Eric T. Knight's Blog, page 32

Survival is a Good Thing

A couple years ago this month I went on a camping trip to the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah. Nine days. Went up with a couple friends, met a couple more there. Nothing we haven’t all done lots of times. But it was the rain that almost made this trip a little too … Continue reading Survival is a Good Thing

Tales from Date Creek Ranch – A sickly child who didn’t learn too fast

It occurs to me that you might get a better sense of my stories about growing up on the ranch if you knew a little bit more about me. Two things, especially, are important in this context. One, I was born small and sickly. Two, I pretty much had to do every stupid thing twice. … Continue reading Tales from Date Creek Ranch – A sickly child who didn’t learn too fast

Watching the End of the World – the hostage 4

“What’s the matter with you two?” Jenna demanded. She stood with her hands on her hips. It was afternoon and Santiago and Tamara were sitting close together on the love seat. Tamara was wearing very short shorts and he had his hand resting on her inner thigh, almost to her crotch. Jordynn was sitting at … Continue reading Watching the End of the World – the hostage 4

Tales from Date Creek Ranch – Lady kicks the stuffing out of me

I think that we’re all aware that horses are large and potentially dangerous animals. Even those of you who’ve never actually seen a horse are probably nodding right now. For sure if you’ve ever stood next to a horse you’ve noticed that it is quite a lot larger than you are, with muscles that simply … Continue reading Tales from Date Creek Ranch – Lady kicks the stuffing out of me

Tales from Date Creek Ranch – Lady, part horse, part evil

By the time I was five or six I was judged old enough to ride my own horse during round up. At last I could begin to earn my keep. The horse for beginners on Date Creek Ranch was Lady, a horse so ancient she had turned white, speckled with little brown spots, like liver … Continue reading Tales from Date Creek Ranch – Lady, part horse, part evil

The Swiss Cheese Conspiracy

Surely you���ve noticed how Swiss cheese is full of all those little holes. But have you ever really thought about it? Have you ever wondered what happened to the cheese that was in those holes? Probably, like most ���normal��� people, you haven���t wondered about this. Probably, you���ve just gone on buying and eating Swiss cheese … Continue reading The Swiss Cheese Conspiracy

Childhood trauma, fear of rejection, PTSD and the connections between them

I want to talk about childhood trauma and its long-term effects on people. The ideas that follow are not my own, though I may be putting them together a bit differently than others are. What I have to say here is a result of personal experience, research, one-on-one counseling, facilitating groups and my education in … Continue reading Childhood trauma, fear of rejection, PTSD and the connections between them

Tales from Date Creek Ranch – Early memories

Some of my very earliest childhood memories on the ranch, when I was three or four years old, are of riding behind my father during round up. (Round up being that time when the cattle are gathered off the range and brought into the corrals, in case you���re not familiar with the term.) Now, you … Continue reading Tales from Date Creek Ranch – Early memories

Watching the End of the World – the hostage 3

���Can I get you some more coffee?��� Jordynn asked Santiago. He was sitting at the dining table, staring bleakly into the depths of his coffee cup. Jordynn stood behind him, holding the coffeepot. Santiago shook his head, neither looking up nor speaking. He���d been cold and distant all morning, turning away when she tried to … Continue reading Watching the End of the World – the hostage 3

Tales from Date Creek Ranch – Humble beginnings

Sixty square miles of hard-packed dirt and caliche, filled with rocks, greasewood, cactus and more rocks. Twenty-six miles from the sleepy town of Wickenburg, straddling Highway 93 and Date Creek. That���s Date Creek Ranch. Now you���re probably thinking, sixty square miles? What is that, like a million acres? (Actually, it���s about 38,000.) That���s freakin��� huge! … Continue reading Tales from Date Creek Ranch – Humble beginnings