The book begins with the remarkable story of how Houston found the ranch, was able to buy it and how she managed to pay for it. She was away from home during most of the fire fighting, and her fear for her ranch's safety and future is palpable. One part of the book, "Diary of a Fire," tells of the forest fire which burned nearly 110,000 acres and right up to Houston's property. In addition to several outbuildings on the ranch, there are Houston's home, a 100-year-old barn and a small cabin which is inhabited by ghosts of the first residents. This is a perfect book to pick up and put down, and it is worth reading if only for the almanac writings and their accompanying photos. The essays report on her animals: beloved Italian wolfhounds Fenton and William ancient horses Deseo and Roany hens Sheryl Crow and Martina Icelandic sheep Jordan and Natasha and ram Wooly Nelson, and mini-donkeys Isaac and Simon. Four of the parts are divided into chapters, and each chapter is followed by an essay from her ranch almanac. Her new book, "Deep Creek," chronicles her life and loves in five parts. Pam Houston has lived for 25 years on a 120-acre ranch near Creede, Colorado, across the fence from the Rio Grande National Forest and along the Continental Divide.
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