Ain’t been writing in here for a spell.

I do have a good excuse. See, I was on this bronc, trying to gather cattle on hard icy ground. This ol’ jughead I was ridings was pretty bad about stumbling and would break in two with me pretty often. I was trying to gather a bunch of silly snakes who had been ungathered for several years as they was just too crafty at getting away. The pasture they were in was about 2000 acres, rough, nasty, full of cedar breaks and most of it steeper than a cows face!

Several of us were hired to clear and ship them out as after this drought all the feed was gone. Water was about all gone and the nasty ol rips were about to starve to death, When we got to the pasture, turns out a few didn’t show up. The other 3 of us were all old time fellers, when we give our word to do a job, we are gong to do it, come hell or high water!

We all knew the lay of the land, made our battle plan and proceeded to gather the “wild bovine”. The shipping pens were on the south end, in the bottom of a draw where it started to flatten out. So we go to the north and luckily had a strong cold wind from the north help us drift them ol’ hussies to the pens. There weren’t but about 150 head of them. Somehow they had managed to get most of the calves off them last fall, so we had just pretty much cows to gather. What few calves were with them, were bound to flow along good, was our thinking.

We get around them, start whooping and hollering down in the draws and canyons and you would have swore there was 30 of us instead of just three. The cows are tearing thru’ the brush, looking to get away, but one of us was on each side and one in the back and we kept them headed straight down the canyon we wanted. When we got to flat where the pens were, there was a couple of wings on either side that narrowed down to the pens that would funnel them in…it wast just like clock work!

When you get almost to the bottom, there was a side canyon/draw where one side of the wings didn’t quite go to and I am not sure why. That was the spot everybody else who’d tried to gather them would lose them. We all know that and as luck would have it, that was on the side I was winging them on. I am hustling along, not getting to far back to lose any behind me and yet trying to stay as far forward as I can so as to be there and block that exit for them. 

Things is looking great, everything going well and we are almost to the wings when the leaders see what is happening and make a break for that gap between the wing and the end of the canyon. I was having to stay kind of on the side hill and when I see them looking to go that way, I squalled and turned ol’ Puddinfoot loose. Man, we was flying!

Next thing you know the dang horse stumbles, don’t catch himself and down we go, end over end! Last thing I remember was seeing a big rock headed straight for my head!

When I woke up… I realized it was all just a bad dream from similar experiences in my youth! I was so scared I couldn’t talk and darn sure couldn’t write nothing until know!

Those you who know me know that not being able to talk is plumb unnatural!!!

Anyway, now you know why I missed last weeks assignment. Baring any future dreams, I will sure try and stay ahead of this deal!

Until next time, don’t let your horse get you down with your head under you!!!