Ranch Life

The daily in and outs of ranch life.

Don’t Worry He Only Reads the Funnies

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Recently my mailbox was knocked off its hinges. The mailman let me know that he would not leave my mail until it was fixed and I would need to pick it up in town. 

Well we gathered up the welder and water in the sprayer. Gotta have water so that I can extinguish any fires. The grass is really dry and it would not be a good time to have a fire. 

After it was all fixed. We were no closer to figuring out how it was knocked over. We assumed someone hit it. But there really were not any tracks. 

My neighbor happened to be driving by and snapped a picture of the offender in action. 

  
As you can see he had my mail on the ground. Luckily I have an awesome neighbor and she put it all into my daughters car. This mailbox is 4 miles from my house and I am known to let it go for a few weeks before I pick it up. I just never go that way. 

Hopefully he had his fill of itching on my mailbox and my mail will now be slobber free. 

A Little Stowaway 

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Life on the ranch is always filled with new adventures and excitement and yesterday was no different. 

My puppy, who at 9 months is really looking more like a dog than a pup, is quite the busy bee. She is always chasing a rabbit or harassing the kittens. Well yesterday I looked outside to see a raccoon hiding from Boo under my truck. Yes, a coon was under my vehicle. The major problem is that I had less than an hour before I needed to head to town. 

I kept my eye on my vehicle as the raccoon disappeared up into my engine compartment. I hoped it would make its way out before I left. 

On my way to town, I never heard a sound and really prayed that as I was getting ready it made its way out into the pasture. 

Low and behold as John and I were waiting for his football practice to begin, we heard a sound. Yes, it was in there. I gathered up the nerve to open the hood. The poor guy was so hit from the engine heat. 

  
We went to John’s game with hopes it would climb out and go into the large spruce tree in front of my truck. Well no such luck. JJ grabbed it by the tail and threw it towards the tree. We Ll stayed way back just in case it decided to eat JJ. 

It landed on its feet and scurried under the tree. A few moments later several birds flew out a little ways up. I felt safe saying it was now I that tree, and now the problem of the high school.  

 

County Fair

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The kids did awesome today. John received 5th in intermediate showmanship, champion in class 4 market beef at 1347 lbs, and overall reserve champion for the market class. Loganne received grand champion in FFA showmanship, 2nd place in class 2 market at 1184 lbs, and reserve champion with pen of 3. 
   

   
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
 

  
 

Last day of trailing Heifers

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Our journey always begins with heifers running for all they have as they exit the feedlot. They are on their way to our mountain property high in the Laramie Mountain Range near Laramie Peak. 

Over the years we have had various hired hands, friends, and even a few that should never have come along help us. However now that our children are getting older. We have help that is gaining more and more knowledge about cow work every year. 

The picture below is all 5 cousins. The oldest is my 15 year old daughter and the youngest is 7. They were doing a fantastic job moving cows.    
    

 Outdoor Therapy

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Today is one of those days for being outside. It Is one of those days where you just want to stay outside and find anything to do. You know the kind of day where you want to find anything so you don’t have to go back in your house and clean.

This morning has been one of those. One of the cows in the lot calved, but she pushed it outside. The hubby looked and looked but never could find it. I found it snuggled up in the shade beside a tree. Tucked under a fallen limb, just as content as could be. I reunited the pair and away they went. 

Then we got down to some much needed springtime work. One of those chores that vine every year, fence fixing. I really love fixing fence. Looking for lost staples out of a fence post and then putting them back just does something to my soul. Maybe it is the history lover in me or maybe just the nostalgia of it all, but knowing that I am putting in a staple that someone else put in 50+ years ago it warms me. I feel connected to the past. I feel that I am keeping up their hard work. So today that is what I did. 

  

And now off I go. My son and I are headed to Sheridan where he is competing. I am stopping to pick up a kitchen aid professional mixer I bought in an auction last night it is a Hobart made one. I am so excited I love the larger ones. 

Aboo likes to help. Well she likes to run around anyway.