Learn how to Compost like a Pro with Terra Flora Soil Works from Chilliwack BC. Andrew Couzens, owner and soil pro, will come out and show us how we can make great compost with out household goods and even with a little help from Another Beer Co.
What you’ll learn at this workshop:
What is BOKASHI
How to make BOKASHI bran inoculant
How to Compost with BOKASHI inoculant
How to use finished BOKASHI as a fertilizer
Here at Another Beer Co. we love to garden and to support things that help the world with sustainability. We’d love to give you all some spent grain to make your own BOKASHI, and Andrew will show us how easy it is to do so.
What will your $15 admission cover:

• Entry and help carry the costs to bring Andrew and Terra Flora Soil Works in
  
• Includes a drink (beer and non-alcoholic options available)
  
• Samples from ABC and Locality Brewing
  

Locality Brewing will be out to chat about what they’re doing at their farm and how important the farm to table businesses are to the sustainability goals we all should have. Samples of their product will be available.
Terra Flora Soil Works will also have their hard to get composting materials on site for you to purchase if you like!
Happy Spring Gardening and composting to you all!
Where: Another Beer Co. 11 -30 Capilano Way, New Westminster When: May 16, 2024 7-8PM
More details and book your spot HERE

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I. Introduction

A. Definition of generative AI and its applications

Generative artificial intelligence refers to a class of AI techniques that are capable of generating new content such as images, text, audio, and video based on examples or prompts provided. Some common generative AI models include text generators like GPT-3, image generators like DALL-E 2, music generators, and more. These models have shown great promise in applications such as creativity support tools, content creation, datsynthesis, improving accessibility and more. However, their full potential is still largely dependent on how effectively they are guided via prompts.

B. Importance of prompt engineering for effective AI interactions

While generative AI models have advanced rapidly, their capabilities are still narrow and limited compared to human-level intelligence. As such, their behaviors and outputs are heavily influenced by the initial prompts or instructions provided. Prompt engineering refers to the art and science of carefully designing prompts to optimize generative AI model behaviors for different tasks. It plays a key role in determining whether AI interactions will be safe, beneficial and aligned with human values and priorities. With expertise in prompt engineering, the capabilities of generative AI can be maximized while mitigating potential risks. It is thus critical for unlocking the full power of these technologies.

II. Understanding Prompt Engineering

A. What is prompt engineering?

Prompt engineering involves the iterative process of thoughtfully constructing, testing, refining and curating prompts to achieve intended goals when interacting with generative AI systems. Effective prompts aim to clearly convey task instructions, provide helpful context, avoid ambiguity and ensure models stay aligned. Prompt engineering leverages techniques from fields like natural language processing and human-AI interaction design. Its purpose is to develop structured, nuanced prompts that can reliably steer generative AI towards safe, helpful and truthful behavior across diverse scenarios.

B. Significance of prompts in guiding AI models

Generative AI models are complex deep learning systems trained on vast amounts of data, but they lack human-level reasoning abilities. As such, their behaviors are heavily driven by the exact text, images or other data provided as prompts during inference. Small variations in prompts can significantly impact model outputs and potentially steer the AI towards harmful, misleading or unintended directions if not carefully engineered. Well-designed prompts allow specifying context, constraints and desired styles to guide models towards completing tasks safely and helpfully. Ill-defined prompts may hinder model performance or cause undesirable outcomes.

C. Key principles of effective prompt design

Some principles that underlie expert prompt engineering involve making prompts clear, unambiguous yet flexible. Prompts should precisely define the task or scenario while providing enough context and examples. They aim to be logically structured yet concise. Conditional statements and progressive disclosure of information are often used. Templates, reusable components and iterative testing help refine prompts. Diversity and creativity are encouraged while avoiding potential biases. Collaboration further improves prompt quality. Overall, the goal is developing prompts robust enough to reliably steer models to complete even complex tasks safely and beneficially.

III. Expert Prompt Engineering Techniques

A. Clear and Concise Instructions

1. Defining the task

Effective prompts start with a very clear definition of the task or scenario. Vague instructions don't provide models with enough guidance. Examples of well-defined tasks include "Generate a short story about xyz", "Describe step-by-step how to perform task ABC" or "Respond to the following customer question". Overly broad or ambiguous tasks make it difficult for models to know what is expected.

2. Providing context and constraints

Giving proper context helps models understand tasks. For instance, if generating a medical report, details about the patient, time period and symptoms would be relevant contextual details. Constraints on length, content, style etc. make tasks well-scoped. For example, "generate a 100-250 word summary of the key points" sets clear expectations and boundaries.

3. Using examples or references

Showing models concrete examples of expected performance helps align objectives. For writing prompts, exemplar paragraphs, personas or samples set the tone. Templates can provide references on formatting or logical structures. For image generation, visually demonstrating expected styles guides models well. Examples supplement rather than substitute for clear instructions.

B. Strategic Prompt Structuring

1. Utilizing prompt components (instructions, input, output)

Splitting prompts modularly into logical components like instructions, input context and expected output format allows adding, removing or editing sections independently. It also makes room for multi-step prompting where subsequent sections are revealed iteratively. Well-defined components yield prompts that are adaptable yet cohesive.

2. Incorporating conditional statements or logic

Using if-then conditional logic and variables allows prompts to handle diverse inputs and edge cases systematically. For example, a relationship advice prompt could include - "If the issue is [category], then discuss [solution approach]. Else suggest seeking counseling." This imparts flexible decision trees to prompts.

3. Employing multi-step prompts for complex tasks

Dividing complex, multi-faceted tasks into progressive sub-steps through modular prompting enables systematic guidance. For example, a story writing prompt may first define characters/setting, then elicit a plot outline through a series of questions before prompting for a full story draft. This staged revealing of information and context aids complex interactions.

C. Leveraging Prompt Libraries and Templates

1. Curated prompt collections

Organized prompt libraries containing reusable components allow pulling together fit-for-purpose prompts efficiently by combining pre-engineered sections. They aid prompt customization and enable "Legos-style" prompt building for diverse scenarios. Domain expertise goes into continuously improving and expanding such libraries over time.

2. Domain-specific prompt templates

Templates standardize prompt structures for common tasks, domains or genres. For instance, there may be templates for medical reports, news articles, recipes, poems etc. They embed conventional rules, format guidelines and best practices of respective domains to accelerate prompt design for novices and ensure quality. Templates then undergo refinement iterations.

3. Customizing and adapting prompts

Even the best plug-and-play prompts need to be tailored to specific application needs. Adaptations involve optimizing instructions, contexts, examples and conditional logic unique to situations. Expert engineers analyze prompts holistically and modify them as per learnings from previous iterations, similar prompts or changed requirements. This custom calibration further hones prompts.

D. Iterative Refinement and Testing

1. Evaluating prompt effectiveness

Prompt iterations are informed by systematic evaluations of model outputs against objectives. Automatic metrics and human ratings can assess factors like alignment, coherence, creativity, factuality, helpfulness and success rates. Edge/failure cases highlight opportunities for improvement. Iterative testing and refinement brings out best performace over time.

2. Analyzing model outputs and feedback

Dissecting generated outputs provides rich insights into how models interpret prompts - revealing unclear definitions, biases, unnecessary constraints or missing context. User feedback on application use cases is another valuable source. Together, such analyses pinpoint prompt strengths as well as aspects needing enhancement.

3. Refining prompts based on learnings

Refinement addresses weaknesses discovered during evaluations. It may involve rephrasing instructions, adjusting examples/templates, adding conditionals, removing ambiguities, expanding relevant context et al. Testing then verifies refinements enhance alignment and performance as intended, perpetuating a cycle of incremental prompt optimization.

IV. Best Practices and Tips

A. Considering Model Capabilities and Limitations

Prompts must account for a model's abilities and limitations. For example, while creative writing may align some models, technical topics requiring reasoning may not. Prompts therefore need tailoring based on what a model was designed and trained for versus what it may struggle with. Overly complex, nuanced or sensitive tasks may require special considerations.

B. Addressing Potential Biases and Ethical Concerns

Models trained on large corpora can inadvertently learn social biases which prompts must avoid activating. Sensitive tasks require careful safeguards against harms. Techniques involve using balanced, inclusive examples; preemptively addressing biases; engaging subject matter experts to ensure safety and ethics are prioritized. Evaluations also audit for potential harms which engineers then mitigate.

C. Encouraging Diversity and Creativity in Prompts

While structure aids learnability, too much rigidity limits flexibility. Encouraging some element of reasoned creativity, appropriateness and adaptability in outputs is important for many use cases. Techniques involve using conditionals, variations in examples, embracing non-obvious angles on prompts, requesting novel ideas where applicable and evaluating beyond just alignment.

D. Collaborating and Sharing Prompt Engineering Knowledge

No single individual can master all skills or anticipate blindspots. Collaboration leverages diverse perspectives to holistically improve prompts. Strategies involve forming multidisciplinary teams; openly discussing learnings to expand collective expertise; building communities around prompt design best practices; responsibly sharing template libraries and case studies. This increases overall prompt engineering efficiency and standards across the field.

V. Real-World Examples and Case Studies

A. Successful prompt engineering applications

Some successful applications demonstrate expert prompt engineering at work. For instance, in translating COVID-19 healthcare FAQs into multiple languages through well-structured multi-step prompts with extensive testing iterations. Or generating helpful drug interaction information for pharmacists by first piloting the idea with subject matter experts to gauge nuances. Another example is how masterfully engineered conversational prompts drive chatbots handling sensitive customer support queries smoothly.

B. Lessons learned from real-world scenarios

Real use cases also provide valuable learning opportunities. For example, early AI assistant prototypes struggled with improperly designed identity and relationship counseling prompts requiring extensive redesign post reviews. Another lesson emerged when a healthcare bot produced unintended advice due to missing context in prompts - highlighting the need for supervised testing. Prompt failures driving harmful fake news generation likewise exposed blindspots until addressed. Such scenarios train engineers on prompt design pitfalls to avoid.

VI. Future of Prompt Engineering

A. Advancements in prompt engineering techniques

As models and applications advance, so must prompting methodologies. Emerging areas include semi-supervised prompting leveraging human-AI co-creation; self-supervised prompting enabling models to rationalize and critique their own prompting; multi-modal prompting combining text, images, audio et al.; causal prompting elucidating how outputs would change under interventions; continued standardization through shared resources like ontologies and benchmarks.

B. Potential impact on AI development and adoption

With further research, prompt engineering can transform AI safety, development workflows and adoption landscapes. Expert prompting may help align powerful models and establish safeguards against misuse. Techniques like benchmarking and best practice sharing may industrialize quality for wide impact. Self-guided learning through self-supervision could automate parts of the process. And as generative AI infuses more domains, successful prompting will be key to unlocking AI's potential responsibly at scale.
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VII. Conclusion

This article provided an in-depth overview of prompt engineering for optimizing generative AI systems. It delineated important concepts like the need for effective prompting given narrow AI capabilities today. Techniques discussed involved clear task definition, context provisioning, strategic structuring, leveraging libraries and templates as well as iterative refinement. Best practices addressed abilities, biases while stressing diversity and collaboration. Real examples and future potentials were also reviewed. Overall, expert prompting emerges as the definitive approach to guiding generative AI towards maximally beneficial applications safely.
While generative AI has taken gigantic leaps, its full promise remains dependent on human expertise in areas like prompt engineering. Just as thoughtful design is key to most technologies, intentional prompting acts as the interface optimizing human-AI partnerships. With continued multidisciplinary effort, prompt methodologies will mature to tap AI's strengths reliably while avoid downsides. In the process, generative systems may evolve to handle ever more complex tasks autonomously. But for now, harnessing narrow AI requires our best thinking applied to prompt engineering as the crucial lever for beneficial, innovative and scalable human-AI collaboration. Our efforts here will define generative experiences of the future.
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ΜΟΝΤΕΝEGRO
CHAPTER I
THE CITY IN THE SKY
Why I went to the Balkans―The road to Montenegro―Cettinje and its petroleum tins―About the blood-feud―England and Montenegro―Warned not to attempt to go to Albania―My guide a marked man-The story of Tef―A woman's fickleness, and its sequel.
CHAPTER II
AN AUDIENCE OF PRINCE NICHOLAS
The Palace at Cettinje―A cigarette with the Prince―The policy of Montenegro―A confidential chat―His Royal Highness's admiration for England―His views upon Macedonia―He urges me not to attempt to go to Albania. but I persuade him to help me―His Highness's kindness―Souvenirs.
**
CHAPTER I
THE CITY IN THE SKY
Why I went to the Balkans— The road to Montenegro — Cettinje and its petroleum tins — About the blood-feud — England and Montenegro — Warned not to attempt to go to Albania — My guide a marked man — The story of Tef — A woman's fickleness, and its sequel.
I ENTERED the Balkans by the back door. The luxuries of the Orient Express had no attraction for me. I wanted to see the Balkans as they really are, those great, wild, mountainous countries, so full of race hatreds, of political bickerings, of fierce blood-feuds, of feverish propa- gandas those nations with their interesting monarchs and their many mysteries.
The "Orient" runs direct from Paris to the Balkan capitals, it is true, but if one goes to study a people the capital is not the only place in which to discover the truth. One must go into the country, move among the peasantry, hear their grievances and investigate their wrongs. Therefore I decided to enter the East by Montenegro, and also visit the wild and little-known regions of Northern Albania.
The comfortable voyage by the Austrian-Lloyd mail steamer Graf Wurmbrand from Trieste down the Adriatic, touching at Pola, the Austrian naval station, Lussinpiccolo, Zara- famed for its maraschino-Sebenico, Spalato, and Gravosa to Cattaro, has been already described by many writers. Suffice it to say that it is perhaps one of the most picturesque of pleasure-trips in the world, for every moment one has a fresh panorama of mountain and blue sea, of green, fertile islands with subtropical vegetation, and tiny white villages nestling at the sea's edge, as the steamer threads her way through the narrow and often difficult channels.
At times the wild scenery, especially in the Bocche di Cattaro, reminds the traveller of the Norwegian fiords, and at others the coast is an almost exact reproduction of the French Riviera.
The object of my journey was, however, not in order to write a mere description of men and places. There have been other travellers in the Balkans who have related their story, therefore my mission was to make careful inquiry into the present unsettled state of affairs, try and discover the grievances of both sides, and endeavour to obtain from the rulers and statesmen of the various nations their aspirations for the future. This I succeeded in doing, for the various monarchs of the Balkans graciously gave me audience; and from their Ministers, from the middle classes, and from the peasants, I was enabled at last to form some conclusion as to the real situation-political, economical, social, and financial.
The writer who attempts to place the various Balkan questions impartially and clearly before the public will at once find himself utterly confused, and wallowing wildly in a morass of misstatement and misrepresentation. The Balkans are torn by race hatreds, party strife, and the intrigues of the Powers. The Turk hates the Bulgar, the Serb hates the Austrian, the Roumanian hates the Greek, the Albanian hates the Montenegrin, the Bosnian hates the Turk, while the Macedonian hates everybody all round. What is told to one authoritatively one hour, is flatly contradicted the next; therefore it is not in the least surprising that in the European Press there have been so many misstatements about the various Balkan questions, the real truth being so very difficult to obtain.
I have, however, endeavoured to obtain it, and at risk of being injudicious, to place before the reader the facts as they are, without any political bias, or any seeking to gloss over the many glaring defects of administration of which I have myself been witness.
To describe the beauties of the Bocche di Cattaro, that series of winding channels where the high grey mountains rise sheer from the water, would be only to traverse old ground. Suffice it to say that I landed at Cattaro on a bright, sunny noon, and found upon the quay a tall, lean mountaineer who had been sent to meet me.
To the traveller fresh from the West the Montenegrin costume of both women and men is very attractive, but a few days in the Balkans soon accustoms the eye to a perfect phantasmagoria of colour and of costume. Pero was my driver's name, and I noticed that around his waist was a revolver belt, but minus the weapon. I inquired where it was, and with a grin he informed me that Cattaro, being in Dalmatia, the Austrians would not allow Montenegrins to bring arms into their country; so they were compelled to leave them on the other side of the frontier, ten kilometres distant.
My bags packed upon the three-horse travelling carriage and secured with many strings, and Pero equipped with a plentiful stock of cigarettes, he mounted upon the box, whipped up his long-tailed ponies, and we started on our eight-hour ascent of that great wall of mountain that hides Montenegro from the sea.
As we ascended through the little village of Skaljari we entered upon a magnificent road, said to be one of the greatest engineering feats of modern times, and steadily ascended, until at the striped black-and-yellow Austrian boundary post we crossed the frontier, and were in the "Land of the Black Mountain"-Montenegro. Across the road, at an acute angle, a row of paving-stones marks the frontier, and soon after- wards we found ourselves in the wildest and most desolate mountain region. At a lonely roadside hut Pero obtained his big, serviceable-looking revolver, and I, of course, wore mine in my belt; for in Montenegro or Albania arms make the man. A man unarmed is looked upon as an effeminate coward. Indeed, by order of Prince Nicholas every Monte- negrin must wear the national dress, both men and women, and every man must carry his revolver when out of doors.
Four hours from Cattaro we were in a lonely mountain fastness, a wild, desolate, treeless region of huge limestone rocks of peculiar volcanic formation, which gave them the appearance of a boiling sea. The views over the Adriatic as we turned back were so superb that, despite photographing being strictly forbidden on account of the fortresses in the vicinity, I could not resist the temptation to take one or two surreptitiously. On, through a bleak, uninhabited country, we at last reached the guard-house of Kerstac, and then half an hour later found ourselves upon a plateau where, in the centre, stood the small clean village of Nyegush, the ancestral home of the reigning family, and the scene of most of the Montenegrin wars of independence. Here we halted for half an hour at the post-house, and before we left, the big, lumbering post-diligence, with its armed guard, came up behind us.
Before we moved off again it had grown dark, the moon shone, and for four hours longer we alternately climbed and descended through that wild region of silence and desolation, until at last we saw, deep below, the lights of Cettinje, the little capital, and an hour later brought us to the unpre- tending "Grand" Hotel.
Hardly had I entered my room when there came a loud knock at my door, and a tall, scarlet-coated Montenegrin warrior, armed to the teeth, entered and saluted. For a moment I looked up at him aghast, but the mystery was solved when, next second, he handed me with great ceremony a telegram from a dear friend in England wishing me God- speed. I had taken him to be, at least, one of the Prince's bodyguard, and he was only a plain telegraph messenger!
This was but one of many surprises in store for me in Montenegro. Next morning I went out to look round the clean little capital, when, on passing the Prince's palace, I saw a number of soldiers drawn up, and as I went by, the band suddenly struck up the British National Anthem! I raised my hat, halted, and stood puzzled. Surely they were not honouring me! Another moment, however, and I recognised the reason. In a carriage, accompanied by the Grand Marechal of the Court, there drove up my friend Mr. Charles des Graz, the newly-appointed British Chargé d'Affaires to Montenegro, who was about to present his creden- tials to His Royal Highness the Prince.
Montenegro is perhaps the most interesting country in all the Balkans. Cettinje, a small, clean town of broad streets and one-storeyed, whitewashed houses, is a little city in the sky, lying as it does in a cup-shaped depression at the summit of a high, bare mountain. Its long, straight, main street reminds one very much of a small country town in England, if it were not that everyone is, by law, compelled to wear the national dress, and every man has in his belt his big, long- barrelled revolver, without which he must never go out of doors.
The men, sturdy mountaineers, are of fine physique- handsome fellows, all of them. Their dress consists of dark blue baggy trousers, white woollen gaiters, raw-hide shoes, a scarlet jacket heavily braided with gold, and a small round cap, with black silk around the edge and the crown of the same colour as the jacket, bearing the Prince's initials in Servian letters, "H.I." The women, who are particularly good-looking, wear dark skirts, beautifully hand-embroidered blouses, and a kind of long coat, with open sleeves of soft, dove-grey cloth. Forbidden to wear European hats, they are compelled to adopt an exactly similar cap to the men, except that the crown is embroidered instead of bearing the royal initials.
Nowhere have I seen such glorification of the male as in Montenegro. To the men, born fighters as they are, work is undignified; therefore the women toil while the opposite sex look on. I saw women employed in building operations and performing work which, in other countries, is left to day- labourers.
Cettinje is quaint in the extreme. The only houses of foreigners are the various Legations, and the only foreigners are diplomats with their wives and families. The first thing that strikes the stranger is the number of petroleum tins. Opposite the hotel I saw a great ring of empty tins, numbering some hundreds, ranged around a fountain. A few women were squatting gossiping, and an armed policeman lounged against the water-source. On inquiry, I found that there was a water famine, and the tins had been placed there at dawn to await the moment when the authorities thought fit to allow the people to get their daily supply. The women had gone away to work, and would return later. The Monte- negrins a short time ago constructed a reservoir, but there was a crack in it, so the water ran away. Hence the famine.
The petroleum tin is never out of sight for a single moment in Cettinje. At any hour, and in any street, you see women and children carrying them. They are used for everything, from milk-pails to flower-pots.
In Cettinje one comes for the first time up against the dark-faced, scowling Albanian in his tightly fitting trousers of white wool striped with black, his dirty white fez, and the swagger of superiority in his gait. He is well armed, and for a good reason. The Montenegrin hates the Albanian, because of the constant border feuds over at Podgoritza, where blood is constantly spilt, and where I have seen a Montenegrin in the market squatting over a basket of apples with a loaded rifle.
That morning I was chatting to a man in Montenegrin dress, of whom I had bought some excellent cigarettes, manufactured by the Montenegro Tobacco Monopoly-an Italian syndicate, by the way and happened to mention that I was on my way to Albania. "Ah, gospodin!" he exclaimed, holding up both his hands, and glancing at the revolver in my belt. "Take my advice.
Don't go into Albania or Macedonia. You are not safe there from one moment to the other. For half a word they'll shoot you dead as easily as they drink a glass of wine. No man's life is worth a moment's purchase there. I'm Albanian myself from Kroja-and I know."
This was scarcely reassuring. I looked about me on every hand as I strolled through Cettinje. All was so quiet, so orderly, so very peaceful there, even though the big, burly mountaineers in the gold-laced jackets eyed me with askance as I passed. Not without some trepidation I took a number of photographs, for I had heard that, like the Turk, the Monte- negrin was averse to having his counterfeit presentment put upon paper. Nevertheless, the first feeling of insecurity having passed, I very soon found myself quite at home in Cettinje, and in the midst of very good and kind friends.
A good many foreigners come up from Cattaro to pry about Cettinje for a day or two, buy picture-postcards and antique arms, sneer at the honest Montenegrin, and return into Dalmatia. Towards such, the Montenegrin is not par- ticularly polite. But those who go to Cettinje to seriously and thoroughly study the people and their future will find a great deal of genuine and charming hospitality.
My first day in Cettinje was lonely. Afterwards, until I left, I was always with friends and officials, who took the greatest trouble to answer my questions and explain matters.
Montenegro is entirely unlike any other country in the world. Its air of antiquity is particularly pleasing, while on every hand the beneficent rule of Prince Nicholas is apparent. Every man in Montenegro swears by his Prince, whom he almost worships. They call him their "father," and if His Royal Highness raised the standard of war to- morrow, every man would rise and fight to the death. The Prince is accessible to all his people-more so to them, indeed, than to the diplomats. Sometimes, early in the morning, he will sit in an arm-chair on the steps leading to the entrance of his palace, and there hear the complaints or petitions of his people. In this patriarchal way he often ministers justice. Last year he granted Montenegro a Constitution, and there is now a Skupshtina similar to that of Servia; but the people have not yet quite understood that in future they must go to the Ministers, and not to their Prince. They will see him, and nobody else.
In no country is loyalty and patriotism so strong as in Montenegro. The army is well trained, and the whole country being one huge natural fortress, a foreign enemy would experience enormous difficulty in gaining entrance. In Cettinje, even a constant traveller like myself meets with continual surprises. One day, while walking at the rear of the Bigliardo, or old palace-so called because when built the first billiard table was introduced-I heard the sound of clanking chains behind me. At first I took no notice, but as it continued with regular rhythm I glanced behind, when, to my amaze- ment, I saw a convict in leg-fetters with difficulty taking his afternoon stroll beneath the trees! There were several others on the grass plot before the prison, idling in the shadow or gossiping with their friends, who had come to keep them company!
Inquiriesshowed that most of these prisoners were murderers, not for robbery but for vendetta. In Montenegro the blood- feud is constant, and life is held very cheap. It invariably commences by jealousy, and is of everyday occurrence. Two lovers quarrel, and one is shot. Then the blood-feud commences, and unlike in Italy or other Southern countries, the vendetta is not only upon the murderer, but upon his next-of-kin. Therefore, if the assassin escapes into Servia, Bosnia, or Turkey, as he so often does, the brother of the dead man takes up the feud and kills the assassin's brother without parley when next he meets him. I myself saw a man shot dead one night in Ryeka, at the head of the Lake of Scutari, and the murderer walked coolly away undeterred. It was the blood-feud, and no one took much notice.
"S'bogom!" (God be with you!) It is the expression you hear on every hand in the Balkans. In the streets the peasants touch their round caps in salute and exclaim, "S'bogom!" When you leave for a journey and when you return, when you rise and when you go to rest; even if you go for a short walk-it is the same. Life is so uncertain in those wild regions that the protection of the Almighty is invoked upon you always, and your revolver is ever ready in your belt.
In Cettinje I had a faithful guide and servant, a black-eyed, somewhat sinister-looking Albanian, named Palok. He travelled with me through Montenegro and Albania, and was most faithful and devoted. Besides Albanian and Serb he spoke a little Italian, and possessed a keen sense of humour.
One day, while we were travelling through the wild, bare mountain, a perfect wilderness of huge boulders without a single tree or even blade of grass, we halted for our midday meal, and while eating he told me of a great friend of his who had recently been killed at Spuz for vendetta, and he added, fondling the butt of his revolver, "I too, gospodin, shall die before long."
I looked at him in surprise. His usually humorous face had changed. It was dark and thoughtful, and his black eyes were fixed upon me.
"Is there a blood-feud upon you, then?" I asked, in surprise.
"Yes," he replied briefly; and though I endeavoured to persuade him to tell the story, it was not until the following day that with some reluctance he explained.
"A year ago my brother Tef, away in Scutari, fell in love with a beautiful girl. He had a rival-a young Albanian, a coppersmith in the bazaar. They quarrelled, but the girl-ah! she was very beautiful-preferred Tef. Where- upon the rival one night took his rifle and laid in wait for my brother in the main street of Scutari. Early in the evening he left the house of the girl's father, and as he passed the fellow shot poor Tef dead."
And he paused as his brow knit deeply, and his teeth were set tightly.
"Well?" I asked.
"Well, gospodin. What would you have done had your own brother died a dog's death? I took a rifle, and within a week the murderer was in his grave. I shot him through the heart and then I left Scutari."
"And you are safe here, in Montenegro ?"
"Safe! Oh dear, no," he answered. "One day-it may be to-day-the fellow's brother will kill me. He must kill me. It is Fate-why worry about it? It does one no good."
And the marked man, the man doomed to die at a moment when he least expects it, rolled a cigarette and lit it with perfect resignment.
"And are you not afraid to go with me back to Scutari?" I asked, amazed at his fearlessness.
"Afraid, gospodin!" he exclaimed, looking at me in reproach as his hand instinctively wandered to his weapon. "Afraid! No Albanian is afraid of the blood-feud. I have killed the murderer, and his brother must kill me. It is our law." And the doomed man smiled gravely.
"And the girl?" I asked.
"Ah! They are all the same," he answered, with a quick shrug of the shoulders. "A month ago she married a tobacco- seller a man old enough to be her father. Poor Tef! If he could but know!"
"And the blood-feud still continues?"
"Of course-until I am dead."
Then Palok smoked on in silence, entirely resigned to the fate that awaits him. He knows that one day, as he walks along the road, the sharp crack of a hidden rifle will sound, and he will fall to earth, another victim of a woman's fickleness.
S'bogom! God be with you!
CHAPTER II
AN AUDIENCE OF PRINCE NICHOLAS
The Palace at Cettinje-A cigarette with the Prince-The policy of Monte- negro-A confidential chat-His Royal Highness's admiration for England-His views upon Macedonia-He urges me not to attempt to go to Albania, but I persuade him to help me-His Highness's kindness -Souvenirs.
HIS Royal Highness the Prince will be pleased to grant you private audience at four o'clock this after- noon, gospodin."
The tall, burly aide-de-camp in the little round cap, high boots, pale blue overcoat, and pistols in his belt, saluted, and we shook hands.
It was then three o'clock, and I was just about to go out to visit Madame Constantinovitch, the mother of Princess Mirko. So I had to return at once to my room and dress for the audience. The kings and princes of the Balkans have a habit of summoning one at a moment's notice, and paying visits at unearthly hours.
Here, in Cettinje, in the heart of these wild, desolate fast- nesses, one seems so far removed from European influence, yet how great a part has this rocky, impregnable country, with its fierce soldier-inhabitants, played in the politics of Eastern Europe, and how great a part it is still destined to play in the near future!
The fact that everybody is armed gives the stranger an uncanny feeling. The man who brings one's coffee wears a perfect arsenal of weapons in his sash, and one quickly acquires the habit of carrying a revolver one's self. Indeed, if you are wise, you will carry a good serviceable weapon from the moment you enter the Balkans to the moment you quit them. But if you approach the Albanian frontier, you will be at once warned not to fire without just cause. A few shots is sufficient to alarm the whole neighbourhood for many miles, and on hearing the alarm every man seizes his rifle and flies to the rendezvous, fully equipped and eager for the fight with those Albanian border tribes, of whom I afterwards had the good fortune to be the guest.
I had already had a long chat with Prince Danilo, the Crown Prince of Montenegro, whom I found a very smart and highly educated man, fully alive to the political difficulties of the neighbouring states and the necessity of Montenegro preserving her independence. He held very strong views upon the terrible state of affairs in Macedonia, and gave me many interesting details about his own country.
Having met him, and also his younger brother, Prince Mirko, I was particularly anxious to make the acquaintance of their father, Prince Nicholas, the ruler of the sturdy, warlike dwellers of the "Land of the Black Mountain "-the principal and most striking figure in this remarkable country, where peace and war walk ever hand-in-hand.
Since 1860, when his uncle, Prince Danilo, was assassinated, he has ruled justly, if somewhat sternly, and has succeeded in raising his nation from a state of semi-civilisation to the high place it now occupies in the Eastern world. In 1888 he gave the country a Civil and Criminal Code, and last year he granted a Constitution. Indeed, he has done all in his power to induce his warriors to follow the arts of peace without forgetting those of war.
At the hour appointed, the royal aide-de-camp called in a carriage and drove me to the Palace, a long, dark brown building of somewhat plain exterior, as befits the home of a fighting race, where I was received in the great hall by half a dozen bowing servants in scarlet and gold. Here I was met by the chamberlain, who conducted me up the grand staircase and into the great audience-chamber, with its many fine paintings and highly polished floor. Then, after a moment, the Prince-a brilliant figure-entered, shook me by the hand, and welcomed me to Montenegro.
These formalities ended, His Royal Highness said in Italian, "Come, let us go into yonder room. We shall be able to talk there more comfortably." And he led me into a smaller chamber, where he gave me a seat at the table where he sat.
The afternoon was gloomy, and dusk was creeping on, therefore upon the table a great antique silver candelabra had been set, and by its light I was enabled to obtain a good view of the ruler of Crnagora, the "Land of the Black Mountain."
Of magnificent physique, tall, muscular, with hair slightly grey, he bore his sixty-five years lightly. Attired in the splendid national costume of scarlet, blue, and gold, with high boots, he wore a single decoration at his throat, the Cross of Danilo, of which Order he is Master. Upon his hand- some, well-cut features the candles shed a soft light, causing the gold upon his dress to glitter, and I noticed, as I asked him questions, how his dark, keen eyes shot quick, inquiring glances of alertness.
After the first few minutes of regal formality His Highness's manner entirely changed. Putting ceremony aside, he pro- duced his cigarette case of crocodile skin, with the royal crown and cipher in gold in the corner-offered me a Montenegrin cigarette, took one himself, lit mine with his own hand, and then we fell to chatting.
In the delightful hour and a half we smoked together I asked the prince-poet many questions, and learnt many things. He explained several difficult points in Balkan politics, which to me, an Englishman, had always been puzzling. We spoke in Italian of Macedonia and of a certain well-known foreign diplomat in London who was our mutual friend, the Prince giving me a very kind message to deliver to him.
Presently I referred to the splendid result of his rule, and related to him a little incident which had occurred to me in Nyegush a few days before, as showing how deeply he was beloved by his nation. A smile crossed his fine open countenance as he replied simply, "I have done my best for my people-my very best; and I shall do so as long as God gives me life. I am happy to believe that my people appreciate my efforts."
"And now, Monseigneur," I asked, "will you tell me what is the present position of Montenegro?"
"The present position is peace," was his prompt answer. "I have granted a Constitution, and the first meeting of the new Skupshtina has been held successfully. Though the Albanian question is always with us, I am thankful to say we are on the most excellent terms with Turkey, while towards Russia we are pursuing our traditional policy. For the Emperor Francis Josef of Austria I have nothing but the most profound admiration, and I owe very much to him."
"And towards England, Monseigneur ?"
"England has been, as you know, Montenegro's very best friend," replied the Prince. "I, personally, have the greatest respect and admiration for your great country. We Montenegrins always remember that it was Mr. Gladstone who gave us the strip of seaboard on the Adriatic with Dulcigno. He was our greatest friend, and his memory is respected by admirer by every man in Montenegro. Of Tennyson, too, I am a great I am very fond of his poems."
"You are a poet yourself, Monseigneur," I remarked, remembering that more than one poetical drama from his pen had been successfully produced on the stage.
His Royal Highness smiled, and puffed slowly at his cigarette.
"I have written one or two little things, it is true; but nothing of late."
"I wonder if I dare ask your Royal Highness to write a few lines for me as a souvenir of my visit?" I asked, not without some trepidation.
"Ah!-well-I won't promise," he laughed. "All depends whether I'm in the mood for it."
"But you will try, won't you?
And the Prince nodded assent.
Then we spoke of Servia and of recent events there; but he was not inclined to discuss the question, and naturally so, when it is remembered that his daughter was the late wife of King Peter.
Returning to the burning question of Macedonia, I saw that he was well informed of all that was transpiring around lakes Presba and Ochrida and down in Serres.
"It is a monstrous state of affairs," he declared. "Something must be done at once, for as soon as spring comes again the massacres will increase."
"But there are outrages, tortures, and massacres every day," I remarked.
"Ah yes," he sighed, "I know. Most terrible details have reached me lately. But you are going to Macedonia yourself, and you will see with your own eyes."
"And what, in your opinion, would be the best settlement of the question?" I inquired.
"There is but one way, namely, for the Powers to call a conference and place Macedonia under a governor - general, who must be a European prince. The reforms would then be carried out, and the Greek bands expelled from the country. How long will Europe tolerate the present frightful state of affairs?"
"The fact is, Monseigneur, that we, in England, are very ignorant of the true state of things, or even of the facts of the Macedonian question," I said.
"Ah, there you are quite correct. If your English public knew what was really happening-how an innocent Christian population is being slaughtered and exterminated because of international rivalry-they would cry shame upon those responsible for this wholesale murder and outrage. But" -he smiled-" I almost forget myself. My position as a ruler forbids me to talk politics, you know!" And we laughed together.
"So you are going to Servia, Bulgaria, Roumania, and to Constantinople-eh?" he remarked a little later, when we had lit fresh cigarettes. "In Bulgaria, and also in Roumania, you will see many things that will interest you. The Bul- garians are very strongly armed, and so are the Roumanians."
"Her Majesty the Queen of Roumania has also promised me audience," I said.
"When you see her, will you please present to Her Majesty my most cordial respects. She is so very charming."
"I want, Monseigneur, to visit Northern Albania, leaving Montenegro by Ryeka and Scutari. Would that be the best route, do you think?"
"What!" he exclaimed, in surprise. "Do you actually contemplate visiting the tribes up in the Accursed Mountains?"
"Certainly. Why not?"
"Well, my advice is, don't think of going there. If you do, you will never return. You'll be shot at sight, like a dog. You have no idea what those uncivilised tribes are like. The whole country is utterly lawless."
"So I understand. But I've also heard that the Albanian possesses a deep sense of honour. And I thought that I might possibly obtain permission from one or other of the chiefs."
The Prince was silent for a moment. Then, looking at me across the table, said-
"Do not go. It is far too great a risk."
His advice was the same that my, friends in London had given me; the same that I had received there, in the market-place of Cettinje.
But I was determined, and pressed His Royal Highness to assist me, at last receiving his promise of help. By his kind permission, the Albanian named Palok acted as my guide, and what eventually happened to me in that wild region will be seen in the following pages.
"Well," exclaimed the Prince at last, "if you go up there, it must be at your own risk. I've warned you of the danger. No one has been up there for many years. It has been at- tempted, of course, but travellers have either been held to ransom, and the Turks have been compelled to pay for their release, or else they have simply been shot by the first Albanian meeting them. The country beyond Scutari is the most unsafe in the whole Balkan Peninsula."
I replied that I intended to make the attempt.
"Well, then, I wish you buon viaggio," he laughed. "May every good luck attend you, and as we say in Montenegro - S'bogom! (God be with you!) When you return for I suppose you will pass this way down to the sea-come and see me, and tell me all about the Skreli and Kastrati country -for of course I am highly interested. They are always at war with our people on the frontier."
"I will let your Royal Highness know the moment I am back in Cettinje," I promised.
Then rising, he gripped my hand warmly, saying-
"Then I will help you if I can. Be careful of yourself, for I shall be anxious about you. Again, S'bogom!"
And the Prince accompanied me to the head of the grand staircase, where I made my obeisance, turned and descended through the rows of armed and bowing servants ranged in the hall, charmed by His Royal Highness's graciousness towards me and by the pleasant chat I had enjoyed.
When, after my journey through Northern Albania, I one afternoon re-entered that audience-chamber, and he came forward with outstretched hand to greet me, he exclaimed-
"Well, well! I am so glad to see you back safe and sound. You look a little thinner in the face a little travel-worn- eh? Life in the Albanian mountains is not like your life in London or Paris, is it? But never mind as long as you are safe," he laughed, placing his hand kindly upon my shoulder.
"Come along to this room. It is more cosy," and he led me to the smaller apartment, his own private cabinet.
For nearly two hours I sat relating to him what occurred on my journey, and describing the wild country which had, until then, been practically a sealed book. Even though Cettinje is so near, hardly anything was known of the Skreli, the Hoti, the Klementi, or the Kastrati tribes, save that they were brigandish bands who constantly raided the Montenegrin frontier.
The Prince listened to me with great attention, and put many questions to me as we smoked together.
Then rising, he took from a drawer in his great writing- table a small scarlet box, and as he opened it he bestowed upon me a compliment undeserved, for he said -
"There are few men who would have risked what you have done. Therefore I wish to invest you with our Order of Danilo, as a mark of my appreciation and esteem."
And he displayed to me the beautiful dark blue and white enamelled cross of the Order, the same that he was wearing at his throat, surmounted by the royal crown and suspended upon the white ribbon edged with cerise.
After he had invested me with the Order, saying many kind things to me, which I really don't think I deserved, he added-
"The chef du chancellerie will send you the diploma in due course, and I trust, when you petition your own gracious Sovereign King Edward, that His Majesty will allow you to wear this insignia."
I thanked His Royal Highness, gripped his hand, and a few minutes later passed through the line of bowing servants out of the Palace.
And that same evening I received from His Royal Highness the signed photograph which appears in these pages.
Before I left Cettinje I received the following expressive lines, written especially for me by a Montenegrin poet who is a great personage, but whose name he would not permit me to give. They are in Servian as follows, and I have placed their English translation below :-
S' veledušnog Albiona
Pružiše se dvije ruke
Crnoj Gori da pomogu
U junačke njene muke
S' vrućom rječu na ustima
Gladston diže Crnogorce
A Tenison za najprve
U svijet ih broi borce
Na glas svoih Velikana
Britanski se narod trže
Da pomože da zaštiti
Crnu Goru iz najbrže
Posla svoje bojne ladje
Sto na tečnost gospostvuju
Veledušno da zaštite
Domovinu milu Moju
O fala ti po sto puta
Blagorodni lyudi Soju
Dok je svjeta dok je greda
Nad Ulcinjem koje stoju
Hraniće ti blagodarnost
Ova šaka sokolova
Koima si u pomoci
Stiga putem od valova.
The literal translation in English is as follows:-
From the great-souled Albion,
Two arms were stretched
To help Montenegro
In her heroic sufferings.
With fiery word on his lips
Gladstone lifts up Montenegrins,
Whilst Tennyson declared them
The very first fighters in the world.
On the call of their great men,
British people rose up
In quickest manner, to help
And to protect Montenegro.
They despatched their war-ships,
Which rule over the seas,
Generously to protect
My Fatherland so dear to me.
Oh! thanks to thee, hundredfold thanks,
Noble race of men.
As long as the world lasts,
As long as the mountains above Dulcigno stand,
Will remain grateful to thee,
This handful of falcons,
To whose help thou didst come
By the road of the waves.
- An Observer in the Near East - William Le Queux. Publisher, E. Nash, 1907.
\**
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Hi all! I wanted to tell you all about my new zine, which is photos of garage doors in San Francisco along with a poem and some information about some of the artists who paint garage door murals in the city. I got it printed in a square format like the Garage Doors themselves and the spiral binding at the top is like the springs that lift up the garages.
I got it printed over at mixam.com and they did a really good job. I laid out the zine in Affinity Publisher. Mixam didnt support doing the spiral binding along the top edge (they only do the side edge) so I had to set the margins really wide to keep the spiral in mind as I designed it and then rotated the pages sideways in preview after I exported it from Affinity.
I would love for you to check it out over at Etsy
https://beautifulxsomethings.etsy.com/listing/1728632289
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Annapurna Base Camp trek is a classic trek that brought Nepal into the world map of trekking tourism traversing to the maximum elevation of 4130m of Annapurna Base Camp with the panaromic views of Annapurna range, Gangapurna and the iconic Fishtail 'Machhapuchre' mountain of the region. I hope this post would answer the questions about this trek and helps on your planning for this beautiful adventure.
Required no of days and general itinerary
ABC Trek can be generally completed in 7 days starting from Pokhara and back to Pokhara. While many agencies start from the village of Jhinu, I personally recommend starting from Ghandruk and finishing at Jhinu. The general itinerary that accounts for safe acclimitization and elevation gain is below: Day 1 - Pokhara to Ghandruk (On Jeep) and sightsee around old Ghandruk village, cultural museum and watch the beautiful sunset from Ghandruk.
Day 2 - Ghandruk to Chhomrong (Recommended hotel is Kalpana Guest House or Mountain View Lodge)
Day 3 - Chhomrong to Dovan via Sinuwa and Bamboo. You can have your lunch at Bamboo. The first part of trail from Chhomrong to Sinuwa seems like a never ending section of staircase. The trail calms down after Upper Sinuwa and slowly, makes it through the beautiful forest trails laiden with Himalayan Birch, Himalayan Bamboo, Nepalese Alder, Needlewood trees, etc listening to the beautiful sounds of Modi Khola and Cuckoo birds singing.
Day 4 - Dovan to Deurali The iconic waterfall across the Deurali Temple prior to the lunch spot of Himalaya is recommended. Be sure to go through Himalaya Cafe and Lodge for an iconic experience of Pizza and freshly brewed coffee to reach Deurali and enjoy the wonderful views of the landscape and glimpses of Fishtail mountain.
Day 5 - Deurali to Machapuchre Base Camp OR Annapurna Base Camp Since the elevation of Deurali is at 3300m, ideally it would make sense to go to Machapuchre Base Camp at an elevation of 3700m and stay for the night, heading onto ABC early morning at around 4 am to watch the beautiful sunrise and be back. However, if you are confident regarding your physical adaptibility and management of Altitude Sickness, you may choose to go to Annapurna Base Camp and soak in one of the most beautiful sunset and sunrise from the fabled Annapurna Base Camp
Day 6 - Annapurna Base Camp to Lower Sinuwa As you finish watching the sunrise, its time for the journey towards Sinuwa. Today is going to the longest day of the trek where you can roughly trek for about 22kms, where the 90 percent of the journey would be going downhill. This day can be demanding if you have knee issues. If Sinuwa seems to be too far, you can stay at Bamboo or Upper Sinuwa.
Day 7- Sinuwa to Jhinu and Hot Water Springs to Jhinu and Jeep back to Pokhara This is the final day of the trek and hence, you can expect to walk somewhere between 4-5 hours. The section to Chhomrong is definitely an uphill climb. However, the walk from Chomrong to Jhinu mostly comprises of steep downhill. After you reach Jhinu, you can have your lunch, spend some time in the hot springs of Jhinu and trek for additional 30mins while you cross the iconic Jhinu suspension bridge and reach the Jeep point. The jeep would take about 2.5 hours to take you back to Pokhara, marking the end of the trek.
Permits and Fees The general ACAP Permit can be obtained from Nepal Tourism Board Office at Kathmandu or Pokhara by paying NRs. 3000 along with the copy of your passport and p.p. size photographs. The permits would be checked in at Birethanti near Nayapool and further checked in at Chhomrong. Please ensure you do not loose the permit as you have to checkout at the respective checkpost while coming back down.
Transportation and How to get there Generally, a Private Jeep transfer would take NRs. 7000 (about 48 Euros or 52 USD), which can be shared with atleast 6 passengers for one way trip to Ghandruk taking around 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can go to Baglung Bus Park and hop on a Public Bus or Jeep that takes you to Ghandruk at the price of NRs. 350 or NRs. 750 respectively. Please bear in mind that the bus and jeep would wait for it to fill up before departing and would take longer time than private hire.
You can get a return jeep from Jhinu for the same price of NRs. 7000. Please bear in mind that if you are planning to hop on the shared jeeps, most of them departs before afternoon having the lower chances to get them and hence, private hire is recommended for the suggested itinerary.
Cost Details and How much can you expect to pay The general recommended cost that you can expect is about 25 to 30 USD per day for your food and accomodation. Extra cost might incurr from having Alcoholic Beverages (NRs. 800 on average), Filtered Water (NRs. 70 to NRs. 150 per litre), Hot Shower (NRs. 200 - 300 per person), etc. Please note that bottled water is not available after Ghandruk and hence, highly recommended to take your Nalgene bottles or Hydration System to fill up your water bottles. I suggest not to rely on the filtered water or boiled water and use the Water Purification Tablets (Aquatabs for NRs. 300 for 50 tablets), that you can get on Thamel. For the 7 days, you can expect to incurr around 300 USD to complete this majestic trek by yourself independently.
Alternatively, you can expect to complete the trek in the full board package at around 330 USD if you are in the group of 3 or more. OR if you just want to hire the trekking guide, it would cost you around 25 USD to 30 USD per day and porter service would cost you around 15 to 20 USD per day.
Connectivity and Networks I recommend to get the Nepal Telecom (NTC) simcards for greater range of connectivity. You can also avail the wifi services available at every teahouse along the trek for about NRs. 250 per device. However, the reliability of the internet can be hit or miss in the higher elevations.
Other General Tips and Infos Please ensure you download an app called 'Indriver' after you get Nepalese sim card. This is like an Uber service for cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara where you can call a cab or motorbike to travel around. It will save you the hassle of haggling prices in the streets with the cab drivers ensuring fair prices. Alternatively, you can also avail the Prepaid tourist taxi services from the Airport which will cost around NRs. 700 - NRs. 1000 to reach from Pokhara Int'l Airport to main Lakeside area.
Additionally to reach Pokhara, you can either avail the

1. Buddha Airways by Flight (Recommended) where you can purchase the tickets online by using your own bank cards costing around 102 USD for the 20-25 mins flight time.
2. Swift Holidays Tourist Bus Service, where you can chat with the Customer Representative over Whatsapp and pay your bus fees once you board the bus. It will take around 8 hours making 3 stops enroute and can be an amazing alternative to see the hillside and countless small towns, costing NRs. 1600 one way. The bus will take you to the Tourist Bus Park and recommended to call the Indriver cab to the lakeside or walk for about 30-35 mins to reach the main street.

Trekking Gears and Where to Buy Your general packing list can include 3 Tshirts, 1 set of Thermal Base Layers, 2 Trekking Trousers, 1 Puffer Jacket, 1 Goretex Shell 1 Beanie, 1 Gloves, 3-4 pairs of Innerwears and Socks, 1 Nalgene Bottle of 1 - 1.7 ltr capacity, 1 pair of Trekking Poles and Toiletteries as required. Sleeping Bags, generally recommended for colder months to be used along with blankets provided by teahouses.
Any trekking gears shop in Thamel or Pokhara, you can buy the fake or copy stuff. If you are looking for genuine Nepalese brands you can check out names of Raeko, Kaemp8848 or Everest Outfit, Sherpa Adventure Gear, etc in Thamel, Kathmandu, where you can buy the home brands and are also ensured with genuine products of western brands such as LaSportiva, Blackdiamond, Nalgene, Ice Breaker, Sea to Summit, etc. Additionally, you can use the Raeko store to rent the sleeping bags for about NRs. 150 - NRs. 200 per day.
Conclusion
I hope all the information above helps you for your planning to visit the beautiful Annapurna Base Camp. If you have further questions or have additional enquiries, please feel free to reach out to me. Email: [tmg.kiran91@gmail.com](mailto:tmg.kiran91@gmail.com) or Whatsapp: +9779862212123 or Through my business page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080129298799 Kind Regards, Kiran
5th May 2024, Annpurna Base Camp

Cowboy poet Red Steagall sits down with Western auteur and 6666 Ranch owner Taylor Sheridan for a quick chat.

BY C&I Editors
May 4, 2024
As May rolls around and spring kicks into full gear, we’re looking back at the cowboy poet’s conversation with Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan. Plus, Red Steagall shares one of his beloved poems with us.
Red Steagall: Taylor Sheridan, I’m so glad you invited us to your house.
Taylor Sheridan: I’m glad you’re here.
Red: I have fond memories of the “Four Sixes.” It’s quite iconic.
Taylor: It’s a special place. It was where [Samuel Burk] Burnett built it. It was completed in 1917. His friend Quanah Parker ... as he built this fireplace behind us, you can see that there are antlers embedded into it. Those antlers are from a deer that Quanah killed, cut in half, and had embedded in there. And then his war lance lived there for many, many years. Now I believe the original is at the Ranching Heritage Center. ... My family lived around Waco and Stanford, which is about 30 miles from here. So, I grew up in the shadow of this ranch. And to be the person responsible for shepherding it into its next generation [is] a tremendous honor and responsibility, too.
Red: I grew up about 13 miles from the Borger Ranch at Dixon Creek, and my goal in life was to ride with the 6666 cowboys. That’s all I wanted to do my whole life. Then I got to do it on this ranch. Started in 1976, coming out for the spring works, and didn’t miss a year for 29 years. And I owe a lot to this ranch. It gave me a chance to understand what cowboys really do, what they’re all about, what their sense of values is, their customs, and their manners. Gosh, what great manners cowboys have.
Taylor: It’s interesting because you, like me, are a storyteller and a cowboy, and those two worlds, they collide a lot out here. ... The place is dadgum near a museum. And yet, all this art on these walls is from cowboys that have stayed out here — you being one of them — who camped out here and painted our cowboys from Boots O’Neal to Joe Leathers to Mike Gibson. ... It’s a piece of history.
Red: How did you get into the position of being a master storyteller?
Taylor: I was a terrible student, and I was a dreamer. Our ranch, outside of Cranfills Gap ... at the time I struggled a bit with it because we would go back and forth between being in school in Fort Worth. And yet we’d spend all our time out on this ranch near nobody. So, I didn’t have the experience that a lot of kids had where they’re going to go to this dance or this thing and all these play friends. I was just the guy that was stuck in school in town and then disappeared, or didn’t go to school for a week. So, I spent a whole lot of time by myself entertaining myself, just imagining stories in my head. I watched old westerns at a time when you’re a boy, or about to come into adolescence, and your mind’s real fertile. I hated the ranch until really that point. Then I watched the romance of it, and I got curious about the life that I was actually living. And I embraced it.
Find the full episode of Red Steagall Is Somewhere West of Wall Street, featuring the conversation with Taylor Sheridan (Episode 41; Original Air Date: Oct 09, 2023) at watchrfdtv.com.
———
The Last Buffalo
The yearly migration ofmillions of beasts,Made it look like the land was alive.The wolves took the weak ones,the winter took some,And the Indian took enough to survive.
The Indian believed the buffalowas his brother,Like the coyote, the eagle, the wind.He revered him in story, in song,and in dance,Was his larder, his shelter, his friend.
His brown hide was used forthe teepee and robes,A shoulder blade made a good hoe.A paunch held the food forthe winter supply,And a sinew a string for a bow.
Then the Sharp’s Big 50 roaredover the land,Till only a few head remained.The ones that were lefteither died of old ageOr were captured when theyfenced off the plain.
———
TV And Radio Schedule
Episodes of Red’s travel show, Red Steagall Is Somewhere West of Wall Street, air Mondays at 8:30 p.m. Central on RFD-TV. Find out more about the TV program at watchrfdtv.com and keep up with Red’s radio show, Cowboy Corner, at redsteagall.com/cowboy-corner. And be sure to visit Red’s new YouTube channel.
From our February/March 2024 issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Emerson Miller
https://www.cowboysindians.com/2024/05/cowboy-corner-of-the-month-red-steagall-with-taylor-sheridan/

Cowboy poet Red Steagall sits down with Western auteur and 6666 Ranch owner Taylor Sheridan for a quick chat.

BY C&I Editors
May 4, 2024
As May rolls around and spring kicks into full gear, we’re looking back at the cowboy poet’s conversation with Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan. Plus, Red Steagall shares one of his beloved poems with us.
Red Steagall: Taylor Sheridan, I’m so glad you invited us to your house.
Taylor Sheridan: I’m glad you’re here.
Red: I have fond memories of the “Four Sixes.” It’s quite iconic.
Taylor: It’s a special place. It was where [Samuel Burk] Burnett built it. It was completed in 1917. His friend Quanah Parker ... as he built this fireplace behind us, you can see that there are antlers embedded into it. Those antlers are from a deer that Quanah killed, cut in half, and had embedded in there. And then his war lance lived there for many, many years. Now I believe the original is at the Ranching Heritage Center. ... My family lived around Waco and Stanford, which is about 30 miles from here. So, I grew up in the shadow of this ranch. And to be the person responsible for shepherding it into its next generation [is] a tremendous honor and responsibility, too.
Red: I grew up about 13 miles from the Borger Ranch at Dixon Creek, and my goal in life was to ride with the 6666 cowboys. That’s all I wanted to do my whole life. Then I got to do it on this ranch. Started in 1976, coming out for the spring works, and didn’t miss a year for 29 years. And I owe a lot to this ranch. It gave me a chance to understand what cowboys really do, what they’re all about, what their sense of values is, their customs, and their manners. Gosh, what great manners cowboys have.
Taylor: It’s interesting because you, like me, are a storyteller and a cowboy, and those two worlds, they collide a lot out here. ... The place is dadgum near a museum. And yet, all this art on these walls is from cowboys that have stayed out here — you being one of them — who camped out here and painted our cowboys from Boots O’Neal to Joe Leathers to Mike Gibson. ... It’s a piece of history.
Red: How did you get into the position of being a master storyteller?
Taylor: I was a terrible student, and I was a dreamer. Our ranch, outside of Cranfills Gap ... at the time I struggled a bit with it because we would go back and forth between being in school in Fort Worth. And yet we’d spend all our time out on this ranch near nobody. So, I didn’t have the experience that a lot of kids had where they’re going to go to this dance or this thing and all these play friends. I was just the guy that was stuck in school in town and then disappeared, or didn’t go to school for a week. So, I spent a whole lot of time by myself entertaining myself, just imagining stories in my head. I watched old westerns at a time when you’re a boy, or about to come into adolescence, and your mind’s real fertile. I hated the ranch until really that point. Then I watched the romance of it, and I got curious about the life that I was actually living. And I embraced it.
Find the full episode of Red Steagall Is Somewhere West of Wall Street, featuring the conversation with Taylor Sheridan (Episode 41; Original Air Date: Oct 09, 2023) at watchrfdtv.com.
———
The Last Buffalo
The yearly migration ofmillions of beasts,Made it look like the land was alive.The wolves took the weak ones,the winter took some,And the Indian took enough to survive.
The Indian believed the buffalowas his brother,Like the coyote, the eagle, the wind.He revered him in story, in song,and in dance,Was his larder, his shelter, his friend.
His brown hide was used forthe teepee and robes,A shoulder blade made a good hoe.A paunch held the food forthe winter supply,And a sinew a string for a bow.
Then the Sharp’s Big 50 roaredover the land,Till only a few head remained.The ones that were lefteither died of old ageOr were captured when theyfenced off the plain.
———
TV And Radio Schedule
Episodes of Red’s travel show, Red Steagall Is Somewhere West of Wall Street, air Mondays at 8:30 p.m. Central on RFD-TV. Find out more about the TV program at watchrfdtv.com and keep up with Red’s radio show, Cowboy Corner, at redsteagall.com/cowboy-corner. And be sure to visit Red’s new YouTube channel.
From our February/March 2024 issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Emerson Miller
https://www.cowboysindians.com/2024/05/cowboy-corner-of-the-month-red-steagall-with-taylor-sheridan/