend and guest who paid her a visit this summer and executed a successful artificial insemination! We were looking forward to having him back to the ranch this week, but he sustained significant injuries in a car crash a few days ago. He is okay, but surgery to fix multiple fractures in his scapula, broken ribs and other minor maladies will prevent him from making it in for a few days of fishing with us. We will miss you Dick! We are praying for a lickety-split recovery.

This year’s kittens are fattening up as well in time for winter. We had a bumper crop of kittens this season, many of which have found new loving homes. They have provided quite a lot of entertainment and even some company to some of us around the place. Hopefully the resident rodent population has seen a decline in their presence as well. In any case, they sure are cute.

Well, our last hunt has just made it home safely off the hill. I had better skeedadle to help unload and unsaddle. Nothing like unsaddling on a rainy Sunday evening in the fall.