leanin' H
Well-known member
The weather has started acting like December so we've had to start acting like cowboys. It's been fridged but dry until this week. Finally the snow has begun to stick and we figured we ought'a get the cows down closer in preparation for the trip across the desert. When we got to the ranch about 5 inches of snow greeted us, along with some low clouds. The cows are scattered out on those cedar ridges ya can't see because of the fog and the closer ridges.
So Phil and I went a horseback whilst my Padre scouted for us on a wheeler. Snowy cedars are pretty. So is the veiw between a horse's ears!
The ridges held a few cows but the bottoms held more.
I dropped off lower and picked up a dozen or so while Phil went high to check a corner and pick up a couple. They looked at us like.... "It's about time ya came to get us!" :roll: Don't ya just hate smirking bovines? :wink:
They had a good scatter on them chasing grass in the cedars. They looked good to me for the time of year. The old desert grass drys out about July and gets kinda course through the fall. Snow freshens the feed a little, til it buries it.
I rode along like a dude in the bottom while the real cowman busted em' out'a the thick stuff. It's hard to get good help nowadays!
Ya ever had to go up to go down? :???: The cows didnt like the idea too well but we changed their minds. Up we went.
Trailing up through the old homestead to hit the horse trail west. We kept picking up cows as we went which is quite a bit better than losing them as ya go! :shock:
As the cows trailed you'd see a cow way off look at us in alarm and come just a trotting. Then she'd catch the bunch with a relieved look on her face and roll her eyes at ya like "thanks for leaving me"! Heading up the horse trail from Joe's canyon into burn canyon.
Snow flakes are falling on my hat!
Stringing along, singing a song, ridin' in a winter-wonderland!
It's a good thing i don't ride a mule or all you'd see was ears in my photography! I rode phil's pony, "Doc" today.
Through the sage in the flat country. Found 50 head and 4 bulls today. Another 70 tomorrow will make our day!
Off the hill and into the wing of the corral. We sorted off the bulls to trailer home. The cows will spend the night at the ranch in the lower field. Left the horses out tonight too. We'll go out tomorrow and find some more. Then we'll stick them with this bunch and put them all in Pasture nine till the drive across the desert and home for the winter.
Head scout in charge of finding lost or wayward cows or atleast their tracks. Also in charge of the coffee thermos and the donuts! He appears to have found a roadkilled rabbit and fashioned some sort of hat out of the carcass! :roll: Dad isn't nearly as concerned with looking good as staying warm. I on the other hand prefer a black felt hat and colder ears!
Phil and "Bandit". His vainity only approaches mine on the scale of vainess! His ears were cold too!
A shot of the old calving shed from the days they lived on the ranch year round. No day jobs, cell phones, power, TV, computers and a lot less public leaving open gates and such. I'd give a lot of money to go back in time! :wink:
The ranch house sits quiet in the fresh snow. Kinda lonely without smoke from the chimney and a light in the window. I'd give just about anything in this world if Grandma was there fussing about the kitchen makin' supper while Grandpa rolled a cigerette and teased us for not getting the whole bunch in one ride. Hope each of you're kids love and appreciate thier grandparents as much as I did mine. Please don't ever take them for granted! And go see em' if ya still are priviledged enough to have em' here!
The gate is up while the sun goes down. Back in civilization tonight with a warm fire, a full belly, stock chored, wood packed in, beautiful wife and two awesome kids watching a disney movie on the tube. A great day with a lot accomplished. Therapy from the world! God I love it! Have a great evening!
So Phil and I went a horseback whilst my Padre scouted for us on a wheeler. Snowy cedars are pretty. So is the veiw between a horse's ears!
The ridges held a few cows but the bottoms held more.
I dropped off lower and picked up a dozen or so while Phil went high to check a corner and pick up a couple. They looked at us like.... "It's about time ya came to get us!" :roll: Don't ya just hate smirking bovines? :wink:
They had a good scatter on them chasing grass in the cedars. They looked good to me for the time of year. The old desert grass drys out about July and gets kinda course through the fall. Snow freshens the feed a little, til it buries it.
I rode along like a dude in the bottom while the real cowman busted em' out'a the thick stuff. It's hard to get good help nowadays!
Ya ever had to go up to go down? :???: The cows didnt like the idea too well but we changed their minds. Up we went.
Trailing up through the old homestead to hit the horse trail west. We kept picking up cows as we went which is quite a bit better than losing them as ya go! :shock:
As the cows trailed you'd see a cow way off look at us in alarm and come just a trotting. Then she'd catch the bunch with a relieved look on her face and roll her eyes at ya like "thanks for leaving me"! Heading up the horse trail from Joe's canyon into burn canyon.
Snow flakes are falling on my hat!
Stringing along, singing a song, ridin' in a winter-wonderland!
It's a good thing i don't ride a mule or all you'd see was ears in my photography! I rode phil's pony, "Doc" today.
Through the sage in the flat country. Found 50 head and 4 bulls today. Another 70 tomorrow will make our day!
Off the hill and into the wing of the corral. We sorted off the bulls to trailer home. The cows will spend the night at the ranch in the lower field. Left the horses out tonight too. We'll go out tomorrow and find some more. Then we'll stick them with this bunch and put them all in Pasture nine till the drive across the desert and home for the winter.
Head scout in charge of finding lost or wayward cows or atleast their tracks. Also in charge of the coffee thermos and the donuts! He appears to have found a roadkilled rabbit and fashioned some sort of hat out of the carcass! :roll: Dad isn't nearly as concerned with looking good as staying warm. I on the other hand prefer a black felt hat and colder ears!
Phil and "Bandit". His vainity only approaches mine on the scale of vainess! His ears were cold too!
A shot of the old calving shed from the days they lived on the ranch year round. No day jobs, cell phones, power, TV, computers and a lot less public leaving open gates and such. I'd give a lot of money to go back in time! :wink:
The ranch house sits quiet in the fresh snow. Kinda lonely without smoke from the chimney and a light in the window. I'd give just about anything in this world if Grandma was there fussing about the kitchen makin' supper while Grandpa rolled a cigerette and teased us for not getting the whole bunch in one ride. Hope each of you're kids love and appreciate thier grandparents as much as I did mine. Please don't ever take them for granted! And go see em' if ya still are priviledged enough to have em' here!
The gate is up while the sun goes down. Back in civilization tonight with a warm fire, a full belly, stock chored, wood packed in, beautiful wife and two awesome kids watching a disney movie on the tube. A great day with a lot accomplished. Therapy from the world! God I love it!
Have a great evening!
