Are you trying to lead a life of grit and grace?
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Days of Sun and Shadow by India Hayford - “Owl is always with me. Even when my human feet are planted firmly in the ground, and her pale wings shine against the burning blue sky, our hearts beat together.” This is how the story of Emilie McCain begins… and it takes off, fast-paced and soaring, in a way that… Read More »
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Vacuum and Mop in one?! I doubted it would work, but when my friend Katie O told me it was amazing and I trusted her…After waiting a few weeks to try it because I was nervous I wasn’t smart enough to use it 😅 I can honestly say it’s 10/10 👏 Dust, dried mud, hay, crumbs, dog food…it can handle it all. Comment “I want clean floors” in the comments and I’ll message you the link, also feel feee to ask all the questions there too! 💥
This last week has been a chaos of work meetings, zoom calls, interviews, small purging home projects, creating content, hanging with family, and trying to get my steps in. Result?! The house is showing signs of neglect. 😂😅 So today is all about getting things straightened up and organized before we have a BBQ with the family tonight! Stay tuned for some pics of delicious food and all my babies together for the weekend. #reality #momlife #thingsgetmessy #cantdoitall
I need YOUR help! @wyosymph annual fundraiser “Prelude: A Taste of the West” is July 23 at @themeventspace The vibe is glam cowgirl. You know what to do #vote for your favorite look! #emceeatwork
While we were in Douglas with my dad running errands today, we took some time to stretch our legs and get a hike in!
Today, July 1st, 2026 it is officially a felony for an adult to stalk a minor in the state of Wyoming…it’s a bittersweet day for our family. #thankyouwyoming #bettertogether #gritandgrace
This is @indiahayfordbooks second novel, and I was honestly a bit scared to read it. We read her debut novel, “The Song of the Blue Bottle Tree” for our Prairie Wife Book Club in April of last year, and I loved it! Then I had the opportunity to meet India in person at an event where I was a speaker, and I absolutely fangirled. India and I have since become friends, and I felt the pressure when I cracked open her latest novel, “Days of Sun and Shadow.” I wanted to love the book, but knew I would have to be honest if I didn’t.
I needn’t have worried.
I fell in love with ALL of India’s characters…well, other than the ones that were decidedly and purposefully awful. Emilie is born amid tragedy, and her mother never stops blaming her for her losses. As she grows up in the wilds of Alabama in the early 1800’s, the love of her Granny and father and her passion for horses become her saving grace. As she gets older, her family changes, and they make the move to Washington, Arkansas. As new characters are introduced, India allows us to see the tale told from their perspectives, which wonderfully rounds out Emilie’s narrative. I was captivated by the character of Madeleine, whose tale is brutal yet authentic to what I imagine life was like for our young nation’s mixed-race citizens at the time. Emilie deals with her own heartbreak, but as angry as it made me, I feel that her treatment is accurate to life as a woman living in the mid-1800’s.
India’s writing is lyrical and smooth, carrying you swiftly along and immersing you completely in her tale. She tells the stories of strong women with grit and grace. Interwoven throughout the novel is Emilie’s generational gift of the sight from Owl, which makes the story all the more captivating.
This novel does cover some incredibly sensitive topics like physical abuse, infant loss, and rape, so I wouldn’t recommend it for our younger readers.
Get your copy today from wherever you purchase books like my local fav @windcitybooks
🙌 ONLY 9 SPOTS LEFT FOR THE RETREAT 👏 AND OUR LIMITED EDITION PRAIRIE WIFE RETREAT GEAR IS NOW AVAILABLE TO ORDER 🥰 Enjoy a weekend of inspiration and rejuvenation of your mind and body at the Historic Elk Mountain Hotel with Wyoming’s own Prairie Wife at the 2026 Prairie Wife Retreat!
The @elk_mountain_hotel was built in 1905 and has been proudly serving its guests for over 120 years. The Elk Mountain Hotel is situated along the banks of the peaceful Medicine Bow River and sits among the cottonwoods at the gateway to the Medicine Bow National Forest in the quaint little town of Elk Mountain, Wyoming.
Join Prairie Wife (Cathy Holman) and other like-minded women for a weekend focused on creating a life you love…and getting out of your comfort zone! This year, we’ve added the option of participating in an 11-mile hike along the Rock Creek Trail on Friday morning. Then, enjoy a meet-and-greet and dinner on the first evening, and spend the rest of the night relaxing, stargazing, making new friends, and attending a book club discussion. Saturday begins with a full-service breakfast followed by a 3-mile-long moderate hike led by Prairie Wife. This hike will take you into the Medicine Bow National Forest and will offer just the right amount of movement and beautiful views.
Enjoy lunch with @elkmountainllamas back at the Elk Mountain Hotel and then take some time to freshen up and rest after your hike before you sit down for a one-and-a-half-hour workshop led by Prairie Wife. This year’s topic is “Confidence, Aging, and Owning Your Power” After the workshop, you’ll create custom jewelry with jewelry designer Laura Hunter of @pureimpressions Design.
Dinner will be followed by community time under the stars while staying warm next to a beautiful Fire Pit. End your weekend on Sunday morning with breakfast surrounded by new friends, and the option to have our event photographer, Amanda Henderson of AmandaJoPhotography, take professional headshots for you. Amanda will be along for the entire weekend, helping us capture all the special moments to ensure it’s an adventure you’ll never forget.
Put “retreat” in the comments and I’ll message you the link! #wyomingwomen
From the trails to the corrals…it has been a full day!
Deer Creek Days Street Dance 👏🙌
