The Deer Valley Rendezvous
Page 5

Devotional

by John Woolmington
We live a life that is connected to the land...the land of God's creation. The beauty of it surrounds us, the weather determines us, the wildlife reminds us, the seasons challenge us and the mystery of every breath rejoins us in the majesty of Creation. This is not some kind of weird, esoteric, magical connection to "mother earth". It is instead our daily living and breathing as sustained by the Living God and the Holy Spirit.

In the book of Job, Chapter 12 (after a withering sarcastic rejoinder to his witless comforters..."No doubt you are the people and wisdom shall die with you."), Job recalls the splendors of creation as testimony to the God who commands all things: "Ask, now, the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air and they shall tell thee. Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare to thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?"

There is more...much more. Job reminds us that all wisdom and strength comes from God, that in Him alone is understanding, that He chooses to enlarge or destroy nations, that in God we walk in light...or stagger in darkness without Him.

Father, let us not be as those who "comfort" with man's wisdom, but let us be quiet and simple in our understanding that all creation, all truth, and the end of all things is in you and you alone, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.


Recipe

by Sue
In the winter, we have staff lunch around a big table in the lodge. Sue uses this time to try some new recipes or make things in a small quantity which may not be appropriate for 150 people.

One of the favorites is the Dilly Biscuit Squares. Sue uses John's
home grown dill weed in the dill butter she brushes on top.

Dilly Biscuit Squares

  • 2 Cups all purpose Flour
  • 4 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1 Tbsp. Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1 Cup (4 oz.) Shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • 1/4 Cup Vegetable Shortening
  • 1 Cup Buttermilk

    Dill Butter
  • 1/4 Cup Butter, melted
  • 1/2 tesp. Dill Weed
  • 1/8 tesp. Garlic Salt

    In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients. Add cheese. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk just until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 3/4 inch thick square. Cut into 12 squares. Place 1/8 inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Combine butter, dill and salt; brush over hot biscuits. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 1 dozen.

    • Ute Indian Legacy

    The first explorers in this region were the Spanish, riding up from Santa Fe in the late 1700s in search of gold or chasing down marauding Comanche. American explorers, Zebulon Pike, John Fremont and John Gunnison came through in the early 1880s, along with the mountain men, Dick Wooten, Kit Carson and others. Here before any of them were the Ute Indians...the "Blue Sky People" (the white man's nickname), or "Sky Mountain People" or simply "The People" (who lived in the mountains). They traveled in small bands of 100 to 200 people, setting up their villages along the local streams and rivers in the summers where they camped, hunted and were more or less the first summer vacationers in the area. Evidence shows that they were the first to climb many of the big peaks. Several of the highest peaks in the Sawatch (from the Ute word, Saguache) Range, have Ute Indian name derivation. On the southern end of the range are Ouray, Chipeta and Pahlone Peaks, named after Chief Ouray, his wife and son. The three main peaks to the south of Deer Valley are Tabeguache (a Ute tribal grouping), Shavano (a chief) and just out our window, the beauitful 14,269' Mt. Antero. While Antero was an important leader of the Ute people, he did not live in this area, residing instead in Utah. However, we think it is particularly appropriate that the peak is named Antero, which means "Graceful Walker". So many of our ranch walks and hikes are in the vicinity of this great peak and when we are not hiking along the trails on the mountain, we can see the beautiful mountain from other hikes.


    Mt. Antero, "Graceful Walker"