In a little over two weeks, we will experience the longest night and shortest day of the year. It will be the first official day of winter and it gives me pause.

         These short winter days and interminable long nights, well, they give you things to think about. For example:

         • Lately I have been worrying about all the beasts roaming around the edges of our towns.

         Paula McCormick snapped a photo of a huge mountain lion strolling through their barnyard just northwest of Lander.

         Among the lions, wolves and bears, it is beginning to appear that in some places around here (and elsewhere in Wyoming these days), human beings may no longer be at the top of the food chain.

         • Books have been on my mind a lot, lately, including my new book called Strong Winds, Blowing Snow, Slick in Spots, which will be out Dec. 10.

         Looking forward to reading Shooting From The Lip, the biography of former U. S. Senator Al Simpson by Don Hardy. It is getting great reviews and should be a hoot.

         Simpson has been the news recently as he rails against Congress as gridlock continues to prevent the country from taking the necessary actions to save itself.

         Former Vice-President Dick Cheney’s book In My Time, that he wrote with daughter Liz Cheney, should also be a best seller this Christmas.

         Geoff O’Gara, on Wyoming PBS, did a wonderful interview with Joe Hutto about a documentary on the Lander wildlife expert called “My Life As A Turkey.”

         A turkey?

         A fascinating story, Hutto became an expert on imprinting, as he raised 14 turkeys in Florida for a year and half. Hutto’s book on the subject and the documentary both are getting good reviews.

         • We have lost of friends to the grim reaper in the last month, which has left us stunned.

         Our friend Lori Barney, 52, was a vibrant young wife and mother who died of an aneurysm while working out at a gym. At the time of her death, she was the most fit she had ever been. We will miss her.

         My friend Larry Murray, 70, was saddling a horse when he died from a heart attack. He exemplified something that is actually quite common here in Fremont County – an Indian Cowboy.

         Lander’s Mr. Fourth of July, Dr. Brent Bills, 60, died in a plane crash near Casper. No explanation except the weather was deteriorating.   He was a legend as an orthodontist, benefiting thousands of men, women, girls and boys. His passionate hobby was fireworks. He helped bring thousands of people to Lander each July 3 when he staged one of the best fireworks shows in the state.

         Along with these actual deaths, a report on Facebook of the death of one of my closest friends (one of our coffee group, the Fox News All-Stars) was reported. We all frantically tried to confirm it. Yes or no?

         Although I was convinced my friend was a goner, the phone rang and it was him! Charlie Krebs had been confused with someone else by a similar name who had passed away.

         Now, we call him Lazarus. 

         He says, like Mark Twain once said: “Reports of my demise have been somewhat exaggerated.”

         And there was another devastating, amazing and horrible, event that took place near Lander earlier in November.

         A despondent and suicidal high school student drove his Suburban 97 miles an hour into a head-on crash with a van full of folks – killing all four of them plus him. It was in the middle of the night. The victims were a family heading to Salt Lake City for a doctor appointment, of all things.

         A horrible tragedy which brings to the fore again the need to counsel people of all ages who feel suicidal. What a catastrophe.

         • Perhaps I should wind this up with some comments about the good news associated with the football season.

         The Denver Post says the Wyoming Cowboys are the best college football team on the Front Range. How about that? Better than CU, CSU or Air Force Academy. Good job, Pokes!

         • Folks all across the state are busy helping people in need during this Christmas season.

         Locally my wife Nancy coordinates the Christmas Food Basket program where the local Elks Club delivers about 250 overflowing baskets of food and toys to families who would have had a much more quiet holiday without them.

         That, after all, is the reason for the season.