I figured I could take you on yesterdays ride, so here goes! (Photos compliments of a cooperative Siri)…

Gumpy and I heading out of the saddle horse trap to find them:

There’s some of the girls! I love Gumpy’s ears. You can tell when he sees the cows because his ears always go forward!

And there’s more on our way to the dam:

There’s the dam:

The dam seems to be in good shape. Or should I say, there’s no cows stuck in it, so the cows are in good shape?

After we checked the dam, we rode up another hill to find the cows we hadn’t yet seen:

Everything was quiet and happy when we headed home:

I love riding through the cows when they nap in the sun. Oh wait- I like riding through the cows period!

Happy Trails!

Happy trails and happy weekend!

So, I thought, since I fixed some fence this week, I’d give you a little tutorial about what I did. Some of you will be bored, others may think, “I’d pay to fix fence, just to get away from my day job!” And to you, I would reply, “We’re happy to have you come visit. We’ll drink wine or whatever poison suits you, I’ll cook something amazing, and you can fix fence!”

I’ve digressed. Back to fencing…

Let’s start with a simple project- replacing the clip or the staple that you place on a T-Post.

In the photo below you will see a three-strand fence. The middle strand is being held to the post by nothing.

This next photo, will show you how the wire should be held to the T-Post:

We have smooth wire running on a lot of our fences as the bottom strand. It’s more animal friendly for birds or antelope that are apt to go through a fence, as opposed to over it, like a deer.

Here’s what the top wire looks like:

Here’s my attempt at taking a close-up of the T-Post Staple:

Siri was NOT cooperating this day and was having a terrible time paying attention (focusing) on the subject at hand. Bad iPhone! BAD! Sometimes I crack myself up!

You can see the staple on the fence post now! Even though it’s out of focus. See, even photographers have bad days. I think I’m still blaming Siri. She’s been pretty mouthy and unhelpful lately!

Basically my goal this day was to replace any missing T-Post staples, so that the fence got tighter and it was harder for the calves and cows to sneak through. There was a cow out this particular morning, in case you’re wondering what brought on my insatiable desire to fix fence. If you didn’t catch the sarcasm there, you might should go back and re-read that last sentence. I jest, I jest. My life is the best, even if all I do for the day is fix fence!

In taking a closer look at the staple, you can see that there’s a short side, and a long side. The short side, simply slips over the wire and goes around behind the post, and then the long side, gets twisted around the wire to hold it in place. It doesn’t take a lot of twisting. A little bit will getcha!

And yet again, Siri was being belligerent. But you can get the idea. I’m simply going to twist the staple end under, then over the wire, and have it hold.

I hope you enjoyed this little fence fixing tutorial. There’s plenty more where this came from!

Happy Trails and Happy Friday!

Today was one of those days where I had something pressing to do. A couple weeks ago, as I was wrapping up my day, I got home, and was here just long enough to enjoy a big glass of water, and realized that I had mares spilling out on to the road through the neighbor’s pasture. So I put them up, but it was too late in the day to go fix the water gap, which was obviously out. If you’re wondering what a water gap is, never fear, the answer’s near.

The next day the neighbor comes over, bringing those same mares, down the road. So I put them in the “Middle Pasture” about three miles down the road. If they get out of that one, ether side is our place, so it’s a bit harder to “lose” them in the country.

Not all of the mares escaped that day, however. There were 5 still in the pasture where they belonged (up in a corner, far away from the water gap that was out), so I left them there.

And today, I needed to find them, get them moved, and pull hair on one of them so I can get a DNA test done for registration purposes.

So I set off for the pasture where I’d last seen them, the pasture we call the Parker Creek Pasture (probably because Parker Creek runs through it! Genius, I know!).

This is what I saw on the way out:

And then I ran across this pretty thing:

I never did get photos of these last year, and now that I know where they’re hiding, I figure it’s time to break out the big guns!

I found more of them, as I searched for the mares:

And then there was this pretty view:

Meanwhile, there’s still no horses in site. I mean, I realize I’m looking for 5 of them, and that’s not that many in a 900 acre pasture, but still!

I decide to finish up searching the East side of the Parker Creek Pasture, by checking the water gap that goes between Parker Creek Pasture and the “Bottom Half” of the Middle Pasture. They were sure original when they named stuff on this outfit!

Notice the hoof prints in the gumbo? I did. And I had an inkling that they’d gotten through right there where the fence was down but I wasn’t sold on that idea, since they may have gone out and come back. After all, I hadn’t checked the West side of the pasture yet.

You can see where I’ve pulled up the washed-out posts and wire because the dirt is dark and wet.

Now, if you’re still wondering what a water-gap is, I shall tell you. Basically it’s a fence that goes into the water. It “gaps” the distance between the shore and the water to keep the animals in their specified location. And they work great, when the river is as high as it has been the last few years. But now it’s down to what I think are normal levels, and the water gaps are mostly washed out due to all the extra water that Lake Ohae/The Missouri river have held the past few years.

I could have sworn I took an “after” photo, but I can’t find it now, so we’ll just have to call this project done. Except that it’s not really. See how there’s a little “lagoon” in front of the river? Well, I didn’t have enough extra wire or posts, or clips to reach that far, so I have to go back and finish the job. It’ll be my Tuesday project, unless something else comes up.

It’s now time to head over to the West side of the pasture, which means crossing Parker Creek. Not usually a big deal. Except that this time, someone failed to recall the week of rain we just had. My usual crossing spot (where I crossed two weeks ago when I put the escaped mares away) didn’t favor me as much this time:

And yes, I’m buried up to the axle.

Another view:

I should probably back up…

When I first realized I was stuck, my initial reaction wasn’t to take a picture. It was to start hoofing it to the highest hill so I had cell service and could text The Cowboy’s, brother, Bud, to see if he was available to come pull me out. If he wasn’t, I was prepared to walk however far away from home I was- I’m thinking it’s about 2 miles by the way the crow flies, but would have been more than that to walk it, of course.

So up the nearest hill I go- it was a good quarter mile hike at least. So I send this text: “Hey, um, I kinda got stuck in the bottom of Parker Creek, in Parker Creek. Can you help me?”

This was followed by an “I will be right down”, and then I added that I needed to be on the West Side, but that I was stuck in the middle. He asked for further locational directions (lucky for me, I was stuck smack between two old creep feeders and everyone on the ranch knows where they are) and then he suggested I take a photo, so he could determine if it was too wet to bring a pickup- in which case Big Green would have had to make an appearance. I replied that I would have to “go back down the hill”, to which he replied, “You can take a pic from there if you can see where you are stuck”. But of course I was too far away. So I ran back down the giant hill, took two photos and hoofed it up a hill on the West side, since I had a better view of the gravel road from there. Needless to say, I was a hot mess by this point. I had mud on my jeans, on my boots, and in my hair, on my shirt, and I was sweaty from a 75 degree day and a trek up a 65 degree hill or two. I’m not complainin’. I’m just sayin’.

While I was on top of the second hill, I took this photo:

When I saw Bud heading toward me in the pickup, I hoofed it back down the hill and went to sit in the machine. I took this picture of the creek:

Why I thought it was a good idea to cross right there, I’ll never know, save for that it’s worked for me before.

He gets me unstuck and I tell him I will just go around, to which he replies, “just pick a different spot, give ‘er hell, and try while I’m still down here”. So I did. And I made it. I checked the West side of the pasture and no horses. I visited the water gap over there, the one that I knew was out, and well, let’s just say, that one needs work. But there were no hoof prints going around it. I still figured I should cruise home through the neighbor’s pasture just to be sure, plus that way I didn’t have to cross the creek again! By this time it was about 3pm and I hadn’t had lunch yet, so I decide I’ll grab a bite before I check the pasture where the hoof-prints from the water gap led.

After a quick bite, I head down the road and go through the Middle Pasture, to the “Bottom Half”, or the “Sundance Pasture” (as it’s referred to) where I plan to search. There’s three gates from the “Middle Half” into the “Bottom Half” and I opted to cruise through the one in the middle. I search, and see no horses. I check the water gap on the East side, the one I’ve not yet checked this trip (I checked it and fixed it a couple weeks ago) and it’s still in. Then I start to see hoof-prints but I can’t find any horses. So I head West, to the third gate that I’ve not yet been through.

And what do you suppose I saw?

If you guessed a wrecked gate you’d be right!

It’s not supposed to look like that.

I’m not the best fence fixer in the world, but I’m determined to try. So I pull out my new BFF, also known as a Plammer.

They’re a combination fencing plier/hammer. Creative name, right? I was glad that I had those with me, as opposed to a simple pair of fencing pliers (which, by the way, I also had with me), because this gate was wrecked. There were staples on the ground, and I had to take a stay off to get it back to some semblance of straight-ness.

But, I overcame.

This is what it SHOULD look like!

I think it’s appropriate at this time to say that I was praying that the missing mares were in the top-half of Middle Pasture where I’d set out to put them in the first place. I hadn’t seen hide nor hair of them all day!

As I drove away from my newly repaired gate, I spotted a mare that I thought was among those MIA. I carefully circled the wagons, and lo and behold, wouldn’t you know it, all the mares are in one pasture. It only took me 2/3rds of the day to figure that out!

Wasn’t it a beautiful evening? It was about 5:30 by the time I found them.

When I got back to the corrals, I found our newest heifer’s, heifer calf sleeping quietly, so I took that chance to tag her:

Isn’t she sweet?

Her mama and her were set up just right to let them out into the big trap now that they’re getting along well. Sometimes first time mamas need a bit of extra help, but she’s really trying hard and her baby loves her, so it was time. I hazed them into the big trap with our other pairs and headed to the house.

Then I sat on the deck and enjoyed a cocktail:

And watched the sun go down:

And that, my friends, ends another day in my life.

Happy Trails!

And kids:

Gorgeous skies and Landscapes:

And what would a day on the ranch be without seeing the girls?

I think that heifer 007 would like to say Hi too!

Let’s not forget the wildflowers that are showing up!

And a Curlew!

Here’s wishing you a week full of blessings!

Cows walked down to the chute:

An X:

A side-ways Y:

A Lazy 33:

And this scene, The Brangus Bulls checking out the cowboy’s brother and Crystal.

How did you spend your Easter?

Dino being, well, Dino.

Kids! I must add that my niece thinks they should be called “goatlings”. She said calling them kids is just “insulting”. She’s something, that kid!

There were two does and a buck- he has a spot on his back:

Sonora, Nora my beautiful dragon:

She is affectionately referred to as the dragon because when she pins her ears she looks like the dragon from the movie, Shrek. She’s all bark and no bite.

Gump and I on our ride where I shared my “office” view:

Heading to the gate on the East side of the pasture, Gump is certainly fast enough to have beat that brumby and his crew out of there, but I didn’t send him galloping across the pasture.

A pretty bay mare. I call this one, Wind In Her Hair:

DX Black Velvet:

The neighbor’s cows are fascinated by my chicken in the yard. I snapped some photos of them at dusk the other evening and then used some new photoshop tools, just because I can.

I love the light and the bugs flying ’round.

Thunderhead:

This kitten is so comfortable looking!

Furs and Purrs!

Thanks for letting me share my week with you. As an aside, if you haven’t liked my Facebook page, you might want to do that now. There’s all sorts of fun stuff going on there!

Happy Weekend Trails!

As I got on and rode out of the barn, I looked across the driveway and what do you think I saw?

If you guessed an escaped brumby, You’d be right. He and a 2 year old stud colt, named Fuz, were out near the dam, clearly outside the realm of the hot wire fence. I got them put back into the pasture where they belonged, and then put them and about 15 others into the North end of it.

The following is me telling you about my day- kind of like I did above. Only cooler, because I’m riding a horse, and trotting through God’s Country chatting at you like you’re there.

Now, part two of this is, that as I was trotting over to the gate on the east side of the pasture, that brumby brought every horse that I’d just put in that gate, out of that gate. I guess I should have closed that one first! They ran all the way back to the “Hole” a pass-through trap off to the East, where I’d let them water before I hazed them all the way out North and shut the gate. I got them lined out and that brumby took half the weanlings and a couple two year olds with him one way, and as I rode over to haze him back to the herd, the stud, Banjo made a bee-line back to the gate at the Hole, where he could gaze upon the 2 year old fillies and other mares I’ve got near the corral to handle. I decided to leave him there, and gather up the brumby and his crew. I got everyone back together and hazed back to the corner, with two attempts, before Banjo finally went one way, the brumby and his crew another. I didn’t have my rope on my saddle, or a flag with me, each of which would have been handy in this situation. So Gumpy and I decided to go eat some lunch and bring the ranger out for the afternoon job. I’m certainly not brave enough to take it down one side of that big creek and up the other, so I had to walk down one side and up the other to get across so I could get the gate closed, but I got it done.

While I was “at lunch” I made the nearly 20 mile round trip to the mailbox to get the mail because I figured I had good stuff in my box and that it was probably full. It was full and I got a new Buck Wild, Wild Rag in the mail. Plus a check for photography services. A wild rag, money, a sunny Spring day! Can it get better?

Now you’re probably wondering if I got to ride Dino and move cows, just because I can, right? I didn’t. But my nanny goat did have triplets yesterday afternoon!! And yes, there will be photos!

Happy Trails!

But I did catch some shots of horses, and the snow and a cute new charm/necklace.

This past week we had a cow prolapse, the tractor loader went caput and we had a blizzard.

The necklace is $35 and the charm is $10.00 Both are $45 together.

Higgins, the dirtiest papillon in America, kicking it in the snow:

My pretty filly, Dolce:

I didn’t take this photo, but you can see that the loader kind of gave up the ghost. It wrecked the hood and the radiator, and of course isn’t usable. Poor Big Green- at least he’s at the shop now.

At some point I’ll post my recipe for Chicken Marsala:

Because Big Green is caput, the neighbor had to come feed the cows on Wednesday before the blizzard got here. I got to pull netwrap off the bales. It’s good exercise.

I made blueberry waffles. From scratch. I’m sure you’re all shocked. I decided next time I make them, I’m putting bacon in them. I’ll call them Bacon Blueberry Waffles. Doesn’t that sound awesome?

The old home of Chief Swiftbird. I thought the light in this shot was pretty.

MJ! She’s such a good dog!

I took this photo of Gump and Dino yesterday. They’re so handsome. Dino (L), Gump (R)

There’s snow everywhere:

And finally, a photo from yesterday afternoon, after the blizzard:

Happy Trails! Enjoy your weekend!