🍂 Cowboy Logic 🍂 Fall has a way of reminding us that nothing stays the same forever. The days get shorter, the mornings get colder, and that jacket you left in the pickup finally earns its keep. A cowboy doesn’t spend much time arguing with the season. He checks his fences, stacks his hay, and gets ready for what’s coming. Life calls for a little of that same sense. Be willing to learn, adjust your plans, and welcome something new. You can change direction without losing your values. Hold close to your faith, your family, and your word. Those things belong in every season. And before you decide the whole world’s turned cold… try putting on a coat. 🤠🍁

🤠 NEGLIGENT NED & TALL-TALE TILLY: THE GREAT LEAD CHASE A fictional sequel from the tall-tale trail. Ned’s promised witness was running behind, So he hired on Tilly to see what she’d find. “I’m great with a lead!” she announced with delight, Then chased her own shadow till well after night. They found an old boot by a fork in the creek. “This proves,” hollered Ned, “what I told you last week!” “But it’s empty,” said Tilly. Ned grinned ear to ear: “That means somebody LEFT—and the question is WHERE?” They knocked on a door at a quarter past eight, Then circled the house and stood out by the gate. The rancher said, “Folks, I’ve got nothing to say.” “Write ‘MYSTERY DEEPENS!’” Ned whispered. “We’ll stay.” They questioned a cow and interrogated geese, Till the whole barnyard wished they would give it some peace. The goose gave a hiss and the cow gave a moo. Said Tilly, “That sounds like a cover-up, too!” When somebody answered, “That isn’t quite right,” They worked on the wording till late in the night. By dawn, “I know nothing” had somehow become: “A SOURCE CLOSE TO THINGS SAYS THERE’S MORE YET TO COME!” They followed a rumor clean over the hill, Then back to the porch of the fellow named Bill. “Who told you?” asked Bill. “Why, you did!” said Ned. “No, YOU told ME Tuesday.” Both scratched at their head. An old cowboy chuckled, “You two ought to know, A lead ain’t a lead just because you say so. And knocking till midnight won’t make something true— Sometimes a shut door means they’re tired of you.” But Ned checked his hat, and Miss Tilly declared, “We’ve nearly got proof that the proof isn’t there!” So off rode the pair in a great cloud of dust— With a saddlebag full of “JUST WAIT! TRUST US!” Cowboy logic: If you have to put words in a witness’s mouth, you’re writing a script, not following a trail. 🤠

Sunday Cowboy Wisdom 🤠 “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” —Psalm 23:3 A good rancher knows you can’t run a horse hard every day and expect it to stay strong. Somewhere along the trail, you’ve got to loosen the reins, find quiet water, and let it rest. Our souls need that same care. This Sunday, give your worries a little less attention and give the Lord a little more. Open your scriptures. Say a prayer of gratitude. Sit beside somebody you love. Notice the blessings you might have ridden past all week. You don’t have to have the whole trail figured out to trust the Shepherd leading you. Rest your horse. Quiet your heart. Let the Lord restore your soul.

A Saturday Bonus: 🐺 COWBOY LOGIC: THE BALLAD OF NEGLIGENT NED A fictional tall tale about rumors and collection hats. The boy who cried wolf had a cousin named Ned, Who figured there’s profit in keeping folks fed On a spoonful of mystery, a bucket of dread, And “Wait till you hear what my next witness said!” He rode into town with a tale mighty tall, But the folks who were there didn’t back it at all. So Ned tipped his hat and declared with a grin, “The fact they deny it means something’s tucked in!” “I’ve got one more witness!” he hollered at noon. “He’ll settle this business—real soon, boys, real soon!” But sunset came ’round, and the stars filled the sky, And “soon” saddled up for another goodbye. Now, Ned’s famous cousin would holler and shout, And folks would come running to sort the thing out. But Ned added something his cousin had missed: A hat for donations—and one more plot twist. An old rancher watched from his seat by the store, Said, “Son, we’ve all heard ‘just one witness more.’ You can keep adding wagons as long as you please, But a tale without wheels won’t roll on its fees.” “You reckon there’s wolves? Then show us a track. Don’t sell us tomorrow and keep coming back. A fact doesn’t need you to fuss, crow, or plead— And truth’s the one critter that don’t need that feed.” Cowboy logic: Before you put money in somebody’s hat, make sure there’s more under it than another story. 🤠

🤠 Cowboy Logic Nothing cures an inflated opinion of yourself quite like confidently calling a horse across the pasture—and watching him walk over to somebody holding an empty bucket. We all need a little reminding now and then that we’re not nearly as impressive as we think we are. Laugh at yourself. Admit when you’re wrong. Keep learning. And appreciate the folks who knew you before you figured you knew everything. Life’s a whole lot more enjoyable when you don’t have to be the smartest fella at every fence.

🤠 Cowboy Logic Some of the finest folks I know announce themselves with a truck pulling into the driveway and the words, “Brought my tools.” They’re the neighbor who helps fix a fence, the friend who calls to check on you, and the family member who sees what needs doing and gets started. Their kindness rarely makes the headlines, but it sure makes a difference to the person on the receiving end. I’m grateful for the people who quietly show up. They remind me how much good there still is in this world. Heading into the weekend, thank somebody who’s been that kind of person for you—and look for a chance to return the favor. A fence gets fixed a whole lot faster with two pairs of gloves. And somehow, the load feels lighter long before the work is done.

🤠 COWBOY LOGIC The squeakiest wagon wheel gets your attention, but it doesn’t tell you whether the wagon’s headed in the right direction. Some conversations leave you with a little more peace and a lot less need to answer every voice hollering across the fence. Today brought one of those. I’m comfortable letting the folks doing the work keep doing it. A story told with certainty is still just a story until the facts support it. The wheels of justice turn slowly. Be patient, listen carefully, and use the good sense God gave you. Be as diligent about questioning a rumor as somebody else was about spreading it. And a man who knowingly points folks down the wrong trail ought to remember—his tracks are there, too. Dust can make a mighty big cloud. It still settles. And when it does, the tracks speak for themselves.

🤠 Cowboy Logic If you spend all day looking for snakes, you’ll miss the wildflowers—and pretty soon, every crooked stick starts looking like something that’s out to get you. There’s real evil in this world. There’s dishonesty, and there are questions worth asking. But when every answer becomes a cover-up, every coincidence becomes a conspiracy, and every good deed must have a hidden motive, you leave yourself mighty little room to enjoy life. Sometimes hurt and disappointment make it hard to trust again. That deserves compassion. But suspicion alone isn’t proof, and a story doesn’t become true just because you can make the pieces fit. There are still good neighbors, honest people, and folks who help without expecting a thing in return. There’s still a beautiful world beyond the screen. We can’t control every headline or solve every mystery. We can control how we treat our families, whether we help a neighbor, and what we contribute to our own little corner of the world. Keep your eyes open. Ask questions. Be willing to change your mind when the facts don’t match your suspicions. And don’t spend so much time hunting shadows that you miss the daylight. 🌄

🤠 Cowboy Logic They say, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Well, two coyotes barking at the same rancher don’t make either one a good cow dog. It’s easy to find common ground when all you share is somebody you dislike. Real friendship takes more: honesty, loyalty, and something worth standing FOR. I’d rather ride with folks who share my values than folks who just share my grudges. Choose your riding partners carefully. A common enemy won’t tell you much about a person’s character—but how they treat people will.

🤠 Cowboy Logic — Family Traditions The Utah deer hunt has a way of bringing generations together. Cold mornings, a warm camp, and somebody telling the same hunting story for the thirtieth year—with a slightly bigger buck every time. 😂 Kids learn patience, respect for the land, and how to walk quietly… usually after stepping on every dry branch on the mountain. As the years pass, you remember who walked beside you, who taught you to watch a hillside, and whose empty chair you’d give anything to fill again. Take the kids. Invite Grandpa. Tell the old stories, and make a few new ones. Someday, that youngster might forget how many points the buck had, but they’ll remember you made time to take them. Hunt safely, look after one another, and keep those family traditions alive. 🦌🍂

My peace of mind.

Sunday Cowboy Logic 🤠 “Be still, and know that I am God.” —Psalm 46:10 A horse settles when he learns to trust the hand holding the reins. We could learn a little from that. There’s peace in knowing we don’t have to see the whole trail to trust the One leading us. Some days, faith means loosening our grip, quieting our hearts, and letting the Lord set the pace. This Sunday, take a breath. Count your blessings. Let your soul catch up. God knows the way. 🙏

Saturday night vibes….

🤠 Saturday Cowboy Logic I’ve made some mighty good friends and connections lately, and I’m grateful for every one of them. Good folks sure make the trail more enjoyable. But a cowboy can spend so much time visiting across the fence that he forgets who’s waiting on his own porch. Our families deserve our best hours, not just whatever daylight we have left. This Saturday, put the phone down awhile. Hug your sweetheart. Call your kids. Let the grandkids talk your ears off. Share a meal and a laugh. Keep making room at the table for new friends—just make sure your family never has to wonder whether you’ll be there. The richest part of a cowboy’s life is often sitting right across the kitchen table. 🤠

September 21, 2026 youtu.be/9eiecxttAR4?is=4c_G… via @YouTube This is from the 10,000 ft level on Cedar Mountain. My friend Shawn is an incredible artist.

Tomorrow early… 🤠 COWBOY LOGIC Some folks see three horses at the same water trough and figure they’re planning a bank robbery. In a small town, people know each other. They share tables, shake hands, and stop by the same places for supper. If that’s evidence of a grand scheme, half the county’s implicated before dessert. A good tracker knows that crossing paths doesn’t mean riding together. And when the tracks don’t support his guess, he changes his guess—not the tracks. There’s nothing wrong with asking questions. But if every answer somehow proves the same theory, you might be writing a story instead of finding the truth. Be diligent about the facts. Even a mighty fancy rope won’t let you lasso smoke. 🤠