Thanksgiving

I guess many people take this day to give thanks to God for all they have. I seem to do that almost everyday, so that’s not really my deal. Oh, I give thanks, but I do that pretty much everyday anyway. What I like about Thanksgiving is all my family coming home. My kids and grandkids. We don’t get to do that nearly as often as I like.

I always thought it was strange, when I was young, when my mother or father wanted to go to one of their brothers or sisters houses for a holiday or for no reason, other than to get together. I mean, all they did was visit and play cards. To a kid, that seemed kind of odd.

Now I get it.

I hope you all had a great time in what ever way you got to spend this day.

And especially, Thank You, to all who sacrifice for  country and kin.

Hunters

The other day a friend from down in the Hills called to let me know he would be in the area hunting. They had located a Walk In Area where the public is allowed to hunt. He and his father in law planned to pack in with his horse and mule, set up camp and spend the next few days hunting. I told him I’d try to get over to their camp and visit and that they were welcome to drop over here if they needed food or a shower or even a place to hunt for a couple if they didn’t fill their tags.

Yesterday I was out in the corral training on a horse and some calves, enjoying the nice day. Cindy came out to the corral to tell me my hunters were on the way. Hmmm….

When they got here they explained that they had run onto the guy who manages the land where this WIA is located and he had told them they were not allowed to ride or hunt the WIA land, they had to do everything afoot. And they were not allowed to camp there. There is BLM land nearby, but he said they couldn’t access it except afoot. He was polite and not a jerk about it.

As I understand it, there is a section line around every section of ground in this western half of the state. A landowner can not stop anyone from access, thru’ the section lines. Section lines can be closed, but also opened back up. They can make you stay on the section line and if they are unfenced you’d have to have a map and/or GPS, but in this day and age with cell phones, it’s not too difficult to find where anything is if you have the coordinates.

Walk In Area’s are privately owned ground the the Game Fish and Parks pays a fee to the landowner and then public hunting is allowed. You can not use a motorized vehicle of any kind on it. But as far as I can see, no where does it say you can not use a horse or mule. Or even an oxen if you had one and were so moved.

So they stayed here and we went on a hunt yesterday afternoon and again this morning. Other than having the father in law, not listen to my advice and being too much of an eager beaver and not following the plans on how to hunt this place, it went well and they got 5 does. They had tags for 6. So we thinned out the doe population pretty easily. Glad they got their deer and that I could help. But this WIA deal really turns my crank.

If your going to take the money, allow the hunters. And know the laws and rules. You can not deny access to anyone on property they are allowed on. And anyone nd everyone is allowed on BLM land. It is PUBLIC land. We are the PUBLIC.

All of US.

Makes me want to go over there and test the waters, so to speak, but I do not have a tag and hate to get in an argument wit a person who is managing land he does not own. But I will have a discussion with those who do own the land and see what the deal is.

At least I had fun training on my horse and the calves!

Good read on the OWS movement

Jim over at The Travis McGee Reader, as per usual, nailed it on the head.

Go here;

http://love-a-luddite.blogspot.com/2011/11/occupy-heros-police-heros.html#links

(Just copy and paste the above line into your line on top of your page then click on the arrow or whatever to make the computer go whiz, bang and take you to this excellent read.)

Or you can do as I do and just go to his site most days and read his excellent musings. There is a link right over there to the left side on this blog under my blog roll.

Sounds to me like the Fleaparty is mostly a bunch of this generations excuse for filthy hippies. Like so many, they whine about wanting change but come up with no good ideas about how to change anything. Kind of like spoiled little children. “We don’t wanna go to beddddd! Why can’t I eat candy for supper??????”

 

Dang

We are supposed to get wind and snow coming in tonight and it’s going to be more snow and wind up in the Hills where were were going to hold the event, When the Works All Done This Fall. So we decided to postpone it to another day. Maybe right after the first of the year?

We got the pregging done and hauled the opens in to St Onge yesterday. I am going out after bit and feed all the livestock behind the protection of the windbreaks Sounds like this is going to be a fast moving storm and not a lot of snow. Hopefully it will get nice afterwords and melt it off and we will have an open winter with not too cold of temps. Hey, I can have wishful thinking!

Pretty nice out there today.

Shipping

We shipped the calves today. Well the bigger share of them anyway. Still a fair amount bawling in the corral across from their mothers. We preg check tomorrow. Market seemed good or really great, considering past year. I ain’t complaining, but when you consider the cost of fuel and equipment, the prices really are not that high, just higher than we have had in the past and the inputs are higher also, so I guess maybe it’s a wash. Anyway, it’s the highest priced calves we’ve ever sold. we’d have liked to see them weigh more, but all the calves are lighter this year and I am just thankful we had good luck and they didn’t all die and we got in on a good market.

Family

Tate and Kass and family came out Friday night and we were up early Saturday morning looking for a deer for Tate. he got a nice buck, tho’ it wasn’t the one he thought he was after. I had seen one with a weird set of antlers and mentioned he’d be a good one to take out of the gene pool. Great shot, running at about 325 yards anyway.  A 308 really puts them down. He hit him perfect, so it really didn’t matter. Big bodied buck with lots of meat. It’s all cut and ground and there is still a tag for a doe to fill at some time.

Chance and Hope and family will be out Monday afternoon as we are shipping the calves on Tuesday. I might start gathering them in closer tomorrow. supposed to cool off and get some wind. But it’s sure been nice weather.

I cleaned on the shop a little today and put a bunch of junk in one of those huge plastic bags I get grain in. then Tate helped me take the rest of the loader off the old Hydro tractor so they guy who traded for it can haul it away handier. Still have the mounts for the dozer on it, but he’s going to have to split it anyway, so I decided to wait and just help him take it off at that time. Unless I need it sooner and I doubt it.

Dang, missing them grand kids already, but it sure is peaceful around here! 😉

Horses

I went out and caught and hooked up Ron and Ren and drove them afoot quite awhile and then hooked them to the chariot and drove them a lot on the big corral. Ol’ Ren done great for a silly filly! I then messed with Rill in the round pen. While working these horses today, and noting the date, I got to thinking of all the great horses and animals who gave their lives in the service of this great nation and through out history, for the betterment (?) of mankind. Made me think of Joel Nelsons great poem that Wylie Gustafson set to music and that Ken Cook always insists I sing, and I gladly oblige him, as I think it is one of the greatest most powerful, best said, essays on the horse.  Here it is. If you should ever use this or any poem for that matter, please remember the Authors name. Maybe then that author, ol’ Anonymous won’t get the credit for so many!

Equus Caballus

I have run on middle fingernail through eolithic morning,
I have thundered down the coach road with the Revolution’s warning.
I have carried countless errant knights who never found the grail.
I have strained before the caissons I have moved the nation’s mail.


I’ve made knights of lowly tribesmen and kings from ranks of peons

And given pride and arrogance to riding men for eons.

I have grazed among the lodges and the tepees and the yurts.
I have felt the sting of driving whips and lashes, spurs and quirts.
      I am roguish—I am flighty—I am inbred—I am lowly.
      I’m a nightmare—I am wild—I am the horse.
      I am gallant and exalted—I am stately—I am noble.

      I’m impressive—I am grand—I am the horse.


I have suffered gross indignities from users and from winners,
And I’ve felt the hand of kindness from the losers and the sinners.
I have given for the cruel hand and given for the kind.
Heaved a sigh at Appomattox when surrender had been signed.

I can be as tough as hardened steel—as fragile as a flower.
I know not my endurance and I know not my own power.
I have died with heart exploded ’neath the cheering in the stands—
Calmly stood beneath the hanging noose of vigilante bands.

       I have traveled under conqueror and underneath the beaten.

       I have never chosen sides—I am the horse.

      The world is but a players stage—my roles have numbered many;
      Under blue or under gray—I am the horse.
So I’ll run on middle fingernail until the curtain closes,
And I will win your triple crowns and I will wear your roses.
Toward you who took my freedom I’ve no malice or remorse.
I’ll endure—This Is My Year—I am the Horse!


© 2002, Joel Nelson