SAN LUIS VALLEY — Colorado State University Extension believes every person from every walk of life can experience their healthiest, happiest, most productive life if they continually engage in lifelong learning.  

Having been raised in church and especially having a father who was a pastor, I thought that I had a pretty good idea what a heathen was. To make sure, though, I actually Googled it to discover the official Internet meaning. Of course, the word is usually used in a disparaging way when talking about someone. In general, it means someone who is irreligious, uncivilized or uncultured. 

“Stop asking why schools don’t have bulletproof glass and metal detectors at all the doors. Ask why schools have to.” 

Northern Lights, silence, calm and the brilliant stars of dark nights — these are just a few of the benefits of winter darkness in Alaska, writes Tim Lydon. And now, researchers have found that just as climate change increases the heat and length of summer, dark winters are vital for the health of trees, wildlife and even us.

I am writing this a tad ahead of the actual New Year to meet the deadline for the papers that carry my column. It is always a difficult writing so far ahead, especially around the Holidays. By the time you read this the New Year will be in full swing and hopefully it will be one of great promise for each of you and our Nation too. 

It is hard to believe the beautiful winter weather we’ve been having lately. The unseasonably warm days do give way to colder nights, but I know well that these temperatures could be much lower than they have been. Probably should be.  

With New Year’s Day behind us, we now have to live with any New Year’s resolutions we may have made. Only 30% of American people make New Year’s resolutions anymore. Folks from age 19-29 are most likely to make one at 49% and those over 65 are least likely at 18%. 

Hello Alamosa! I want to express my gratitude to the Parks Division team for their outstanding work in lighting up our city for the holidays. The beautiful holiday decorations and lights you see are all thanks to their efforts. 

The death of a famous grizzly and the possibility of Lake Powell facing dead pool, wolves and a 460-foot tower proposed for Bears Ears National Monument — they were just some of the opinion columns sent out by Writers on the Range this year. The common denominator: Every writer cared passionately about the West — its wildlife, its public lands, and the people who live in this unique region.

Last year, I resolved to write a column in mid-December that reflects on the connectivity of land, water, and people as an annual holiday tradition. I believe that these three elements of our lives are truly embedded in our DNA and are worth reflecting on each year and counted as part of the blessings that we celebrate around the holidays. 

There’s a small wooden cabin at the top of Northwest Peak, a few miles from Montana’s borders with Idaho and Canada, and Chuck Manning, 79, believes lookouts like this one deserve a second chance at being useful. 

CSU Extension believes that every person from every walk of life can experience their healthiest, happiest, most productive life if they continually engage in lifelong learning. At SLV Area Extension, everything we do is designed to foster healthy youth and families, prosperous farms, ranches, and businesses, and strong, resilient, proud communities. We offer a myriad of educational opportunities to SLV citizens, where they live, work, and socialize. 

In response to my apologies for a messy house, Patt Morgan-Lloyd would always say: "I didn't come to see your house. I couldn't care less. I came to see you." On the phone, she'd first ask, "How are the kitties?"   

It has been a dozen years since a then 20-year-old entered Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, and shot and killed 20 students and six teachers and staff; those students should be 18 and 19 years old now — but they're not!

As most of you know, Miss Trixie and I are in the final throes of building a house. And when I say “building a house” I don’t mean we are having someone build us one, but we did most of the work ourselves. This has been a real test of our relationship but living in an RV for 12 years together probably cemented us together in some kind of JB Weld bond that cannot seem to be broken no matter how sick that may actually be.

The writers Edward Abbey, Gary Snyder and Norman McLean all staffed high-elevation fire lookouts in the West—their experiences rich fuel for their work. But Jack Kerouac’s reaction makes me smile. 

Now that we are in the Holiday Season, it is appropriate to reflect on the surgeon general's 2023 advisory entitled "Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation." Published on May 2, it discusses the growing number of Americans experiencing loneliness, isolation, and social disconnection. People with these issues have an especially hard time during the holidays. Feeling included and connected to others is a basic human need, similar to needing food, water, and shelter. We evolved as social creatures, and we need that human connection to thrive. Loneliness is not just a bad feeling. 

At the time this is printed and circulated, most of you will have already had your turkey bird dinner on Thanksgiving and maybe even had the obligatory nap afterwards. And as written about in the last column, Ol’ Dutch and Miss Trixie will be with my son Bub’s and his family for the celebration and eats. 

President Donald Trump’s first term was a disaster for America’s public lands. While the prospects for his second term are even more bleak, Westerners across the political spectrum — even those who voted for Trump — stand ready to oppose attempts to sell off America’s public lands to the highest bidder. 

The cold early winter day dawned a few hours ago and I find myself still at the kitchen table sipping coffee and scrolling through Facebook. With my rear end finally getting numb enough to force a move, I slowly rise from the chair, finally ready to start the day's first task. Dressed in my light winter gear I jump in the pick-up and drive the short quarter mile to the local Christmas tree lot and park off to the side. The fenced area houses 50 or so trees lying on the ground, wrapped tightly in nets just waiting to snap open and display their true beauty. The lucky ones have already been placed in a metal stand and confidently stretch their limbs to show just how many ornaments they can hold. I select the best one I can find and only minutes after arrival, I jump back in the truck and...