Finding Nevada WildThe Terrain, Culture, and People of the Most Mysterious State in the WestOrder NowSong Dog SilverMined and Made by NevadansShop NowRead or ListenHistory and Mystery are Alive in Nevada’s Sagebrush Ocean Legends of Lost Nevada
Legends of Lost Nevada
Nevada’s a mysterious place. With history and mystery as far and wide as the Great Basin, there’s plenty out there to let your imagination run wild in the Sagebrush Sea. I still can’t figure some of these stories (and locations) out. I’ll never stop trying.
This massive acreage gets skipped over a lot, at least by the average person. But to anthropologists, chemists, theologists, spiritualists, billionaire hoteliers, astronauts, Hollywood actors,…
True mystery and real isolation. And with pronghorn antelope, insanely dark skies, flowing hot creeks, and massive black fire opals as your compass, it’s the…
Becoming man’s best friend alongside this country’s first people, it’s the story of original friendship, and that of Danger Cave: one of the oldest canine…
I hereby swear on Nevada backroads to never overload your inboxes, ever.
The Kestrel Caller enewsletter will soar into your inboxes about once a month with info about new Song Dog Silver online store updates and upcoming in-person events, the latest story from my blog series Legends of Lost Nevada (where you can read or listen), and sometimes a rare combo of the two.
Elks wanted me to jump on to tell you he’ll be back in the southern end of the state this Sunday, signing books and accepting treats at REI Boca Park in Vegas Nov 1 👏🏻
Pretty crazy that out of all the book gigs we’ve done, this is the first and ONLY one Elko has been at! (The store may or may not be in absolute shambles by the time we’re through but hey…) I think the event filled up before we had a chance to really announce it, but if you live in southern Nevada and want a book inked, we’ll be in the neighborhood 🌚 #FindingNevadaWild
To me, there’s a lot of satisfaction in not knowing something, or giving yourself a long runway to really think about it. Because the truth is, we live in a world where everything is on demand, or telling us how to think. Well, not in this story. Thinking, and imagination are prerequisites.
Nevadans seem to ask me about this subject a lot, wondering what in the hell us up with these Owl Clubs all across Nevada. The history of the Nevada Owl Clubs not only didn’t trickle down through the history books but also didn’t successfully make it into the memories of anyone living in these ultra rural Nevada towns today, which is what drew me to it. Why are there so many Nevada Owl Clubs, both historic and modern, all across this state? Are they connected? And with such a strong bridge between Nevada and San Francisco histories, do they tie into the most infamous secret society in the West and maybe the world?
It’s the story of the Nevada Owl Clubs: where wisdom is curiosity, and curiosity is wisdom. 🦉🍸👏🏻
Hope you’ll give this episode of Legends of Lost Nevada a listen on my site, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts, streaming now. #InSagebrushWeTrust • Custom artwork by @gomezsigns 🧡
I know I’ll be catatonic and happy by the time my one holiday show comes around, and speaking of which, this is your official ⚠️SAVE THE DATE⚠️ for it! I’ll be packin’ all my ordinary stuff—Nevada necklaces, rings, cuffs, bolos, and pins—but this year I’ll also have a bunch of big pieces like some of what you see here, all made with Nevada-mined turquoise and sterling silver. Navajo pearls, handmade chains and stamped bales, big fat multi stone women’s bolos, and far beyond. And books! Books are back (with Sterling and turquoise bookmarks), too. Hope to see ya out there this winter!🪶
🗓️📍St. Mary’s Art Center in Virginia City, NV on Saturday, December 5 (10 AM – 4 PM) and Sunday, December 6 (10 AM – 3 PM). #InSagebrushWeTrust
September 28 is a day I know I’ll never forget. Because after dozens of pitches, a few year-long rounds with failed publishers (!), and *years* of rejection, it’s the day a dream that was starting to feel insane actually came true.
Can you believe it’s my book birthday?? And after a year of touring and general life chaos, I even unburied my writing desk today. Appropriate? 🙃 #InSagebrushWeTrust
Mostly about how damn cute my dog is, but there are some opals, deep gorges, lukewarm water, bar kittens, and excellent humans in there somewhere too 🌚 #findingnevadawild
I grew up experiencing Rocky Mountain National Park through the window from my car seat strapped to the rear wheel well bench of an old Landcruiser. And I think from those moments forward, being outside and on gravel roads, watching for wild animals, cool rocks, and figuring out the rewards of staying curious became part of me in a way that can’t ever be undone. 🌚
Looking back on this past year of book tour stuff is absolutely wild—it’s of the stuff that would blow Tiny Sydney’s mind. The book tour brought us 2,500 miles across the Great Basin to 14 cities and towns, to dozens of events and retailers, in the path of hundreds of Nevadans, and thousands of orders. If you were one of those, or better yet I got the chance to say it in person: thank you. I know it can’t stay current forever, especially with the looming threat of privatizing public lands and the many Great Basin scenes that already belong to yesterday. But I do know it’s a truthful medium of history that will live far beyond our physical time here. I hope it makes Nevadans proud. ❤️🔥
I’m not sure where we’ll go from here—if and when we’ll write another book. But I do know that the desire to produce work that defends our beautiful, misunderstood state, and to experience the Big Empty’s unending history and mystery will always be part of the present and future versions of me. For now, we head for the horizon. Chasing hot pools, long light, dark skies, aloneness and if we’re lucky, a maybe even a version of ourselves we haven’t met. 🪶 #InSagebrushWeTrust
Yall: the book tour is officially coming to an end! And just when I *almost* forgot what it was like to be bored… 🌚
This Saturday I’m back at my favorite @eddystreetvintage from 10-5, and next week I’ll be over at REI Reno. I think I made close to 50 new pieces to offer up(!!), but here’s the real update: I’ve got 3 cases of books left that I’ll bring with me and once I’m out, I think I’m just gonna be out for a while. At least until the holidays. SO! This doesn’t mean anything if you want to buy a book – anywhere that sells books will have them all the time. But if you have been hoping to have a *signed* copy for yourself or to gift, this weekend in Gardnerville is it! 🪶
Can’t wait to see ya out there. Thanks again for making this whole dream of mine come true ❤️ #InSagebrushWeTrust
We said bye to the cabover camper today and I’d be lying if I didn’t say I’m pretty sad about sending it down the road. It played such a central role in the content development for the book project and in a lot of ways, our identity. That, and of course it unlocked a lot of new parts of Nevada’s ultra-rurals for us that meant staying out there longer, in it.
I’m excited about what’s on the horizon for us with the next project rig, and know it’s in excellent hands with its dream-like new owner. But for today, I get to be a little sad. To a lot of happy times in special places 🌚 #FindingNevadaWild
These past couple of weeks have been some of the weirdest of the year but I’m officially on the other side of it, and got Alkali pointed south packed full of books and silver for destination @the.rodear 🌚 If you’re in the area and even if you’re not (Bridgeport is only 13 miles over the Nevada border BTW), I hope you’ll stop by. Some of my favorite leather makers, silversmiths, painters, musicians, and other artists will be there for a feel-good weekend of community and authenticity. I’ve been having fun with Navajo pearls and some beads I couldn’t refuse, and all the other classic Nevada turquoise pieces, fresh off the bench as of 10 PM last night. I’ve got a new run of tees and sweatshirts, those glorious In Sagebrush We Trust hand fused glass coasters, and that book I wrote, too.
See you tomorrow from 10-3! ❤️🔥 #InSagebrushWeTrust
Basically a lot like Jarbidge Wilderness, High Rock, Titus Canyon, and a tiny bit of Half Dome in one. 🌚
Lived up to the hype (even if we did discover ticks crawling on us, a wasp after Elko’s nose, and water at the bottom we were warned to not let him near). Very on character, Oregon Trail, veeerryyyy on character👏🏻🎯 #oregonexplored
Your girl is partnered up with the oldest historical institution in Nevada to share about the baddest state in the nation 🤌🏻🚀
After a big old overdue break, I’m excited to return to talking about my favorite place with its people on Saturday, July 18 with the Nevada Historical Society and Artown at 1 PM at the Nevada Sunset Winery. 🍷🏛️
THEN! Then I’ll be at the Rodear in Bridgeport, CA on Saturday, July 25 from 10-3 alongside some of the most talented makers I’ve come to know. 🪶
Hope to see y’all out there? ❤️ #InSagebrushWeTrust
I hereby swear on Nevada backroads to never overload your inboxes, ever. Instead, rely upon Song Dog Silver updates, fresh Legends of Lost Nevada, and sometimes a rare combo of the two.
Do you Know of a Legend of Lost Nevada?
With history and mystery as far and wide as the Sagebrush Sea, there are plenty of Lost Legends out there. Got a story idea you think I should write about?
