In this excerpt from his autobiography, Timeless Echoes: The Life and Art of Robert Butler, Robert depicts the heritage of Florida ranches by sharing his experiences with Florida ranchers while archiving their way of life on canvas. The 57 ranch paintings included in the book reveal a way of life that is quickly disappearing from the fabric of Florida, succumbing to "progress." Butler paintings are distinctive in their dramatically lit, romanticized portrayals of his beloved wild Florida. His paintings are known to be finely detailed, while exuding an ethereal light in them, giving them an almost sacred quality, the music of his heart. In addition to his story and paintings, Robert gives a separate tribute to the Cracker Cowman, as well as one to the Cracker Cowgirl.