Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

School's out and the grass is green and the season has officially changed as school let out and summer starts. This week Jessie sits down with her daughters to talk about riding horses and what it means and what it takes to be a cowgirl. Jessie reads her column, reflecting on the timing of it all and shares her song "For You Child" written about longing for motherhood.

This week Jessie catches her husband up on her week spent in Nashville recording her new album, "Yellow Roses." On the last podcast recording Jessie burned supper, so there's a few interuptions while Chad checks on the meat. (No burning this time!) There's talk about what makes us love music and the brilliance of Nashville session players, the recording process and the iconic studio Jessie was able to record in.

And, as usual, Jessie shares her column.

This week Jessie sits down with her seven-year-old daughter, Edie, to talk about what it means to be a kid, and what she thinks it means to be a grown up. They discuss school and yetis and think about why kids like the mud so much and adults don't.

Jessie shares a piece out of her book, Coming Home, of the same name. And a song about home.

This week Jessie and her husband Chad catch up on getting back on the horses in the spring, Jessie's dad's horse-whispering skills and some of their epic horse wrecks. Which brings them to wishing they didn't know how it feels to hit the ground when they watch their girls ride the big horses by themselves.

They also catch up on Jessie's Nashville plans and how Chad had to rescue Jessie once again from the side of the road.

Jessie reads her column of the same name.

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Get out the tow ropes, it's spring at the ranch. This week Jessie sits down with her husband to confess the stupid mistakes she made during the past couple weeks. She tries to get Chad to do the same, but somehow his mistakes are less harrowing. Of course.

Jessie shares her column and a new, rough cut of a song off her upcoming album.

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Spring is starting to spring at the ranch and Rosie wrote a song about it. This is a cute episode all about a 5-year-old's perspective on her favorite season. Jessie sits down to talk with her daughter a bit about her second open mic night performance and why she wanted to write a song about spring. Hear the column and hear Rosie's live performance of her Spring Song.

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This week Jessie sits down to talk about how little moments in your marriage can make a big impact on how kids view relationships after their girls dressed them up for a recent dance party. How this turns into three stories about boats is just what happens on this podcast. Also, swimming out to rescue your new husband as he drifts away in the big lake does say something about commitment.

Jessie shares her column of the same name.

Email with your own stories or questions at jessieveeder@gmail.com

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After a Mexico vacation, Jessie and her husband are back at the ranch, eating noodle soup, counting down the days to calving (and summer) and re-hashing their trip. Listen to hear Jessie confess her embarrassing vacation moment that will make you cringe.

This week Jessie and Chad are scrambling to get their life together so they can go on vacation. So while Chad finishes up a handyman job Jessie catches you up on news from the ranch, and a memory of the first few months of building their house. If you're scared of heights, you'll understand. If you're not, you'll still think Chad's crazy. 

This week Jessie explores a legendary folk tale that has been told and retold in her community since 1894 when a dead cowboy fell from the rafters of an old blacksmithing shop and into the middle of a poker game, sending cards and unsuspecting cowboys flying. A tale just waiting to be made into a song, Jessie tries her hand at creating one for Poker Jim and shares it here. She sits down with her husband to talk about Poker Jim and other legendary tales from her community,  including the last lynching in North Dakota and a tale of a young woman who sacrificed her life to save her siblings from a winter storm.  

Jessie contemplates how this phase of life feels like February and she sits down with her husband to talk all things middle age. And Chad has A LOT to say about it. And also, did you know he has "work Crocs?" This episode goes long as they get into discussing Jessie's battle with chronic pain, her recent CT scan and why it's so important to share our stories.
Jessie shares her column of the same name. 

This week is all about 5 year old Rosie and her big stage debut. Jessie sits down with her youngest daughter to talk about what it was like for her to sing her OWN song at a recent open mic, and Rosie's thrilled at the chance to share her story about nerves, expectations and being brave and proud of herself. Her big sister tries to chime in, but Rosie makes sure she knows who this is all about. 

Jessie shares her column, her own reflections as a mom helping Rosie through a big moment and a recording of the song "Happy," that she wrote thinking about  the things that make her feel most herself. 

Back after a week in Elko, NV for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Jessie catches her husband up on the highlights (and some glitches) of her trip. And he listens, covered in sheet rock from holding the home construction project down and keeping the kids alive and well while she was gone. Grateful to be back, this week's column is about finding refuge in getting out under the sky in Jessie's favorite place. 

This week Jessie's mind is on the music as she works on a new album and packs for the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. She sits down with her husband to talk about what it means to her to still be recording and creating music at 39 and answers a listener's question about the songwriting process. Chad's been busy building the addition, so he gives a little sheetrock-covered update too. 

PLUS, Jessie shares a rough cut of the song she wrote about her Great Grandpa Eddie at the end of the podcast, so stay to have an exclusive listen. 

It's January so we're eating all the noodles and cream around here, of course. Jessie sits down with Chad to talk about one of his favorite things, cooking. His other favorite thing is building stuff, so they talk about that too, and why it isn't Jessie's favorite thing. Especially tiling. If you like food and cooking and some talk about making music, this episode is for you. 

This week is all about the rabbit hole Jessie went down when Chad did something unexpectedly nice for her. She sits down with him to talk marriage, her grandparent's 70 + year marriage and how flipping our mindset just a bit can potentially make all the difference. Jessie shares her column and a rough cut of a new song she wrote about their relationship called "Supermarket Line."

Between snow pushing and cleaning up the explosion of Christmas break, Jessie sits down with her husband Chad to talk about how margaritas and cookies should definitely be part of people's resolutions and they recap a few of their favorite and memorable moments on the ranch in 2022. The couple also talks about the harrowing task that is bed shopping, Jessie's recent music trip and an unfortunate incident that Chad experienced that he'd rather not talk about but of course, Jessie does.
Jessie shares this week's column.

Happy New Year! Cheers to celebrating the good little things. 

Christmas just keeps getting whiter at the ranch as Jessie and her husband Chad sit down in the middle of a blizzard to talk about windchill and frozen equipment, digging out and and staying home, Christmas traditions and finding gratitude where you can. Their daughter Edie gives a snow day report and then stick around to hear both her and little sister Rosie sing their favorite Christmas song this year. 

Merry Christmas from the ranch. May you find peace wherever you are in the life. 

It's a snow day at the ranch and all the roads in ND are closed. So while all the kids are in the house, Jessie sits down to chat with her little sister, Alex, about parenting five year olds and trying to replicate the magic Christmases they had as kids. There are interruptions, per usual, Jessie talks about Rosie and her packrat tendencies and Alex shares a story about how she and an egg went to town.

Happy snow day moms and dads! Don't forget to move that elf.

Jessie and her dad have been singing and performing together since Jessie was a just a little kid and his music has been the backdrop and influence of her career ever since. This week's column is about Jessie finding herself in her own version of the classic Harry Chapin song, Mr. Tanner and so she sits down with her dad to talk about the music and why it's such a powerful and important storytelling tool. You get to hear Jessie's dad in his element, reciting lyrics and philosophizing about the most important things in life. 

Jessie shares her column as well as one of her favorite Guy Clark songs. 

It's windy and cold at the ranch, but this week Jessie and her husband Chad warm up by reminiscing about some of the most magical times of their childhoods after their daughter's seventh birthday reminded them of how exciting the little things can be when you're young. Then Jessie confesses some of her most embarrassing moments in the recent weeks while Chad cringes in the corner and questions his life decisions. Jessie reads her column, then stay tuned for a sweet little interview with the birthday girl. 

Happy Thanksgiving. This week's column is about what it means to bring the kids along on shipping day at the ranch. On the podcast Jessie and Chad catch up after a really busy couple weeks and talk about all things, including the significance of this time of the year for the family. They talk a bit about their rocky road to parenthood as well as how scary it can be to face taking over a ranch operation before you feel fully ready. Also, call them if you need a kitten or some tips on how to survive a 7 year old birthday sleepover party. 

What happens when the family tries to fit an entire life into one week? Jessie finds herself alone in her basement talking to you about memories of an old horse because despite her attempts, she couldn't bring herself to wake up her exhausted husband to visit. This week's column and podcast is a little late, a little nostalgic and a little awkward, just like Jessie herself. She gives an update on life at the ranch, reads her column and shares one of the first songs she's ever recorded, one she wrote when she was only 12-years-old. Oh, the memories old horses give us. 

Thanks for listening. 

Back after a week off, Jessie and her husband Chad catch up when they can, which is in the middle of the night. The family's Halloween costumes remind them of Jessie's lack of sewing skills and Chad's ability to do everything (annoying, right?) And they dig in to what keeps us up and wakes us up at night. While the episode's lighthearted, the column, "Edie's worried" digs into how we deal with our children's fear, and how difficult it can be to balance the truth with the comfort. 

This week it snowed at the ranch. Yup. A nice little ice and slush blizzard to remind us what winter is really like here. Jessie sits down with Chad to talk about why it's become so important to her to finish reading and actual book, and then he tells her why he thinks one of the characters in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is the worst villain of all time. They talk libraries and old cell phones, bow hunting and the new wild animal that has been hanging around the place.
Jessie reads her column of the same name and shares an old song she recorded in her college days off the album "A Place to Belong."

We're in what Jessie calls the in-between season, where we pull on layers in the cool mornings and strip them off slowly throughout the day as it warms up. We don't give it much recognition because we're all scrambling to get work done before winter comes, so Jessie sits down to recognize it and talk it out with her husband Chad. The conversation turns to fall work and food, naturally, because we're up north and we're getting cold and we're starving for carbs and cream. Hear why Jessie thinks Chad would be a good contestant on reality game shows and learn why Jessie's all time favorite meal was after she jumped out of a plane over the beach. 

This week's been a struggle, and Jessie and her husband Chad  sit down to pontificate on what they're feeling here. Is it stress, the season change, or just trying to get the kids out the door on time for school? Plus, Jessie's current book choice and her fear of heights prompts Chad to give a bit of insight on what it was like working as derrick hand at the height of the oil boom, which then gets them talking about how far their community's come. If you want a linear and precise hour of conversation, this isn't it, but then, isn't that life. Maybe you can relate. 

If you like dogs this is the episode for you. Jessie recently realized her true place on the ranch and, well, this episode and column is her way of working it all out. She sits down with her husband, Chad to reminisce about the good dogs, the bad dogs and all the reasons we love them. Which got them thinking about  the best dog movies of their childhood, their infamous pug and that time Chad found himself butt-naked on the deck with a shotgun in the middle of the night...

This week Jessie sits down with her husband to talk about homestead houses and how history can haunt us, just like the Goat Man Chad encountered near the Lost Bridge in the badlands. Find out what word Jessie just made up out of thin air last week, hear a story about Lutheran kids dressing up as nuns and get the scoop on the spooky relic from the old house behind Jessie's childhood home that chills her still. 

This week Jessie catches up with her husband after he returns from leaving for a 75 day hunting trip (ok, maybe it was just 5 days). A small change in the barnyard makes Jessie reflect on how wrong they all were about the future of her home, and Chad wonders if Jessie would wish her kind of creative drive on her children, and then asks her to explain gravity. There's lots to unpack here, figuratively and literally...

This week Jessie sits down with her little sister Alex and somehow a talk about the weather turns into embarrassing confessions and what was found in the septic tank.  The flies and the wasps and the rooster and the tomatoes and the mice are taking over the ranch and for all the inconvenient things, a fall ride to roundup cattle makes up for it all in a breath. Jessie shares her column about just that. 

Jessie and her husband Chad have officially climbed the hill to reach middle-age and on this week's episode they talk about it. Like, what they would tell their younger selves, why Chad settled into his beard and cargo pants, how Jessie just can't anymore with uncomfortable underwear and why time is worth so much more than money. 

This week Jessie has coffee with her little sister, Alex, who is a former guidance counselor and teacher, to get some perspective on back to school. Alex gives some tips on the best questions to ask about your child's day to actually get a response and Jessie tries to get to the bottom of why having a kid going into first grade is carrying more weight than the first day of Kindergarten. They talk season changes on the ranch, back to school traditions and more. 

This week Jessie reflects on the nostalgia of the age old barn-dance, and why some of this sentiment needs to remain in the modern world. She and her husband Chad reflect on who taught them to dance, how their Dirty Dancing days are over and pontificate on the old house that used to be on the house, who lived there and why they left. 

From fishing trips to film crews, Bible camp a barn dance and a musical in the badlands, family life has been a bit of a blur the last week. Jessie and her husband catch up after bedtime to share the latest and reminisce about memories in North Dakota's favorite tourist town, Medora. 

This week Jessie convinces her parents to sit down with her and talk about what 40 years of marriage looks like, what her mom thought when her dad brought her to the ranch when there was still party lines and how her dad's night in county jail gave him clarity on the direction of his life. 

From haying to old Bible camp memories, weird pets, the proper way to pronounce s'mores and how to deal with an accidental toad murder, Jessie and her husband cover all things mid-western July in this episode because if you blink, you might miss it. 

This week Jessie and her husband Chad reflect on a fire they experienced while they were living in the old ranch house. What they went back inside to save revealed things about the human experience and our connection to the stuff we carry along with us. Jessie explains why she once stood in the rain naked and Chad thinks when he dies he wants to come back as my aunt's Corgi. Jessie reads her column and shares a song. 

Jessie has a couple goat stories from her high school rodeo days (where she never won a buckle, but showed up in the ranchiest rigs). The two talk 90s childhood and all the dangerous ways they rode in vehicles and a week recap from the ranch. 

Jessie also reads her column of the same name and shares a song.

This week Jessie and her husband Chad sit down to visit after a long weekend in Minnesota with the family for 4th of July weekend. They reflect on the difference between a vacation together and a vacation with kids, which mostly requires another vacation. The two talk their recent trip to Montana and how it reminded them that its time to prioritize their relationship and they take inspiration from Jessie's grandparents, who have been married almost 70 years.
Also, why do dads get all the praise when they go to the grocery store with the kids? 

Jessie also reads her column of the same name and shares a song.

Jessie sits down with her little sister Alex and gets interrupted a thousand times by the kids, sidetracking the conversation and giving you a glimpse into the real life of juggling motherhood and work on the ranch. Really. And in the column, well, there's just lots of nostalgia for the fleeting summer and fleeting childhood.

essie also reads her column of the same name and shares a song.

This week Jessie gets all sentimental about a giant roaster she uses each branding day at the ranch and she sits down with her husband Chad to talk about why it's so special to them to have guests at the ranch. They are working on some new plans for the ranch and you'll get the exclusive scoop here. 

Jessie also reads her column of the same name and shares a song.

This week Jessie sits down with her husband to get to the bottom of why he saves everything and how it makes him feel that he has a spare toilet when a spare toilet is needed on the ranch. And they share stories of other savers in their lives and how resourceful people may be a dying breed.  Jessie also reads her column of the same name and shares a song. 

What does it mean to be a cowgirl? This week Jessie sits down with her little sister to talk about the cowgirls in their lives and how they are trying to raise their daughters with a cowgirl spirit. Oh, and of course, her daughters have a chance to weigh in as well. 

It's the official kickoff to summer and Jessie talks with her young kids and her little sister about making the most out of the fleeting and magical time. There's lots of nostalgia in this one, plus some cute moments from her daughters, Edie and Rose. Jessie reads her column and shares a song. 

It's raining at the ranch, so Jessie takes the opportunity to visit with her husband, Chad, about memories of growing up in their hometown in the 90s, specifically the old Cenex station. She reads her column and shares her song "Boomtown."