Summary

Lily Casey Smith, a woman of grit and gumption, narrates her extraordinary life in the American West during the early 20th century. Born in a dugout in West Texas, Lily learns early on to be resourceful and resilient. Flash floods and tornadoes shape her childhood, instilling in her a deep connection to the land and a fierce independence. When a tornado destroys their home, the family moves to the Casey Ranch in New Mexico, where Lily marvels at the beauty of the valley and witnesses the mirage of a nearby town, sparking her love for learning and understanding the natural world.

Lily's education is cut short when her father prioritizes a get-rich-quick scheme over her tuition. Undeterred, she sets out on a five-hundred-mile journey on horseback to Arizona, securing a teaching position in the remote town of Red Lake. There, she embraces her passion for teaching, empowering her students with knowledge and shaping their lives. Lily breaks horses, wins races, and plays poker with the locals, earning their respect as a woman to be reckoned with.

After a series of teaching jobs and a failed marriage in Chicago, Lily returns to the KC Ranch, only to leave again for college in Flagstaff. Her dedication to education leads her to various teaching posts across Arizona. She marries Big Jim Smith, a steady and dependable man, and they start a family while running a garage in Ash Fork. Hard times and another devastating personal tragedy force them to move once more, this time to the vast and isolated Arizona Incorporated Cattle Ranch.

Lily and Jim transform the AIC, building dams to create much-needed water sources and expand the herd. Their children, Rosemary and Little Jim, thrive in the freedom of ranch life, but Lily's determination to provide them with a more conventional upbringing leads her back to teaching and a move to Phoenix. City life proves stifling for the family, and they find solace in the small community of Horse Mesa, nestled among the Superstition Mountains.

Lily navigates the challenges of motherhood, balancing her own dreams with the unconventional paths her children choose. Rosemary's artistic spirit blossoms, while Little Jim embraces a more traditional life. As Lily reflects on her life, she recognizes the importance of adapting to change, embracing both the joys and heartaches that come with living a life of purpose and resilience in the ever-changing landscape of the American West.