I spent yesterday afternoon huffing, puffing, and swinging an axe. In November, when the first snow fell, we weren’t thinking about calving. We were thinking let the cows and horses graze unimpeded. Which is great. Which works fine until February. February… when the electric fence wire we laid down in the summer is now buried…
Category: Family
Meanwhile… Back at the Ranch
I’ve taken a bit of a detour lately, focusing on my hobby of pysanky. Thanks for putting up with that… and I may include a photo of the next egg or two I create, just for kicks, in the future. Sharing what keeps me creative is definitely part of my life… But, I figured it…
Long Day off the Ranch
Well, this sure was a day that got away from me! First came the typical routine… Then I made a peach cobbler and lunch… Then S. showed up to give me a copy of her book and visit for a bit… Which was loads of fun – but way too short of a time. We…
Apologies, Thanks, and Creativity
Apologies, Thanks, and Creativity First, let me extend my apologies for not posting last night. I have sincerely tried to keep my postings consistent. However, Brandon came home from Laramie last night and bounced his Dodge Dakota into the guardrail at the top of Ten Sleep Canyon. He had just thought about how nice and dry…
Eggs Pysanky 101
Most women out here – meaning those on ranches that I have met – have something to occupy their “off” time. Some are amazing cooks, making bagels and doughnuts – some are into horses, spending time on lead changes and drooling over Clinton Anderson! – some are very involved in church or scouts or 4H…
OOPE Feeding
Last night Vernon asked me to help feed this morning. We needed to get done in good time in order to go help our neighbors vaccinate their cows. He rises early. I followed. At 5:30 this morning. Made our coffee. Zoned out on the couch. Had breakfast. At 7 (the usual time) he said he’d…
Wild Calf Movie
A few weeks ago when we were vaccinating our heifers, we had this little devil to take care of. This is the first “oops” calf (not to be confused with OOPE!) that I can remember having here this early. Evidently his momma snuck out and had an exciting RRRENDEZVOUS (say it with a French accent!)….
Entertainment
Since beginning this blog, my new internet friends have asked me… what do you *DO* out there for fun???? I assume you mean when we’re not laughing hysterically at someone that just got bucked off their horse or fell in the mud or had poo splatted on their face? Uh, gee… let me think! Uh….
Centennial
I plan on calling the State Historical Preservation Office tomorrow. The paperwork to get us recognized as a Centennial Ranch will be a fairly straightforward. Read any Wyoming history book and it will tell you about the Spring Creek Raid that happened in 1909. Cattlemen had drawn a Dead Line in the badlands. Any sheep…
Mailbox
Today saw the return of winter with freezing temperatures and snow. The wind chill added to the briskness. The other day was a different story. Gorgeous sunshine and warm temperatures begged me to go for a walk to the mailbox. My months of inactivity showed themselves as it took me longer than normal to make…
One More Time
Well, sure ’nuff… The pump wasn’t working this morning. My first order of business… a quick shower and a not-so-quick “run” to Worland. The snow was falling and the 18 miles to Ten Sleep were slick. The increased traffic on the stretch between Ten Sleep and Worland had worn off the skiff of snow and…
Canyon
Last week we traveled over the Big Horn Mountains to deliver my daughter’s new Ford Escape to her in Buffalo, Wyoming. 90% of my trips over this mountain are enjoyable, 10% are the kind where your knuckles hurt after driving it! Ten Sleep Canyon is an impressive stretch of highway with switchbacks and a runaway…