Stories From The Livingroom

Jon Garate, was born, raised, and lived among pioneers, homesteaders, cowboys, and other characters of the Old West. The Madeline Plains, which is the setting for this book is in a very remote area of northeast California. It is a hard, harsh high desert mountain country where, according to the author’s father, “About the only thing you could raise was dust, hell, and kids”. But some, including the Garate family also succeeded in raising some cattle and sheep for 4 generations.

Jon, a master storyteller, learned the art from his father and other old timers. He re-creates an atmosphere where you will feel like you are right there in the living room of the old ranch house among the cowboys, pioneers and homesteaders, listening to their tales of the “Good Old Days”. The stories are true. The way of life depicted in the stories is as genuine. So, “Come on in”, take a trip back in time, and get some good laughs along the way.

The old west, through stories of real people and real events, is brought right into your heart, in a more intimate way than most other sources. You’ll be entertained and educated all at the same time. You’ll laugh; you may feel a longing for a way of life of your dreams; you will feel all the experiences of these real pioneers, cowboys, and homesteaders as if you were right there with them.

Jon’s education consists of an MM Degree from OCSH (Master of Mediocrity from the Old Cowboy School of Hard-knocks), where he learned to ride with the old time cowboys, and drove a team of horses and wagon before learning to drive an automobile. He attended 8 years in a one room school, 4 years of high school, and earned a BA degree in Industrial Arts.