New Years Eve

   When I got up this morning it was nice out a little cloudy and breezy but nice. I was gonna have my cup of coffee then take Roller out for an end of year ride. By the time I finished my coffee it was getting pretty trashy out. Here is just an idea of how trashy it was. The barn on the right is 50 yards from the house. At one point we could barely the barn. Winds were blowing 30mph or more. The pole in the picture was bouncing at the top 6" or more.

  We had a brown out then a complete power outage. The power was out for an hour or so. Looking to the north I got this shot of the blowing snow.

  We are glad we had decided to stay in tonight. Just spending time together. Don't know if we will make it to midnight but...........
  The storm blew out about 2:30ish and it turned into really nice day. I took a nap when it was trashy out.    Did some reading also, So just kinda relaxed. When it got nice out I saddled Roller and we went to get the mail. I rode out and checked on the bulls on the way to the mail box. Rode 2 miles I guess. Its 3/4's of a mile to the mail box. It was getting cold on the ride home. Th only mail was Hereford World. I don't    know how I got a subscription but I really enjoy getting it. Lots of good info. So it was worth riding for the mail. After all they wasn't any bills. :)

Until next year take care. Happy New Year!!!!!

Today

  I went and fed all the cows this morning. You know checked the cows and the waters. Didn't have to break ice with the unseasonably warm weather. Well had to clear some ice, but not much. Then we ran in 135 steers to pour on and put ear tags in them. We are holding over this years steer as yearling. Here's a couple pictures of me driving the hay truck bringing them in. My view of the steers in the mirror.

Until next time take care

Roller- the horse

    Here's a couple pictures I took this morning of Roller. He came with the name. He's character! He's looking at the bulls.

 He wasn't very happy about get his picture taken here.

  He's just a jug headed sorrel horse. But he's my jug head. :)
Until next time take care

Christmas

  We went to Dubois Wyo for Christmas. It was great to see family and friends. I bought a horse up there. I think he will be a good horse. He's on the thin side but I'll get him on some good feed and he'll put weight on. He's a sorrel with three white socks. He kinda reminds me of a horse I seen in a Charlie Russell picture. I'll get a picture of him.
   Had a really good visit with my Dad. He gave me an set of tires that are studded. So we spent some time pulling studs and talking. There are 80 studs in a tire. The tires are used but still have 75% tread left. I'll spend some time this winter pulling the studs out of the other two tires. More time than money...........haha.
   My Aunt and Uncle had a great potluck Christmas dinner. 12 fun people around the table laughing and sharing story's. Lots of fun.
  Until next time take care

Bangs

   Today we had the vet out to give the replacement heifer calves their bangs shot.  They got a year brand and acouple shots and Ivermectin pour on. We were pretty busy today.
  The growing pile of ice from the water trough.

   Sunset from the other night.

Until next time take care

Foggy frosty morning

When I opened the door this morning to let the kids out. This is what I saw.

  It was kinda chilly when I rode out to gather calves today. It was really pretty though.
    We worked in the shop this afternoon. Im not much of a mechanic, but I'm learning. We need to replace a switch on the feed truck. The switch is on the steering column. So the steering column needs to be dropped down to get to the switch.  I built a steering wheel puller. It wasn't really that hard to build. It took me a bit to build cause I'm still learning. But it will go faster next time.
  Until next time take care

Other night

  The other afternoon I gathered and moved 24 bulls about 2-3 miles. I don't know if you have ever moved bulls, but they move like drunk ADD frat boys on spring break. All over the place with no sense of direction. I got them in their new home around 5pm, so it was just about dark. So I was riding back to the truck and trailer in the dark under half a full moon. It was one of the most peaceful times I think I have ever had. I riding my mare with my lil blue dog trotting behind me. It was a clear sky the stars shining bright about 10-15 degrees. The snow was crunching under my horse's hooves.  I could see the town lights on the  horizon. I have been thinking about that night for the last couple days, just how great it is to be doing what I do. Thats what I have to say. Ok there is more but I'm not the greatest writer. I would like to tell how the air felt on my face. The chill felt in the finger tips. Thinking about unsaddling and giving oats to my pony. She has been earning her oats the last couple days. Knowing that when I get home I have a beautiful woman waiting for me. I guess it just the little thinks in life that are really the big things. Until next time take care.

Good day

      Rode out a gathered the calves to the feed ground. Had three of the heifer calves crawl through the fence and were on the county road. So after we got the calves fed.  I found a broken wire in the pasture we have the steers in. It was time to fix fence in two pastures. Pushing calves to feed ground.

   We rode in the Christmas parade in town tonight. We rode for the horse club here in town. They had a Ranger ATV with a banner. My boss and I aren't members but it was fun. We were the only one's that rode horse's. The members said it's to cold or to icy or, or, or. You get the drift. The parade had 4-5 floats. I rode my mare and she did awesome!!  The temperature was 13 above. I was toasty but my fingers but they are almost always cold. The horse on the left is JW he weighs in 1500+ my mare is 950.  Sorry the picture is crappy I took it with my old broken camera. This was taken after the parade.

Until next time take care. Click on pic the make bigger.

Today

  Spent most of the day horseback, always a good thing. I gathered the calves and my boss rolled out a couple bales of hay. We have the replacement heifer calves and the steers we are holding over as yearlings. I gathered them on to the feed ground. Trying to train them to come to the feed truck. Then we went down and gathered last years dinks. They look really good! They are going to the sale tomorrow.
  I have been riding my mare alot. Im riding her in the hackamore it is going great. It would go alot better if I could keep up with her. She learns so fast. Im still learning and need to learn faster.
  The rest of the afternoon was spent welding on the stock trailer. The slam gate got broke. The bottom of the gate rusted out. Welding on rust is a pain! The locking side and the gate are now fixed. That about it for now. Until next time take care

Christmas tree

   Sharon and I went out to the Lance Creek pasture and cut down our tree. Cutting down a tree is our family tradition. We go out and cut our own tree and let the "kids" run around. They love helping find the ''perfect" tree.

The tree before the fatal cut.

And now its new home. All dressed up in its Christmas garb.

We think every tree we go out and cut down is the perfect tree. Because we go out as a family and really enjoy the time we spend together . Until next time take care.

Thanking Day

  We had a great Thanksgiving day! Lots of food and good people. My Dad and Aunt and Uncle came down. We had sourdough pancakes, bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast. Then I started on the turkey. The turkey is my job some how I got roped into it. I guess cause I made the turkey last year now it my job. So we, the guys stayed busy. We went down a house on the ranch and got a fridge so we now have a 2nd fridge in the garage. It is nice to have more food storage. Then it was an Indiana Jones movie marathon here. My Dad and Uncle.

  We had alot of really good food. My Aunt Leigh brought the cranberry sauce, coleslaw and the yams. Sharon made mashed tators, greenbean salad, deviled eggs and appetizers. My dad brought the pies pumpkin and an apple,raisin sherry pie. I made the fruit salad and turkey.

Mmmmmm Turkey!!!!!! Meat falling off the bone.

 Me doing the turkey carving.

   Today my Dad and I stayed busy doing a couple odd jobs around the house. We put in acouple electric
 outlets in the garage. Fixed 2 lamps, moved the newer fridge around to a better spot in the garage.
   Hope every one had a Thanksgiving as good as ours! Until next time take care

Work

   We trailed our replacement heifers from my place over to my bosses place yesterday. Its probaly a 5-6 mile trip. They gathered and moved well until we had to go through the pivots. We still have some hay bales that need to be moved. The heifers really wanted to drift and rub the bales. But we got them into the pasture we needed them in. It took some work and made some tired horses.
   Kevin brought over some bulls that didn't make the cut to stay bulls. So we got to rope them to cut them and make them steers. It was fun roping them! I learned alot roping them. Need to do more of that stuff. I got to learn to slide rope more. It was a good day spent mainly horseback.
  Hope every one has a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Sunday Brunch

      We are getting the house cleaned up and ready for Thanksgiving today. My Dad and Aunt and Uncle are coming down from Dubois for the holiday. We are looking forward to having some family around. :)
  So we needed some thing to stick to the ribs. I have been thinking about biscuits the last couple days. So I made some under the guidance of Sharon. So while Sharon is cleaning and re-arranging the house. I made us breakfast. Chicken Fried Steak and Eggs with biscuits. One of my favorite foods.

The Biscuits finished!

And here is breakfast.

Until next time take care.

Cow work

   We gathered cows today to wien the calves. It was snowing and blowing. High today was suppose to be 30 degrees. It made it a chilly day. Of course when we had the cows gathered and started sorting calves off. It cleared up and turned into an nice day. A neighbor came over and helped. It sure was nice to have an extra hand. We sorted the calves by sex. We are gonna run the steers as yearlings and the heifers are replacements. Thats about it today. Until next time take care

Feeling better

   I have been really stiff in my neck the last 6 weeks or so. Like I couldn't look up with out pain and it was starting hurt my shoulder. So I fought it as long as I could but when two of my fingers started to tingle it was time to see a chiropractor. I guess it wasn't gonna get better on its own. The Dr. made a couple adjustments and WOW!! It is nice to move with out pain. He said my #1 rib was out of place. Didn't know a rib could get out.
     Sunday night I made dinner for myself, because Sharon went to the Make it with wool. It was a craft show for the things made with wool. She made a scarf type of deal.  She had a great time and came home with a couple yards of wool fabric. But back to me making dinner. I fryed up a package of antelope steaks heated up a can of corn and pork and beans. And yes I ate both cans and the whole package of steaks. I still wonder how I can't put any weight on.

This was just the first plate. :) Then I followed it all up with a bag of popcorn.
Until next time take care

For the love of....

    Animals!!!   My wife is doing a linky party on her blog http://aprairiesunrise.blogspot.com/ Its a themed photo deal. This weeks theme is animals. So go check out the pictures or link up yourself.
Here's a snapping turtle from when we lived in Montana.

Some pronghorns yesterday in our hayfields.

Here's my girl working cows this summer.

Heres my mare Fancy wanting in the house to warm up.

.

Well thats what I've got for animals. Until next time take care.
Click on the pictures make em bigger. Ok, one last picture of the kids.

Catching Up

      So last Saturday was Sharon's Birthday.We went to Scottsbluff and Sharon got to do what ever she wanted. Sooo we went to a Quilt shop and then a fabric shop. We went to Target and I got Sharon a sweater and a jacket. Then we went out to a nice dinner in Torrington. We had tickets to The Riders in the Sky. They put on a great show. It was a great time.

   We have been shipping cows and calves. So been really busy. We preg checked cows today. Yesterday I went over to the main headquarters and helped them sort skinny cows and calves. Skinny cows are gonna get more feed and the calves are getting weined. I brought 6 yearling bulls over to my place tonight.We are gonna keep the bulls we have on our side at my place this winter. I took this shot when I was turning them out tonight.

Until next time take care

Sunday Stills - In the Dark

This weeks challenge is In the Dark. So I tried to get some shots of our first snow and icicles.

And archive shot from the 4th of July

Until next time take care

Birthday!!

   It's my wife's birthday is today! Sharon is gonna be.....I'm not telling :) . I don't care how old she gets she will alway's be my young blushing bride. I got today off so we are gonna go to Scottsbluff and do a little shopping for her and get insulated Carhartt bibs for me. Then we are planning on dinner some where nice. The Riders in the Sky are playing tonight in Torrington. We have tickets held for us so we are gonna see them. I'm glad I get to spend time with her today and just relax. We have been really busy. Hope the weather stays decent.
   I lost a rowel out of my spurs that Sharon bought me where we first moved to Wyoming. Kinda sad about that. So I ordered rowels from J.Watt. Here's what the rowel looked like that I lost. They are silver dollars from 1922 and 1928.

Here's the replacement rowels from J.Watt.

  I really like these spurs they are handmade. I don't know anything about them. There is no makers make on them. They are kinda roughly built but got lots of character. One shank is a touch longer than the other. Now I just need to figger out how to use the pins to keep the rowels on.
   My Mom came up for a visit and ended up staying acouple days longer that planned. We got 6-8 inches of snow dropped on us in a night. She didn't feel comfortable driving in that. haha. I don't blame her. It was a really good visit.
Until next time take care

Shipping/First snow

    Of course the first snow is on our biggest shipping day. We saddled about 5am, it was a nice a clear morning. Slightly warm. We could feel the temp start to drop on the way out to Lance Creek. Hopped the horse's out of the trailer and was gathering cows before the sun was up. Goood times. The sunrise this morning was beautiful. Bright red and orange. It ended up snowing on us all day. So we spent the day wet, I didn't get cold except for my fingers. We got everything sorted and on the trucks. The steers went to market and the heifers we keep.  We are weining the heifer calves at my bosses house so we gave them their vaccine shots this afternoon. We are shipping again tomorrow. Here are a couple pictures when I got home of the snow. It was late almost dark.

This is the tree in front of the house.

This picture was taken with the flash on.

Until next time take care

Hackamore

    I have been riding my mare in a snaffle bit. It just hasn't been working the way I would like she has been gapping her mouth and pushing out with her nose and she will sometimes throw her head up. So I don't know if it's her or me. My boss and I talked about it. Like the saying, if it's not working try some thing different.  I rode her today for 20 minutes this afternoon in the hackamore. She did great in it. She is really soft and easy to ride. We will see tomorrow how it works. We are gonna ride tomorrow on some cows. I really like this horse and want the best for her. I would love the make her into a bridle horse. She has tons of heart and is just double tough and bullet proof. Until next time take care

Old homestead on the ranch.

Gathering

  We will be gathering and shipping cows and calves the next couple weeks. Here's some pictures of gathering our Lance Creek Pasture. Sorry no pictures of cows this round. I was to busy. I took these watering my horse. We gathered half this pasture on Monday, we will gather the rest closer to when we ship there. We went over yesterday to main headquarters and helped them gather and ship. Today we moved yearling heifers to another pasture at my place and moved some bulls around. Then I went and started to build a stack yard for more hay at another pasture. Just getting ready for winter. Now for some pictures.

  Fancy earned this drink! We figured I put 20+++ miles on her today.

More of the pasture.

I had my rope down playing around with Fancy. Swinging the rope around her trying to teach her it's a good thing. The cinch my wife build for me.

And a windmill for my wife.

 Well thats what I got for now. Click on pictures makes them bigger. Until next time take care.