Pathfinder Welcomes "Scoop"

SEELEY LAKE – Seeley Lake native Heather Layman has joined the Pathfinder staff. Layman, already affectionately nicknamed Scoop for her role at the Rich Ranch and now news reporter, is looking forward to reconnecting with the communities and getting to know the new people in the area while reconnecting with old faces and continuing to improve her photography skills.

Layman was born and raised in Seeley Lake. She graduated from Seeley-Swan High School in 1995 and always loved reading and writing.

Layman's grandfather C.B. Rich was a writer and storyteller.

"I just remember sitting and listening to him tell his stories," said Layman. "I always thought he was such an amazing storyteller. He was poetic and all these things just flowed from him."

Layman said she also found writings from her grandmother Helen who she said was an even better writer than her grandfather.

"She was so eloquent and also had a way with words," said Layman. "But he always had the spotlight and she never took that from him."

Layman has predominately worked for her family at the Rich Ranch and has developed a great love of the outdoors. She started blogging under the name Cowgirl Ramblings in 2010. Since she has had no formal writing training, she developed her own style focusing her writing on the mountains, outdoors, horses and her family. While it quickly became a creative outlet and way to express herself, she also realized it was a way to reach other people.

"So often I get feedback on my writing or photography and people say 'that really moved me' or 'that inspired me to try this' or 'that gave me a different perspective,'" said Layman. "I like to develop that and it helps me keep things in perspective too. I think my writing is not so much for me, its maybe something I say resonates with someone else at some point and inspires them to be more authentic, be more real and vulnerable in their own lives."

It wasn't until she moved to Havre in 2014 that Layman really started exploring photography.

"I needed something to help me settle in because it was so drastically different," said Layman. "I started packing my camera wherever I went. I liked the instant gratification that photography provided so I got into it from there."

Layman calls herself a "sunrise/sunset junkie" and said, "I will pull over for any shred of sun that is coming up or going down."

Layman's primary subjects are western life and landscape photography as well as portrait work. She is working on getting her sole proprietorship for her photography business.

After returning to Seeley Lake last June, Layman spent a busy summer with the Rich Ranch. She is excited to join the Pathfinder team on a part-time basis while still working at the ranch.

"Someone said, 'Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life.' That is part of the reason I moved home and how I feel about where I live and working on the ranch," said Layman.

Layman feels she brings an open mind to the Pathfinder while still understanding the history and happenings of Seeley Lake. She also thinks she is friendly and approachable and hopes that will benefit her while working with the Pathfinder.

"I like to hear other people's perspectives and why they are the way they are," said Layman. "I like to think I can be objective. I've lived a really good time span of this community and I've seen a lot of different diversities over the years as far as change in the community and businesses. I'd like to think I could bridge some of that in the communities."

Layman is working on publishing a novel as well as a coffee table book of photography and poetry she has written.

When she is not working, Layman said, "I'm still that crazy little horse girl that grew up in the barnyard." She loves anything outdoors, hiking and her family and children Kiley and Jace. Layman said she also loves to travel and has a great fascination with the southwest.