The first year with the Setter's was coming to an end with winter fast approaching. It was time to review where we were at and think about where we wanted to go. Mick had turned a year old at the end of October. Beau would turn a year old in January and Molly was at the seven Month mark as December came around.
The kids had gone on an extended travel vacation after college spending month's in Australia,Thailand and the Netherlands. After which Carson set out to pursue his Master's degree in New York and Jared remained in Madison for a while then headed out to New York as well.
My job was always demanding and took a lot of my time. Being in a Supervisory position you were always on call 24/7 and with multiple locations to answer for there was always a crisis some place either customer, employee, equipment or financial in nature. I had remained successful all these years by developing a group of talented self reliant operators and enjoyed working with these very smart and successful people. But the new generation of employees was of the entitlement mind set. I want it now. I deserve it..now. And I do not want to work very hard to get it! These people required much more direct supervision and a micromanage style the direct opposite of who I was and how I had become successful. So I knew I was now approaching the final stages of my career with this organization.
I had spent the previous December ski vacation in Alberta Canada. One of the most beautiful places I have ever seen or skied having stayed at the historic Bannf Springs Hotel for two weeks. Skiing had been an incredible revelation to me because I had discovered I could do something completely outside of my comfort zone. I found the people I'd meet from all walks of life and countries very interesting as I shared conversations and learned about how other people lived at all stages of life. It helped me push my dreams and vision for my future beyond my current horizons and beyond the horizon of the Love Creek Valley.
A year later the Setter's and I were enjoying the lifestyle I had created for us with bird's always available and trips to the Hunt club nearby if I didn't have Pheasant's or Quail on hand to shoot for the dog's as I had a Bird Dog training permit for the surrounding property. I'd get my skiing in at the local ski hill just ten miles east of the Farm. It was a great time no doubt but just a prelude to what was to come.
However now having assembled a team of very promising bird dog's I was locked into a place far away from where the real action was. Far away from the big open spaces where you could hunt all day and let your dog's loose on endless acres of cover. I knew at this point I would make a transition from the Love Creek Valley and it was now time to begin the end game.
This period of reflection had begun while I was in Baanf skiing the northern Rockies. The mountains surrounding Lake Louise were the back drop for the scene I viewed everyday as I contemplated the future. I now felt OK with the realization that the Farm had played it's role in my life. The Trout were no longer plentiful,the Grouse had vanished from the surrounding hills, the Deer had developed CWD and the hunting seasons were now greatly expanded so you never quite knew when someone was in the woods with a rifle. The kids were off on their own journey searching for they're place in the world.
This period of transition was to take 5 years as I prepared financially reducing debt and increasing investments to my retirement funds and deferred accounts to be ready for the change. I also completed any remaining projects around the property to ready it for sale when the time came. If I hadn't enjoyed everything this place had to offer this would have been difficult for me but while the beauty and solitude still remained as it always was I was the one that had changed. My dream and horizon for the future had expanded beyond Love Creek Valley Farm. I was now at a time and place where the commitment and responsibility of owning the property was to me like a tether on a balloon that wanted to rise up and travel with the wind but couldn't....not quite yet anyway.
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