My family has spent so much time outdoors in the mountains. Growing up, my father made a living by hunting and by selling things he could harvest from around our reservation and we often helped him in these endeavors. He sold Christmas trees, firewood, landscaping stones and even dropped deer and elk antlers, which sometimes he would make into antler lamps and chandeliers. We also spent time as a family just driving to pretty places for either camping or fishing or just to enjoy the peacefulness and smell of the mountains. It has been my father’s belief that for whatever ails a person, all they need is to retreat into the mountains in order to become well. Needless to say, I continue to spend time in the outdoors and the experiences I have with local places, flora and fauna inevitably end up in my poems.