This story is from James Greet, written in 1991 about his life as a cowboy in the 1940’s. I went down and helped Johnny Tisdale on Box Elder Creek. He had some cattle to gather and some branding to do. I ran short of a fresh mount one afternoon, so Johnny said he would stake…
Tag: Wyoming
Throwback Thursday: Little Critters, v.2.0
This was first published March 2, 2014. We figure we’re halfway through calving out our heifers. We, as in The Guys, since I’m not part of the process anymore… I did go down with Vernon tonight after Victoria and the twins left, just to see how things were going on. We always weigh our heifers’…
Wordless Wednesday: Nest
For a jigsaw puzzle of this nest, go HERE.
It Begins
The three inches of snow last night has encouraged calving season to kick off. Cameras are up. Straw bales are placed. Tags are made. Supplies set in. Rotations planned. Shaking steps are taken on wobbly legs as instinct encourages each calf to stand and eat. I watch the cameras. It begins.
Heartbreaking Loss
I searched. I read. Perhaps my memory has failed me. In preparation for this post, I was going to grab a quote from a local history book. I could not find what I wanted, so perhaps it was in another book, or I just didn’t find it. The topic was the importing of cattle into…
Beyond Their Years
I was going to give Vernon a ride down to his excavator so he could move it before the next snowstorm arrives. Walking out to the shop to get the side by side, we found some creative souls hard at work. This is Quinlan. Welding. I know it’s not the first time he’s welded, but…
New Beginnings
Boxelder trees are part of the maple family. The Double Crossing has its share. It was almost impossible to go through. You had to dismount and lead your horse, keeping a careful eye that your saddle horn did not snag on a branch and panic your horse. This is what it looked like. Vernon has…
Reminiscing XIV
These stories are from James Greet who was my father-in-law’s (Johnny) older brother. One spring, I got in on the cow roundup at home. Then I joined the roundup that worked the range out of the Orchard cowcamp in Buffalo Canyon. We gathered about two hundred head. Some of those cowboys were Dutch Mills, Henry…
TBT: Hermit, v.2.0
This was first published February 23, 2014. I still remember this day because I was not a happy camper! Driving on nasty roads is not my idea of fun and it wasn’t! It was one of these days. If the roads are nasty, then we’re probably headed somewhere… Today it was Cody, where our pickup…
Wordless Wednesday: Sundog Silhouette
For a jigsaw puzzle of Bravo and the sundog behind him, go HERE.
Reading the Snow
While I watched Vernon continue to rejuvenate the Double Crossing, I wandered a bit. The day was warm with the snow melting away. I tossed my jacket layer onto the side by side as I had overdressed. A few steps further and I noticed tracks. They had melted and were fairly indistinguishable. All I had…
Brush Clearing
After Vernon cleaned up the old buildings, he turned to cleaning up some brush. This area has been known as the Double Crossing since teams and wagons had to ford the Nowood River twice in this spot. When I first came here, riding your horse through this brush was doable. Sure, some areas were thicker…