The bunkhouse sits just under a south facing hill. On the left side is the living quarters with bed, table, and at one time an old stove. Many a hired hand has slept here… many a visitor… On the right side is the remnants of the blacksmith shop with various tools and mysterious pieces in…
Ten Days and Counting
Ten days and counting… Butcher’s Foothills Elsa, (United Kennel Club Registry, English Shepherd Club Registry, Canine Good Citizen, MDR1 mutant/normal, OFA Good, light shaded sable female, born 5/10/2004) is gravid, fecund, replete. Gravid is a great term for her. Heavy, burdened. Slowed by the extra weight, she rocks to achieve a standing position. Fecund. Prolific….
Those old Tales
I’ve been going through old papers, finding papers 100 years old to the day… This is a warranty deed, this a homestead filing, that a mortgage. No stories. Just names we’ve heard for years. Signatures in ink… real ink… dipped, bold to fading… Surprised that the man I pictured as rough and tumble had great…
Spring Returns
I imagine I could use that title “Spring Returns” multiple times… and I might! But after a couple of nights with below zero temps and 5 inches of snow, today’s temp of 20+ degrees and sunshine feels mighty fine! I admit though… I like this photo. I took it the same time I took the…
Spring Storm
A spring storm has hit the Cowboy State, with snow and below zero temperatures. That meant Vernon was kept busy checking the cows and calves… making sure a newborn didn’t “freeze down”. A newborn is covered in wet slime… so landing on frozen ground can actually freeze them down to the ground… like your wet…
Photographer/Artist/Friend
A few years back, while I was still working at the Ten Sleep Library, a gentleman came walking in to use our computers. I visited with him after he finished his digital business. He had a unique accent… so, of course, I asked where he was from. Answer: The Netherlands. wow. “So what are you…
Puppies
‘ve known for a while now… and I did post it on my website… but I’ll make the announcement here… We’re gonna have puppies! The due date is March 24th. I’m thrilled. Elsa is feeling… well… fat! Slowing a tad, too. I will get to enjoy them in good weather as opposed to her last…
Heifer Story 2
Along the Nowood River exist many industrious beavers. While the Nowood wouldn’t qualify as a river in most other states, it does in Wyoming because it flows a large amount of water for this dry country. Probably because of the Nowood’s size, these beavers have developed into “bank” beavers instead of the usual “dam” beavers…
Heifer Story
Sooner or later, you do a job long enough, something unusual will occur that makes the entire process glow with a new light… So it is with checking heifers… I mentioned before how I check the heifers sometime between 10 and 11 pm. There are no street lights. Moonlight and starlight exist in its phases,…
Heifers 4
Ah… the last of the video series… <sniff> Will you miss them?? I enjoy doing these, because they can explain things much better in some respects. Like most areas of expertise, it is easy to forget to explain simple things that we take for granted. Hopefully these videos have filled the gaps of my writings….
Heifers 3
So, we have gathered and sorted heifers, and now we do our night checks. I’m in charge of the 10:30 pm night check… I’m more a night owl than Vernon, so while he might have been in bed for a couple of hours already, I’m just finishing a craft or watching the news, or reading a book… and ready…