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Show and wedgetail eagles and goannas and listening to the kookaburras and the ravens and the pied butcherbirds. And then there is the always charming and lovely Amanda ane Davey, who at this very moment is 10,000 miles away, reading this column and this sentence and at the mere mention of her name is shaking her head and saying, "Jim...are you mental? Get a grip and quit making a fool of yourself." So instead of going off on that tangent. I'll talk about cows and fanners and ranchers and men like my friend John Wrings. John and his family own a 2000 acre hum a couple hundred miles south of Perth. The Wringes have worked this land for a century through some extremely tough times. This year has been as tough as it gets. Cattle prices are at an all time low. John's son James has developed a 30,000 plant tomato form just down the road, but tomato prices are so pathetic that, despite continuous 18 hour work days, James already knows that he will be lucky to break even. The whole family pitches in; James' mother Jean spends ten hour days packing and sorting and then goes home at dusk to take care of the house and the family. One day I said to Jean, "I don't know how you do it." Jean shrugged and said simply, "What else can you do? The work just has to be done. They could do something else. They could sell the farm that has beat a part of their family for generations. They could get millions for it But the land means too much to them. And so the Wringes, like so many other farmers and ranchers in Australia (and here in the US.), try to squeeze a living out of Castled ene Farm. Their options? Sell out to developers. Go broke. Maybe you think I'm getting caught up in the romance of ranching and my perceptions are being blurred. Well maybe. But John Wringe would probably get a chuckle out of that We were herding cows one day from one paddock to another and John said, "How're you doing Jim?" I said "Great! I'm having a good time." John nodded a bit wearily and replied, "Try doing it every day for about forty years, Jim. Then check back with me." He work. loves his farm but it's I came away from Casdedene Farm more convinced than ever that environmentalists and ranchers and farmers must find some common ground. Fanners and ranchers need to be innovative and open to new and different ideas and techniques. Environmentalists need to be supportive of fair prices for cattle and wool and vegetables. The next time you go to the market and marvel at the low price of tomatoes or hamburger, think of the Wringes and so many other farmers like them. back-breaki- ng OBLIGATORY REFERENCE TO CLINTON 'SEX SCANDAL' As I mentioned before, I was about as far away from the US as is physically possible when the big Monica Lewinsky story broke. I doubt, however, if there was any place on the planet that was far enough away. Most people outside this country thought it was all a lot of hooey, but back home I got an earful from a moralistic, sanctimonious Mend of mine about our immoral president. TOe hasn't got the morals to run a cat house," my friend explained and thought Clinton should resign. I nodded blankly. But think about this. Consider two world leaders from our recent past.. One led an exemplary life. He never smoked or drank and disdained all drugs. He would not even consider eating meat the sight of blood made him sick and he was a lifetime vegetarian. He abhorred the notion of sex out of wedlock and never, under any circumstances, alb wed lust and passion to interfere with his work. The other was not so pure. He cared little about his diet. He cigarettes and opened the bar by five every afternoon. An evening without a couple of martinis or bourbons and branch water was unheard of. Though he was married and had children, he flirted shamelessly with other women and for thirty years, maintained a secret sexual relationship with his wife's former secretary. Only after his death would his wife learn the true story and extent of her husband's extramarital affair. Which of these men would you prefer as your leader? The first gentleman I described was Adolf Hitter. The second, Franklin D. Roosevelt I am not attempting to condone improper behavior, although I do believe we are awfully quick on the trigger to condemn would-b- e sinners these days. It is almost as if we want them to be guilty. America seems to take pleasure in destroying its heroes. I doubt if anyone can be a hero anymore. We just won't stand for self-righteo- us chain-smok- ed it But don't we have better ways of entertaining ourselves? THE ZEPHYR Six issues a year for only $15.00 Twelve issues (2 years)$28.00 Eighteen issues (3 ycars)$40.00 City.............. (INCLUDE 9 DIGIT ZIP) PLEASE READ THISe The P.O. will not forward 3rd Class maiL If you do not send us a change of address, we cannot be responsible for issues you did not receive. Subscriptions must begin with the next issue,1996 6 97 back issues are available for $250 each. For earlier back issues all the Zephyr for a price list. Those readers who choose to take discounts do advantage of the multi-ya- r so at their own risk. There is no guarantee that the world will be here in three years, much less this publiation. The Zephyr may still make you ill. but it's still not the ink. THE ZEPHYR? ON THE INTERNET? WITH A (gasp!) E MAIL ADDRESS? Shocking but true. finally worked out a permanent arrangement with Moab's Carl Anderson to get the Zephyr on the Whirled Whine Whip, or whatever you call it. At press time, I still hadn't gpt the new and updated stuff to him, but it will be up there soon. It's: I www.canyoncountryzcphyrxom And I have an E mail address. It's: zephyr9iaM.net If I can figure out what buttons to push, I look forward to hearing from you, but it may be hopeless. PAGE SUBSCRIBE TO WE USE NON-TOXI- i Jane S. Jones,bureaucrat? How essential is Essential Air Service? The Moab Film Festival. And the Portal Tram after all? PAGE 7 THE NUTSHELL (photographic evidence) Opal is Dog of the Month and a kid named Cisco is Rader of the Month Where petroglyphs come from. John De Pay comes to town, Suzic Creamcheese celebrates spring. PAGE8 6 Thomas provide: wilderness update including: Lockhart Basin appal Comb Wash watershed plan. Conoco update. Filming. Hamsters more expensive than cows. More.. PAGE 10 STREAMOFCONSCIOUNESSc By Anne Wilson. When is change for the better? That's what Anne wants to know as she weighs feelings for the past with impending changes that are in many ways positive. a SOY INK Send Subscriptions to: P.O. BOX 327, MOAB. UT 84532 MOAB IN A NUTSHELL Docs Moab live in a police state? Some are beginning to wonder. Also,So long Earl Sires. THE CANYON COUNTRY WATCHDOG SUWA's Groene. McHarg C |
