The daily in and outs of ranch life.
Well she went into labor this morning just as we were preparing to ultrasound our cows and heifers here at the north ranch.
She was having nothing to do with her bed area in the back room. She wanted to see the action. Actually she wanted outside to be in the action. I will post pictures soon
With the upcoming litter in a few days, I have placed Jipsey on mandatory maternity leave. We worked calves and one jumped her and landed on her leg. I decided that was too close. So she is staying home now.
She is not taking it very well. A working dog does not enjoy seeing others move cows or load up to go work.
This is her laying on the bed watching the other dogs move calves away from the house. She moved cows the day after she had pups last time. I’m sure she will be ready to go just as soon.
I really can’t complain about moving cattle when this is my backdrop.
As I have shared many times, my dog Jipsey is amazing!! Well it depends on who you ask, but I think she is amazing. She strives to work and then is a great people dog. Being a people dog is one of the qualities I really like in a dog and some border collies, just don’t really care for people. They have the let me work and then leave me alone mentality. This is what my husband looks for in his dogs.
Since Jipsey started working cows, I have had a few people interested in pups out of her and our male Joe. I feel that they will balance each other so well. After attending a working dog clinic in Kearney, Nebraska in February, I feel that I have a better understanding of these amazing dogs and I am ready to get her working harder. So with that I decided that with her next heat I would breed her and Joe. Then I could begin working her and my friends would have their pups.
January 19, Jipsey came into heat. Not long afterwards we found out we are having puppies!! We are totally crazy!! Today is approximately day 56 and we are on pins and needles. I think it is worse than when I was pregnant. I wake up all hours checking on her. She is so miserable and I know ready to be done.
I will keep you informed. . . .
Isn’t he just the prettiest red/white border you have ever seen. Well maybe not the prettiest, but he is pretty awesome.
She was one of my husband’s roping heifers and then became a pet. She is always the first up to eat cake out of your hand. Love this lady.
Yesterday started out just as any other. I woke up, cooked breakfast for the kids. Then off to the school bus stop we go. I wished my lovely studious little children a good day and headed back to the ranch. Wow, what a grand life.
Once I was back in the house the plans for the day were discussed. My wonderful hubby gave me the details of the rest of my day. He was going to work on a few things, then after lunch we would move cows to another pasture. Burr, I thought. Then, bless his heart, he informed me that I could ride in the truck and call the cows, while he rode the four-wheeler behind. I tell you I almost screamed with joy. Yeah, won’t be cold.
This is the 5 ton feeding truck. Now you see why I enjoy driving it.
The rest of the morning I worked on cleaning out our old email account and doing a few other odds and ends. I joined JJ in the kitchen for a quick lunch and out the door we went.
It ended up I was driving the 5 ton army truck. Not a problem. I loaded up the dogs. In this I do mean I literally loaded them up. It is a ways up there. JJ had already loaded the 600 pounds of cake into the cake feeder. I was headed up ahead of him to start gathering the cows.
I love driving this huge truck. I am the king of the road, I am high up and can see everything. The dogs, I am not sure what they think. It’s loud. It’s bumpy. But they enjoy being with me, so down the road we go.
You know that feeling when things are just great. When your flying high on life because, well what can go wrong. It was a beautiful although windy day in the high 30’s. Moving cows is always fun. I was going to enjoy this time.
Then Wham!!! It all goes down the drain.
I got too close to the shoulder. Our new road that the oilfield companies recently built has a very steep shoulder. Let me say a 5 ton truck on a steep shoulder. Oh yeah, I was in a panic. I just new I was turning over. I quickly removed my foot from the gas and let it go down the shoulder and out into the pasture. Well army trucks don’t stop when your foot comes off the gas. They go, and go. I panicked. Then there it is. A large embankment. More like a motocross jump looking hill was coming at me fast. I remembered the brake and both feet hit it at once.
Did I mention I had 600 pds of cake in the cake feeder on the back of the truck. Well I did when I started. OPPS!!
I got it stopped as I crested the first hill. The cake feeder flew off the truck. When I looked back the cake was spread from the moment I left the road all the way to that hill. Well I drove it back up on the road.
I faced the facts. I had to call the hubby. I already checked the cake feeder, it was not damaged. Wheww. but it was definitely empty. oh noooo!
Well I called him and mentioned I was in a little accident. He was concerned but when I mentioned the cake was no longer available to feed with, well plans had to change.
He showed up, we moved the truck. The new plans were discussed. I would be riding a four-wheeler along with him on the motorcycle to move cows. Did I mention the fact I was going to be riding in truck, so I did not dress for being outside. He did take pity and give me his stocking hat. It was out of pure pity, I know.
Well it all worked out. The cows got moved, I survived riding in the cold. We picked up the kids and he didn’t kill me for spilling 600 pds of feed.
Well today we went up and scooped as much as we could and I picked up some more by hand. Everything worked out. I think at the end we managed to gather up around 300 pounds of cake and a lot of dirt!
You know, some people get excited about black and white border collies, but not me. I love being different. I like to stand out. For example even though I am from East Tennessee I don’t root for the Vols. Oh no, I’m a Bama fan. Mostly because I wanted to go against the norm. Same with dogs. I want to stand out, to be seen. When we are trailing cows I can easily spot my dogs among the dogs. It’s just in my nature I guess.
Well I started with Joe. He is my male. I have to also mention that he tends to think he’s human. If you are around him long you will notice his distinct personality. Unlike most border collies he is a people dog. He wants love and attention. He has a pain threshold that is above the norm and therefore he must be monitored or he will destroy himself to work for you. In the past two years he has broken a front leg that required a confinement (that he enjoyed emensly), he has had allergic reactions to the sun, a growth has developed in one eye, so he is on constant prednisone. Two weeks ago he had three teeth pulled. Let’s just say life for a cattle dog is hard at 8 years old he is starting to age. He no longer can trail and must be put up when we trail near the house, because he will show up and work through the pain to do his job. He is such an amazing dog not only as a pet and friend, but also a top notch working dog.
Next we have Tink. She is Joe’s daughter. She has tremendous instinct and has been an amazing cattle dog. She has his personality, but is more timid to people. Her one vice is thunder. Oh my, when it storms you defiant her inside. When we have not been home and a storm has come up she has literally ripped every screen trying to get in. She likes to venture and lives attention. My daughter used her in dog classes through 4-H and she did great. She has become the go to dog for my husband since Joe’s retirement.
Last is my dog Jipsey. Oh dear where to begin with this one. She has drive and determination that goes beyond the norm. She can’t wait to work cows and lives for feeding time. At this point she is still living inside because her work ethic will take her away from the house. You either give her cows to work, or she will find some cows. They will may be ours or the neighbors it need not matter. If they are in sight, they need to go somewhere. At a little over a year, I just love her. She is progressing nicely with commands and is really starting to transition into wanting to please me with her work rather than just work.
I’m waiting for her to come back into heat to breed her with Joe. I have several people waiting for these pups and with Joe’s advancing age, it must be done soon.
Well these are our reds. Our joy and our love. Cattle work could not happen without them. They are as much a part of our operation as the people on horseback.
This has been my go to cow for several years in our herd. She always came up to eat cake out of my hand. She was sold this year. I miss you old lady!
The Modern Ranch Wife 