Summer Storm

We had a wild storm here today.  In 10-15 minutes we got .2 inches of rain/hail; it was awesome.

The Prairie Kid really wanted to know what it was like outside so he bundled up and went out to feel the hail falling after it lightened up a bit.   : )

Birthday Blessings

It was my 35th birthday yesterday.  I don't usually like sticking around our own hometown celebration but every few years; it gets a little monotonous.  This year we decided to venture up to Red Lodge, MT for our 4th of July.  We went to their parade and were planning to go to the rodeo but our plans changed a little.

We met up with our friends and the kids were happy that Red Lodge, unlike Cody, hasn't banned the throwing of candy from the floats!

They waited for the floats with the loot

We managed to get one photo of the group

We were SO glad we didn't end up at the rodeo; there was a HUGE storm that hit mid-afternoon and it POURED and hailed for an hour and a half!  We were so thankful to get a table in a restaurant for the ENTIRE storm.  When we were ready to leave, it cleared up! 

We decided to go for a drive in some of the MOST INCREDIBLE country I've ever been.  It is a place I've been before and I never get over thinking it is heaven on earth. 

On the drive we saw this young moose

And some wild turkeys

 We also saw elk and deer and babies and then on the ride home we had these amazing views:

We made it just in time to eat cake and watch fireworks.  What a blessed birthday!

Greener Pastures

Today was the day.  It was time to move cows across the ranch.  We almost always get to ride in June and I didn't know if it was going to happen this year but it finally did!

I got to ride a new horse that they brought down from the other ranch.  The horse that I have ridden for 2 years, High Noon, is no longer with us so I was a little nervous this morning finding out what Augustus was like.

He was not fun or easy to catch but I made sure to move slow and let him think I was just going to pet him after I got him in an alley and shut a gate.  He finally let me put the rope around his neck and halter him.  He was fine until I tried to bridle him and threw his head around some but from then on out we were pretty good.  I guess he didn't like it when I would ask him to stop while moving cows and in the corral when we had to stop pushing cows he got pretty anxious and picked up both feet and did some hoppity-hopping with me. 

He was beautifully responsive to reigning and legs and had some great get-up-and-go but not too much that I had to hold him back.  And he had no issues going through water or boggy areas, which was a welcome change from High Noon LAUNCHING across water with me.   

We got The Prairie Daddy to get a picture before we headed out.  This is Bart and Augustus (aka Gus)

The grass is so beautiful this time of year.  Here is our barn, shop and brother's house

Uncle was helpful on getting things adjusted

Shabby view up Meeteetse Creek of Carter Mountain

The Nephew

Franc's Peak in the background

Uncle and Nephew and Franc's Peak

My little cowboy is horsey enough now to take the camera and take pictures of me while still on his horse! 

There were beautiful blue bells on the hill

Mama and baby didn't know what to do with 4 horses, 2 ATV's and a bunch of cows

Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side...

Move along lil' doggies

The herd looks good but there was a storm brewing in the mountains

The two nephews and The Prairie Kid bringing the cows to the corral

These draws are the hardest part of the ride but having a horse that doesn't launch over them made my day much smoother!

After we dropped the cows off at the hay field that they were destined for we picked up the Hereford bulls from our upper pens and took them to greener pastures also

They have been in a pen for weeks with hay and they were like kids in a candy store to be out on the fresh grass

It was a great day!  And the storm went around us so we didn't get drenched!

Just Another Night

It was just another slightly beautiful drive to check water tonight.  (Yes, I am totally being sarcastic.  It was AMAZING!!!)

Three adorable baby antelope

Two baby elk with their moms in the distance.  You can only see one of them because the other is tucked under the mom on the right

Another amazing Wyoming sky over Franc's Peak

And a gorgeous sunset reflecting off clouds over our reservoir

I am blessed beyond words to get to see the creation of our Creator day after day in this way. 

Incredible Hour

I have so much blog catching up to do but before I worry about that I am just going to post on tonight.

We drove up the road to check our water at the Joe Moss head gate at the base of the mountain.  I have been craving a good does of baby animal viewing and tonight we got to make up for some of it.

Look at those cute little baby antelope!!!

There is nothing like a Wyoming sky, and having elk in the shot is even better!

Elk rarely stay put like this for photos

This little mule deer baby didn't move at all while we watched.  We didn't stay long because we wanted to respect the little one and it's mama.

We've seen this moose twice this week.  Tonight was a better view and I had the camera : )

I love it up at Joe Moss.  Look at how beautiful it is!

And as we came back from the base of the mountain a thunderstorm rolled in so quickly with low-lying clouds coming from a different direction and displayed the most incredible lightening storm we've ever seen.  After we got home I read that there was a severe thunder storm warning with up to 70mph gusts, quarter-size hail and possible tornadoes.  And it did hail a bit, some that large, when I was reading the warning.  It was too dark to see if there were any funnel clouds around but it was that kind of an eerie storm.  The video doesn't do it justice but it is still cool. 

Hereford Calves

We usually use registered black Angus bulls on our commercial black Angus cows.  But this last year we bought Hereford bulls to cross breed for a little more genetic diversity.  The Herefords cross well with Angus and add a little more docility.  They are a great compliment to black Angus structurally as well.

We call the cross bred calves black-white face.  They are so cute!  There was even a red calve at Dad's ranch this year.

We weaned this week, preg-checked, vaccinated, wormed and de-horned.  The heifers also got freeze branded.  We've never had to de-horn before; it was a learning process!   There were only three calves that had horns or buds. 

Looks like it would hurt but she didn't make a sounds or kick or anything

 

The Prairie Kid didn't have a specific job so part of the day he was a little bored.  He wanted to have an important job like vaccinating but he isn't ready for that quite yet.

 

Happy Resurrection Day!

There was more than one miracle on Easter morning this year. 

1. Jesus' tomb is empty!
2. I got up before The Prairie Kid and was able to have breakfast AND the basket ready!

Here is the sleepy head checking out his loot

Whole wheat bunny pancakes with honey cinnamon butter anyone?

Why, yes, don't mind if I do!