Diana Hooley

1 month ago | idahomagazine.com | Diana Hooley |Steve Bunk

Bad Luck and TroubleRanching in the DepressionBy Diana HooleyWinter is here and the world seems full of problems, or maybe it’s just that I have a touch of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). What I need is a case of better attitude days (BAD). I need to see the glass as half full—or at least calorie-free. Sometimes getting out of the doldrums takes little more than recognizing all your blessings and that there are those among us who’ve lived through so much worse.

Oct 1, 2024 | idahomagazine.com | Diana Hooley |Steve Bunk

Halloween TalesBy Diana HooleySeveral places in Idaho are said to be haunted. I was reminded of this while talking to my two tweener grandchildren as I drove them to town to get a hamburger. It was the topic of conversation because of the fall holiday that’s second only to Christmas in their eyes: Halloween. “Do you know any haunted house stories, Grandma?” my granddaughter asked.

Aug 1, 2024 | idahomagazine.com | Diana Hooley |Steve Bunk

A Failed Thermal GradeBy Diana HooleySummer’s a great time to sleep outdoors, to bed down on the front porch, or in a tent, or to cowboy camp in the open air. Idaho nights are often cool, and the soft sound of a breeze in the trees, owls hooting, and crickets chirping can be pleasantly lulling. People generally sleep better outside. Going to bed and waking with natural light fine-tunes our circadian rhythms. Also, sleeping in bedrooms night after night, we miss the star show in the sky.

Jun 1, 2024 | idahomagazine.com | Diana Hooley |Steve Bunk

Down on the FarmBy Diana HooleyMy husband and I drink our morning coffee in a nook surrounded by large windows that face the Snake River. We see the sun rise over the river: the dreary winter suns and the movie star-like summer suns. As dawn approaches, reeds and willows on the river bank become dark silhouettes. One morning not long ago, a new silhouette appeared. It was moving slowly, about thirty feet away. “What is that?” I said to my husband as I pointed out the window. Dale gasped.

Mar 1, 2024 | idahomagazine.com | Diana Hooley |Steve Bunk

It’s EpicStory and Photo by Diana HooleyOn a recent trip out of state I met a friendly couple who inevitably asked, “What do you do in Idaho?” The short answer is my husband and I are farmers, but I often hesitate to tell people this. I fight the urge to say instead, “We’re ranchers.” Actually, we both farm and ranch but currently our “herd” consists of exactly three-point-five cows (the fraction is a calf). People just seem more impressed when you tell them you live on a ranch.