Neddenrieps gathering in Carson Valley

Early June is surprisingly hot, muggy, rainy, unpredictable, just the way I like it. A cowboy once talked about a range operation he worked on in Northern Nevada. Said the cowboys selected, amongst themselves, someone to be camp cook. If anyone complained about the cooking they would have the job, which no one wanted. In the morning a cowboy often voiced his opinion about breakfast with, "Burnt toast and eggs, and bitter coffee, just the way I like it." No one wants to be thought of as a complainer.

Irrigating since beginning of April and I'm enjoying the rain, right now. It makes irrigation water go further, and does us no harm since we are not cutting hay until July.

Later this summer we'll miss it terribly when the grass browns up and dirt shows through thin cover in the fields. This rain unfortunately also rushes the melting of the snow off the mountains, leaving little water reserves for August and September, when temperatures stunt the grass and pushes stifling heat on the cattle. Not to sound like a complainer, who is planning an outdoor event June 20, for nearly 150 people, but this unusual spring mugginess and continual afternoon rain is causing concern.

Carson Valley is spectacular in spring, bright blue skies, snow frosted mountains, and fresh deep green spreading across the valley floor. It will be an inspiring site for folks coming all the way from a more urban Hanover, Germany or from the smoother plains of the Midwest.

It will even be a comfort for the West Coast groups that are used to mild or even cold summer costal weather. But Nevada can be uncultured and a bit wild sometimes pelting hail at innocent barbecue eaters in the middle of a sunny day. Or pulling up fashionable ladies skirts and dresses with more than warm zephyr winds. It can create cyclone dust devils up in the corral and bounce them across guests' heaping plates and tipping plentiful glasses of refined refreshments.

Nevada weather causes people to say, wait 15 minutes and it will pass. (Fill it, in with your choice of rain, thunder, lighting, snow, sleet, hail, locust and/or dust-clouds.) This is no real comfort when you are to host more than 100 innocents dressed in western wear they bought new for their first trip to the ranch. And Nevada's destructive winds have enough endurance to stick around for days.

Not to be too particular, but a slight breeze to waft around the rose bushes' scent in the front garden and the lilacs' in the backyard to cover the ranch dog's just-rolled-over-fresh-from-the-pasture aroma would be pleasant. The dog is very social and cannot be stopped from a meet-and-greet of everyone who arrives at the place with a nice sniff around and a rub against their legs. Also hoping for modest sunshine to create a slight glow on the guests, hosts and hostesses to create an atmosphere where no one can pick out a slacking hostess from a shy, jet-lagged European.

This first ever, since I have been here anyway, World Wide Neddenriep Family Reunion will happen in Carson Valley, and no matter the weather, it really will be just the way I like it.

Marie Johnson is a Carson Valley rancher.