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Most Recent:\u00a0 Raod to Hell (The) —<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>posted 2\/1\/2026see summary below<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A Broken Resolution – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Joe has every intention of keeping his New Year’s resolutions, but you know what they say about good intentions. A Different Wind – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 What Happened next for \u201cDifferent Pines, Same Wind.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Struggling with heartache and loss, Joe receives comfort from an unexpected source. A Matter of Intent – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 A WHN for A Matter of Circumstance. Written for the Ponderosa Paddlewheel Poker Tournament \u00a0Round One . A Midsummer Night\u2019s Dream – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 All Ben wanted was a night alone with his eldest. What he got was something quite different. A Toast to Tradition<\/a> \u2013 Part 1 \u2013 by Cheaux<\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A missing ornament threatens holiday traditions for the Cartwrights. A Toast to Tradition – Part 2<\/a> \u2013 by Cheaux<\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Memories and traditions bring comfort and joy during Hanukkah and Christmas. Alone – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 A moment in time in a special place. Angel Light – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 A WHN for Twilight Town. Best Laid Plans – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 A rift between father and sons is healed in an unexpected way. Between a Rock and a Hard Place – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 When the Ponderosa faces financial ruin, only drastic measures can save the day…measures which turn deadly for Joe and Candy as Ben and Hoss watch from a distance. Between the Lines – by Cheaux<\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 His brothers snickered when Hoss drew the short straw and had to clear a beaver dam\u2014a job every Cartwright brother abhorred. Adam and Joe drew the long straws and had the simple task of delivering a bull to a ranch in California\u2026or so it seemed. Black Hat (The) – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: \u00a0 \u00a0A Ponderosa fairy tale inspired by a drawing by bahj\u2019s niece. Blink of an Eye – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Missing scene from Season 7\u2019s \u201cThe Fighters\u201d written by Robert L. Goodwin Bottom Line by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: From disasters to memories, could a warm bed be the \u00a0piece de’ resistance? Calendar Girl – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 New Year’s Day in 1865 rings in both unspeakable sorrow and unbridled hope for Joe.\u00a0\u00a0 Reference is made to Between Heaven and Earth. Checker\u2019s Mate – by Cheaux<\/a><\/p>\n Summary: It\u2019s all a matter of perspective. Choices – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Joe Cartwright\u2019s friends are dying and he doesn\u2019t know why.\u00a0\u00a0 Written for the Devonshire Writing Challenge in 2011. Christmas Magic – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 There’s disappointment when the Cartwrights can’t be home on Christmas Eve. Christmas Spirit \u2013 by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 The Ponderosa prepares for Christmas Christmas that Almost Wasn\u2019t (The) \u2013 by Cheaux\u00a0 <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: Something\u2019s wrong and the fix comes from an unexpected source Clothes Make the Man – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Does a man’s sartorial splendor have any bearing on events in his life? Commitment (The) – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: \u00a0Joe makes a commitment without fully understanding what’s involved. Cradle (The)<\/a> – by Cheaux<\/p>\n Summary: Thrice upon a time there was a father with a young son in want of a mother at Christmas. Written for the 2025 Advent Calendar. Deception – by Cheaux<\/a><\/p>\n Summary: In 1873, the deaths of Hoss and Alice so close together left Ben and Joe physically and emotionally, bankrupt. Father and son masked their grief, each hiding serious health issues from the other. By a miracle, both men survived and in the aftermath, Dr. Paul Martin prescribed the whole truth and nothing but the truth as a remedy. In 1875, their pact is still intact\u2026or is it? A sequel to \u201cMy Father\u2019s Heartbeat.\u201d It is helpful but not necessary to have read the first story. Devil Among Us (The) – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 A missing scene from Season 12’s The Night Virginia City Died. Dreams – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 A dream is a wish your heart makes.\u00a0\u00a0 But what happens when your heart is broken? Eternal Justice – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Circumstantial evidence incriminates Joe Cartwright in his fiance’s murder. A WHI for “Justice” written by Richard Wendley.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em>This is my version of what happened after Sally is murdered. First Step – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: \u00a0For fiercely independent Little Joe Cartwright, asking for help is the hardest thing to do. \u00a0 \u00a0A Camp in the Pines short story. Game (The)<\/a><\/p>\n Summary: \u00a0When Adam invited Joe to come to Europe for a holiday, he never imagined the consequences.<\/p>\n Rating: T\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Word Count: 9,898<\/p>\n Good Intentions and Unplanned Consequences \u2013 by Cheaux<\/a><\/p>\n Summary: As with all intentions — some good, some not so good — there are always consequences. Greatest Gift (The) – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Joe overhears what he knows to be a lie, but cannot convince anyone else to believe him. High Stakes – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 A WHN for “The Gamble.” As events unfold subsequent to their being exonerated of robbery and murder charges, it becomes apparent that more was at stake in Alkalai than the Cartwrights knew. Hunger – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Adam’s quest to find answers.\u00a0\u00a0 Hunger follows the events in Choices and Shadows. It is not necessary to have read the previous stories. Last Chance – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: Joe gambles with his life to give his Pa something precious. Memory aka We Remember – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 A holiday without memories brings several ideas of how to make it through the season. Metamorphosis – by Cheaux<\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death, taxes, and change. Missing – by Cheaux<\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 An unhappy brother, an old house, and a celebration gone wrong . . .\u00a0 this Prequel is set in 1855 when Adam is 24, Hoss is 18, and Joe is 13.<\/p>\n Rated:\u00a0 K+\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Word Count:\u00a0 5787<\/p>\n My Father\u2019s Heartbeat – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 After a cattle drive Joe receives a heartbreaking telegram from the Ponderosa… My Lucky Day – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: Joe has some explaining to do . . . Night Watch – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0\u00a0Musings of Deputy Clem Foster on his city and the Cartwrights. Obloquy – by Cheaux<\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Ben is compelled to defend Marie\u2019s honor.\u00a0 A prequel written for the Mother\u2019s Day Challenge. Events and people occuring in the episode\u00a0Marie, My Love<\/em>\u00a0(Season 4, Episode 20) are referenced. One Candle – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: A tragic event in Virginia City sends shock waves across the globe and spurs Adam to return home to find the truth. One That Got Away (The) – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 More than a fish story . . . this tale recounts how loss, memories, and discovery shape the friendships we form and the people we become. Pony Joe – by Cheaux \u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 \u00a0Joe, eager to find something to call his own, joins the Pony Express with Adam’s help.Aside from a passing reference to Ben\u2019s investment in the Pony Express, this story is unrelated to the Season 7 episode \u201cRide the Wind\u201d which was out of sync with history.\u00a0 The Pony Express existed for 18 months from April 1860 to October 1861 when Joe was 18. Pride of a Woman – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: A WHN for Pride of a Man.\u00a0 Joe has one more lesson to teach. Purls of Wisdom – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 One man’s trash is another’s treasure. Written for the Dan Blocker 2012 Birthday Challenge Reflections \u2013 by Cheaux<\/a><\/p>\n Summary: With great deliberation, Ben takes time to update his journal. Ring (The) – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Joe returns home from San Francisco a changed man; a mysterious woman and a piece of jewelry give rise to difficult times between father and son, bringing heartache and understanding. Riptide – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: The premise for this writing challenge was the prompt: Adam is worried about an absent friend. Road to Hell (The) \u2013 by Cheaux\u00a0 <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Despite intentions, a good deed turns deadly and the Cartwrights must grapple with the outcome. Seasons – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: \u00a0 Ben\u2019s worried and sends new hand Candy Canaday on a mission. Security Redux – by Cheaux \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Summary: A WHN for Season 4\u2019s \u201cThe Hayburner.\u201d When last we saw our intrepid heroes, Adam was in measured and methodical solitary pursuit of Hoss, whilst Joe and Ben made a wager on the outcome . . . with security, of course. Shadows – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 The family struggles with the consequences of Joe\u2019s ordeal.\u00a0\u00a0 Shadows is a sequel to Choices but stands alone. Solace – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Adam, alone and hurt in the desert, is comforted by a stranger. Someone to Watch Over Him – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 A What Happened Instead for the episode \u201cBushwhacked\u201d written by Preston Wood St. Nicholas Day – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Written for the 2016 Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar Stamp Effect (The) \u2013 Cheaux<\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Lesson plans have real-life implications during Miss Jones’ absence. Staying the Course – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Ben learns from Adam that there is more than one way to reach a goal. Then and Now<\/a> – by Cheaux<\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Two sides of the same coin, one looks forward, one looks backward and they both struggle in the present.\u00a0 This post Season 14 story is set in 1878 and includes most all of the principal cast from the series run. Written for the 2018 Ponderosa Paddlewheel Poker Tournament. Things that Go Bump in the Night – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: Did you ever wonder why Joe was obsessive about hunting creatures of the night in My Brother\u2019s Keeper <\/em>and Marie, My Love?<\/em> To Reach for the Stars – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: Some wounds heal with barely a trace; others leave scars too painful to touch.\u00a0 Can a father know the difference? Twice Told Tale (The) – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 \u00a0Adam wanted to help his brother, not kill him. Under the Influence – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary:\u00a0 Words and actions impact and influence the people around us more than we realize. \u00a0 \u00a0A WHN for \u201cFirst Born.\u201d Way Home (The) – by Cheaux <\/a><\/p>\n Summary: When Joe Cartwright returns to the Ponderosa after his annual month-long vacation, he discovers a world turned upside down where nothing is the same.
\nRating:\u00a0 T \u00a0945 words<\/p>\n
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\nWC 7900\u00a0\u00a0 Rating:\u00a0 T<\/p>\n
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\nRating: T+ for subject matter. \u00a06,840 words<\/p>\n
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\nWC 2400
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\nRating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 words 2,530
\nWritten for the 2022 Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar<\/p>\n
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\nRating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 Words 2,411
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\nRated: T\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Word Count: 7265<\/p>\n
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\nRating:\u00a0\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0 Word Count:\u00a0\u00a0 792<\/p>\n
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\nWritten for day 10 of the 2021 Advent Calendar.
\nRating: G Word Count: 1306<\/p>\n
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\nWC 2200\u00a0\u00a0 Rated:\u00a0\u00a0 T<\/p>\n
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\nWritten for day 5 of the 2021 Advent Calendar.
\nRating: G Word Count:\u00a0 979<\/p>\n
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\nWC 22,000 Rated:\u00a0\u00a0 MA \u00a0subject matter<\/p>\n
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\nWritten for the 2017 Advent Calendar
\nRating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 1,600 words<\/p>\n
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\nNote:\u00a0 This greeting was prepared for the Bonanza Brand 2020 Advent Calendar, originated in the Forums.<\/em><\/p>\n
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\nRating: G\u00a0\u00a0 Words: 1,170
\nWritten for the Bonanza Brand 2023 Advent Calendar<\/p>\n
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\nWC 600 Rated:\u00a0\u00a0 K<\/p>\n
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\nWC 1200 Rated: T<\/p>\n
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\nRated: T\u00a0\u00a0Word Count:\u00a0 18,437<\/p>\n
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\nWC 2800 Rated: T+<\/p>\n
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\nRated:\u00a0\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Word Count:\u00a0\u00a0 4988<\/p>\n
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\nRated K+\u00a0 WC 8100<\/p>\n
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\nRated T Word Count 6233<\/p>\n
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\nWritten for the 2019 Advent Calendar
\nRating: G Word Count: 2,225<\/p>\n
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\nWC\u00a0 7800\u00a0 Rated: T<\/p>\n
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\n3,570 words \u00a0 Rated:\u00a0 T<\/p>\n
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\nWC\u00a0\u00a0 17,000\u00a0\u00a0 Rated:\u00a0\u00a0 T<\/p>\n
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\nWC 900\u00a0 Rating K<\/p>\n
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\nWritten for the 2018 Advent Calendar
\nRating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 \u00a03,675 words<\/p>\n
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\nRating:\u00a0 K \/ Word Count:\u00a0 6,496<\/p>\n
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\nWC\u00a0 6800\u00a0 Rated: T<\/p>\n
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\nWC 600 Rated: K<\/p>\n
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\nRated:\u00a0 K+ Word Count: 1238<\/p>\n
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\nRating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Word Count:\u00a0 1900<\/p>\n
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\nRated: T\u00a0 WC 16,000<\/p>\n
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\nWC 9700\u00a0 Rated:\u00a0 T+<\/p>\n
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\nRating:\u00a0 T\u00a0 \u00a05,700 words<\/p>\n
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\nWC\u00a0 1000\u00a0 Rating:\u00a0 T<\/p>\n
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\nWC 800 Rated: K<\/p>\n
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\nWritten for the 2019 Advent Calendar
\nRating: G Word Count: 940<\/p>\n
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\nWC 5200\u00a0 Rated: T+<\/p>\n
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\nWC\u00a0 2300\u00a0 Rating:\u00a0 T<\/p>\n
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\nRating:\u00a0 T\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Word Count:\u00a0 4,632<\/p>\n
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\nRating: \u00a0K \u00a0 \u00a0Word Count: \u00a01779<\/p>\n
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\nRated: K+ Word Count: 3,000<\/p>\n
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\nWC 8500\u00a0\u00a0 Rated:\u00a0 T<\/p>\n
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\nWC\u00a0 1700\u00a0 Rated:\u00a0 K<\/p>\n
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\nWord Count: \u00a08974\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rated K+<\/p>\n
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\nRating:\u00a0 K\u00a0 \u00a01,350 words<\/p>\n
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\nRating:\u00a0 G\u00a0 \u00a03,410 words
\nWritten for the Bonanza Brand Advent Calendar<\/p>\n
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\nWC 1700\u00a0 Rated:\u00a0 K<\/p>\n
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\nRated:\u00a0 T\u00a0 10,000 words<\/p>\n
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\nRated: T\u00a0 WC 2500<\/p>\n
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\nRated: T\u00a0 WC 2200<\/p>\n
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\nWord count:\u00a0 6200\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Rating:\u00a0 \u00a0T<\/p>\n
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\nRated:\u00a0 K+ \u00a0\u00a0Word Count:\u00a0 2,176<\/p>\n
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\n<\/em>Rating: T \u00a030,935 words<\/p>\n
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