Clean air, good food, hard work and the natural deference ranch hands pay to members of the fair sex soon bring out the real Sally. She had been forced, under threat of physical and sexual violence to do the things she had done in the city and had withdrawn into a shell. At home she thought that she was being abused if she had to cook Hamburger Helper. She even becomes locally famous for her sourdough biscuits. Planting and tending a garden, milking a cow, feeding the chickens and pigs are just part of her everyday life.
Emergencies require extraordinary efforts.
Soon, she is driving a big tractor, and other heavy ranch equipment. She learns the difference between swearing and cussin. She had to learn to 'cuss' to lead a string of pack mules while she was camp cook on a cattle drive. She abandons the shapeless, sloppy city clothes for form fitting western wear, and dresses to please the new men in her life. Mert, a loudmouth, nosey neighbor tells her life story, giving us a vivid and accurate description of ranch life before electricity and running water.