Fall

I worked on the kennel/doghouse/old chicken house today. Made a couple of pens for dogs. Bob and Shadow want to whip up on Buck so he has been staying in the horse trailer. At times, that is a bit inconvenient. So I made a couple pens and left a large area so I could pen three dogs separately or pair some up or whatever the occasion demands. Rode down and checked calves this late afternoon. My timing was a bit off as by the time I went to ride the wind had really picked up.

Off real early in the morning for the legendary Take It Outdoors blog hunt for pheasants. Wish me luck!

Hmmmmm….

Haven’t posed for a couple days. Not a lot going on.

I did haul the last heifer up to the owner -the one we missed when we shipped them all home- yesterday and also took my 3 little yearling steers to Belle to the sale. I didn’t stay real long at the sale, but they sure want any bovine walking on 4 legs. Big ol’ corrientee steers brought over a buck a pound.

I hauled the heifer out to Paul and Judy’s and then headed back thru’ Spearfish to talk to people about sponsoring our gig we have coming up in November.

Going up to Help Brad and Dean preg today. Trying to decide on taking my filly or Mijo or maybe even Pilgrim, seeing as Chance left him here and keeps telling me how nice he’s getting.

Had a Church class/meeting last night. Real informative.

Cold nights and up to about 50’s last few days, with some wind.

Headed back east early Sunday morning for pheasant hunting for the day.

Shippin’

‘Tis the season for the reason!

Or in other words,  the reason we all do what we do. For this day. When you “harvest” the crop. That crop being calves, mostly, in this country, tho’ some raise yearlings, but by and large, most raise cows who have calves, who get sold in the fall, barring the small ones and the replacement heifers held back for future cows. We pen ’em, sort ’em and shop’ ’em. We work 365 days a year for this one paycheck. And don’t think that we ain’t working 365. Even on holidays the cattle come first. Hell, we even work them when we play, so to speak, in the way we do the work. We make many of the days we work, a celebration of the life. We neighbor and the crews come together to do much of the work. Those who don’t neighbor in this area have historically not lasted. I think, as independent as we all are, we also know deep down, we need each other to survive.

So we help each other at the drop of a hat or when asked. Depending on need and the time of the year.

Anyway, this was a pretty typical fall shipping day. Up and travel to the pasture before light and riding in the dark and getting to the backside when you can make out a cow critter and stat driving them towards the shipping pens. Here’s the morning in pictures.  Click to make them larger.

What we been doing

Yesterday the urchins insisted we drive the team so we went down south and picked up the empty lick and mineral barrels and some posts. Then this morning we went over to Bud’s and worked Buck on some sheep. He liked them! 😉

When we got home I hung a gate I had patched up, on the new small corral behind the horse barn. It ain’t as pretty as a new gate, but sure didn’t cost as much and it will work.

Here’s proof that I haven’t killed them yet. 🙂

This the good stuff!

Just got this in an email from a friend, evidently in response to my posts of the grandkids AKA: the miniature terrorists!

I am trying to get him to start a blog and post more of this kind of stuff. He writes remarkable stuff, but has no idea how good it is. Please, if you enjoy this, let him know, thru’ the comments. Please excuse the font as The Blindman is truly, almost blind, so has very large expanded font he writes in and I can’t seem to get it to translate over here to WordPress. My fault, not his.

Enjoy. 🙂

I   don’t   k n o w   h o w   i t   h a p p e n e d .   H a d   I   k n o w n   t h e n   w h a t   I   k n o w   n o w   m a y b e   t h i n g s   w o u l d   b e   d i f f e r e n t .   A h   h e l l,   w h o   a m   I   t r y ing   t o   f o o l,   t h i n g s   w o u l d   b e   j u s t   t h e   s a m e   a s   t h e y   a r e   n o w .

I t   a l l   s t a r t e d   t h r e e   m o n t h s   a g o   w h e n   o u r   d a u g h t e r  and  o u r   t h r e e   g r a n d s o n s   c a m e   t o   l i v e   w i t h   u s   f o r   a   w h i l e .   T h e   t w i n s,   C o r b i n   a n d   C h a s e ,  a r e   f o u r   y e a r s   o l d   a n d
N o a h   i s   a   l i t t l e   s h y   o f   t w o .   M e a n w h i l e   o u r   d a u g h t e r
i s   t w e n t y   f o u r   g o i n g   o n   s e v e n t e e n   a n d   i t   m a k e s   f o r
s o m e   i n t e r e s t i n g   m o m e n t s   h e r e   o n   P a s s   C r e e k .

T h e   f i r s t   t h i n g   I   l e a r n e d   w a s   t h a t   I   w o u l d   h a v e
m u l t i p l e   j o b s   a n d   w o u l d   b e   e x p e c t e d   t o  ‚ ¨  m u l t i   t a s k ‚     a t   a n y   g i v e n   m o m e n t,   d a y   o r   n i g h t .   T h e   s e c o n d   t h i n g   I   l e a r n e d   w a s   t h a t   I   m i g h t   n o t   l i k e   w h a t   I   w a s   g o i n g   t o   d o.   b u t   I   w a s   j u s t   g o i n g   t o   h a v e   t o   d o   i t   a n y w a y .   I t ‘s
s a d   r e a l l y ,   I   s p e n t   t h e   f i r s t   f i f t y   y e a r s   o f   m y   l i f e
t r y i n g   l i k e   h e l l   t o   s t a y   a w a y   f r o m   k i d s   o f   a n y   k i n d .
N o w   w i t h o u t   s o   m u c h   a s   an   o n l i n e   c l a s s   i n   b e i n g   a
g r a n d p a   I   w a s   t h r o w n   t o   t h e   w o l v e s   a n d   I   h a d   t o
l e a r n   t o   f l y   b y   t h e   s e a t   o f   m y   p a n t s   o r   d i e .

W e   w i l l   t a l k   a b o u t   a   c o u p l e   o f   m y   n e w   j o b s   h e r e .  F i r s t,   l e t s   t a l k   a b o u t   m y   l i f e   a s   a n   i n v e s t i g a t o r .  On e  m o r n i ng   w h e n   I   w e n t   i n   t o   g e t   t h e   t w i n s   u p   C o r b i n   h a d   w e t
p a n t s .   I   o f   c o u r s e   a s k   C h a s e   h o w   t h a t   h a p p e n e d   a n d
h e   s a i d   ‚ ¨ I   d o n ‚ t   r e a l l y   w a n t   t o   s a y   a n y t h i n g   b e c a u s e   C o r b i n   i s   o n e   o f   m y   o w n . “

T h e n   I   a s k e d   C o r b i n   h o w   h i s   p a n t s   g o t   w e t   a n d   w a s
t o l d   ‚ ¨I   t h i n k   Ch a s e   p e e d   o n   m e   i n   t h e   n i g h t . ‚ ¨

N o w ,  I   k n e w   I   c o u l d n ‘t   t a k e   a c t i o n   o n   t h i s   m a t t e r
b e c a u s e   e v e n   t h o u g h   t h e   e v i d e n c e   p o i n t e d   t o w a r d
C o r b i n   a s   t h e   p e r p e t r a t o r   o f   t h e   c r i m e ,   I   c o u l d n’ t
p r o v e   b e y o n d   a   s h a d o w   o f   a   d o u b t   t h a t   h e   h a d   d o n e   i t .   I t   w a s   a b o u t   t h a t   t i m e   t h a t   t h e   l e a d   i n v e s t i g a t o r
G r a n d m a   B e l i n d a   c a m e   i n   t h e   r o o m .   A c t i o n   i s   s w i f t
h e r e ,   G r a n d m a   d i d n ‘t   h a v e   t h e   s a m e   d o u b t s   t h a t   I   d i d   a n d   t h e   c a s e   w a s   s o l v e d   b y   h e r   w i t h   n o   f u r t h e r
q u e s t i o n s   a s k e d .

I   a m   a l s o   a   j u d g e .   T h e   t h r e e   b o y s   w e r e   p l a y i n g   o n   t h e   d e c k   w i t h   a   c l o t h e s   b a s k e t .   I t s   f u n n y ,   y o u   c a n   h a v e
a l l   t h e   t o y s   i n   t h e   w o r l d   a n d   s o m e t h i n g   s i m p l e   l i k e
t h a t   c a n   g e t   t h e   r e s t   o f   t h e   w o r l d   o u t   o f   b a l a n c e .   I t
w a s   a b o u t   t h i s   t i m e   t h a t   a l l   t h r e e   y o u n g   m e n   d e c i d e d   t h a t   t h e y   i n d i v i d u a l l y   w a n t e d   t h e   b a s k e t   f o r   t h e i r
o w n .   Y e l l i n g   a n d   s c r e a m i n g ,   p u s h i n g   a n d   s h o v e l i n g
t o o k   p l a c e   a n d   i t   w a s   u p   t o   m e   t o   f i g u r e   o u t   w h o   w ould   g e t   t o   p l a y   w i t h   t h e   b a s k e t .   T h i s   i s   w h a t   I   g o t   o u t   o f   t h e   c o n v e r s a t i o n   t h a t   f o l l o w e d .   C h a s e   w a n t e d   t o   s u e   C o r b i n   a n d   N o a h   f o r   s t e a l i n g   t h e   b a s k e t   f r o m   h i m   i n
t h e   f i r s t   p l a c e .   C o r b i n   w a n t e d   t o   s u e   C h a s e   a n d   N o a h   f o r     m i s a p p r o p r i a t i o n   o f   a   t o y ,   a n d   N o a h   w a n t e d   to s u e   C h a s e   a n d   C o r b i n   f o r   b e i n g   o l d e r   a n d   m e a n   t o   a   b a b y .

T h e y   a l l   w a n t e d   t o   d e f e n d   t h e m s e l v e s   a n d   I   h a d  t o  t e l l   t h e m   t h a t   i f   t h e y   d i d   t h a t   t h e y   w o u l d   o n l y   h a v e   t h e m s e l v e s   t o   b l a m e   i f   t h e   v e r d i c t   w e n t   a g a i n s t   t h e m .   W e   w e r e   j u s t   g e t t i n g   s t a r t e d   w i t h   t h e   t r i a l   a n d   I   t h i n k
m a k i n g   s o m e   r e a l   h e a d w a y   w h e n   G r a n d m a  c a m e  o u t s i de   a n d   p i c k e d   u p   t h e   b a s k e t   a n d   a n n o u n c e d   t h a t   n o b o d y   w o u l d   b e   p l a y i n g   w i t h   i t   t h a t   d a y ,  a s   a l l   w e r e   g u i l t y
o f   t h e   s a m e   c r i m e .   I t   s e e m s   t h a t   e v e n   t h o u g h   I   a m   a
j u d g e ,   s h e   i s   t h e   o n e   a n d   o n l y   m e m b e r   o f   t h e   D i t h m e r   R a n c h   s u p r e m e   c o u r t .   N u f f   S a i d .

T h e n   t h e r e   i s   i n t e r p r e t e r .   T h e   t w i n s   c a n   t a l k   s o m e
E n g l i s h .   B u t   w h e n   t h e y   d o n ‘t   w a n t   y o u   t o   k n o w   w h a t
t h e y   a r e   s a y i n g   t h e y   t a l k   t h e i r   v e r y   o w n   l a n g u a g e .   I   w a s   s e t t i n g   o n   t h e   d e c k   t o   m o n i t o r   w h a t   t h e   k i d s  w e r e   d o i n g   w h e n   C o r b i n   c a m e   u p   a n d   s a i d   h e   h a d   t o   p e e .
G r a n d m a   h a d   t a u g h t   t h e m   t o   g o   a n d   p e e   o n   t h e   r o c k s   w h e n   t h e y   h a d   t o   g o   s o   I   j u s t   t o l d   h i m   t o   d o   t h a t .
T h e n   I   y e l l e d   a t   C h a s e   t o   d o   t h e   s a m e .   W e l l   I   h a d   b e e n   d r i n k i n g   c o f f e e   a l l   m o r n i n g   a n d   d a r n e d   i f   I   d i d n ‘t
h a v e   t o   g o   t o,   s o   I   w e n t   o n   d o w n   t h e   s t e p s   a n d   j o i n e d   t h e   t w i n s   s t a n d i n g   a b o v e   t h e   r o c k s .   I   h a d   a l m o s t
e m p t i e d   m y   b l a d d e r   w h e n   I   h e a r d   t h e   t w o   t a l k i n g  twins sp e a k ,   p o i n t i n g   a t   m e ,   a n d   ‚ l a u g h i n g .   I ‘ m   n o t   s u r e
w h a t   t h e y   w e r e   s a y i n g,   b u t   I   a m   n e v e r   g o i n g   t o   p e e
w i t h   t h o s e   t w o   a g a i n .   W h e n   I   t o l d   B e l i n d a   w h a t   h a d
h a p p e n e d,   s h e   s t a r t e d   t o   l a u g h   t oo .   I   d i d n ‘ t   w a i t   t o
h e a r   w h a t   s h e   t h o u g h t   t h e y   w e r e   s a y i n g ,   I   j u s t   w e n t
i n   t h e   o t h e r   r o o m   a n d   s e t   i n   t h e   d a r k   f o r   a   w h i l e .
S o m e t i m e s   i t   b e t t e r   n o t   t o   k n o w   w h a t   p e o p l e   a r e
t a l k i n g   a b o u t .

T h e n   t h e r e   i s   r e s e a r c h   s p e c i a l i s t .   S h o r t l y   a f t e r   e v e r y o n e   g o t   h e r e   I   w e n t   o n l i n e   t o   s e e   w h a t   t h e s e   k i d s
s h o u l d   k n o w   a t   t h e i r  a g e .  I  w a s  s o m e w h a t  d  i s a p p o i n t e d   t o   l e a r n   t h a t   I   w o u l d   q u a l i f y   a s   a   f o u r   y e a r   o l d   s o m e   o f   t h e   t i m e   a n d   a   t w o   y e a r   o l d   m o s t   o f   t h e   r e s t   o f   t h e   t i m e .   S o   m u c h   f o r   t h e   n e t .

H o w   a b o u t   b e i n g   a   w o r l d   c l a s s   c o o k ?   T h o s e   d a y s   a r e
l o n g   g o n e .   N o w   w h e n   I   d r e a m   I   d r e a m   a b o u t   s t e a k s ,
c e n t e r   c u t   p o r k   c h o p s ,   a n d   s e a f o o d   b o i l s .   I   h a v e
n i g h t m a r e s   a b o u t   m a c   a n d   c h e e s e ,   h o t d o g s ,   a n d   C h e e t o s .   I t s   n o t   w h a t   y o u   c o o k   b u t   h o w   s m a l l   y o u   c a n   c u t
t h e   p i e c e s   f o r   N o a h .   T h e   w o r l d   o f   f o o d   i s   a   s a v a g e   a n d   u n f o r g i v i n g   o n e .   I   s u s p e c t   t h a t   a t   s o m e   p o i n t   I   w i l l
a g a i n   g e t   t o   e a t   t h e   t h i n g s   I   w a n t   t o ,   b u t   b y   t h e n   I
m i g h t   n o t   h a v e   t h e   t e e t h   t o   c h e w   i t   w i t h .

T h e n   t h e r e   i s   E P A   a g e n t .   N o a h   c a n   r u n   t h r o u g h   t h e
h o u s e   o n e   m i n u t e   a n d   e v e r y t h i n g   i s   f i n e .   I n   t h e   n e x t   y o u   c a n   v e r y   p l a i n l y   s m e l l   t h a t   t h e r e   h a s   b e e n   a
t o x i c   s p i l l   o f   s o m e   k i n d   a n d   y o u   w i l l   f i n d   h i m   l e a n i n g   a g a i n s t   t h e   c o u c h   w i t h   a   s m i l e   o n   h i s   f a c e .   I   h a t e
s u r p r i s e s   l i k e   t h a t   a n d   w o u l d   r a t h e r   s m e l l   a   s k u n k .

I   h a v e   h a d   m a n y   o t h e r   j o b s   i n   t h e   l a s t   t h r e e   m o n t h s ,   l a w     o f f i c e r ,   p h a r m a c i s t ,   d o c t o r , w a r d r o b e
c o o r d i n a t o r , s n a c k   a n d   m i l k   d i s p e n s e r ,   a n d   a t   t i m e s ,
h u m a n   t o y .   I   h a v e   h a d   t o   b e   a n   a r b i t r a t o r   a l m o s t
e v e r y   d a y   t o   d e f u s e   w h a t   c o u l d   b e c o m e   an
i n t e r n a t i o n a l   i n c i d e n t .   I   h a v e   h a d   t h e   j o b   o f   w a r d e n ,   p r o f e s s i o n a l   e n t e r t a i n e r ,   a n d   p u p p y   t r a i n e r .   D i d   I
m e n t i o n   t h a t   a l o n g   w i t h   t h e   k i d s   a n d   t h e i r   m o m   w e
a r e   t r y i n g   t o   h o u s e t r a i n   t h e i r   n e w   p u p p y ?

T o   t o p   i t   a l l   o f f,   t h e   b e a r d   t h a t   u s e d   t o   b e   b l a c k   i s
n o w   n o t   s a l t   a n d   p e p p e r ,  b u t   g r e y .   I t   l o o k s   l i k e   I ‘ m
g o i n g   t o   p l a y   S a n t a   t h i s   y e a r ,   b a   h u m b u g !

W e l l   t h a t ‘ s   a b o u t   e n o u g h   f o r   n o w ,   t h e   b o s s   i s   c a l l i n g   m e   t o   h e l p   h e r   w a t c h   t h e   k i d s   o u t s i d e   f o r   a   c o u p l e   o f   h o u r s .   P l e a s e   h e l p   m e .

S e n d   w h i s k e y
O r   P r o z a c
O r   a   g u n .

I   a m   T h e   B l i n d m a n

Grandkids

Or as I affectionately refer to them, “mini terrorists”, are here. Gus and Sam. Their mother went on a few days trip with her aunt and sister so they will be here until Sunday night or Monday, depending on sanity (mine) or something coming up. There dad is too busy to keep them with him on the ranch he works at, so I was asked and in a weak moment said, “Yes”. Oh the folly of saying, yes!

We are in the process of burning wood for coals to cook on. Short ribs for me and the boys and chicken for Gramma.

Got Pal’s shoes reset today. We let hi go longer than we should but seem to be getting fair hoof growth. We took a lot off the toe so he’s a tad tender but I think we are on the right track. What do you think Corky? Poor picture maybe, but maybe you’ll get the idea. Are we headed in the right direction or totally screwing up? (All questions to Corky)

We shortened the toe back as much as we could also, towards the frog.

It was 25 degrees at 6 this morning. Tad chilly. Didn’t hurt the tomatoes in the green house but they are ripening slowly and the plants are drying up.

See Mom, I haven’t killed them!

Yet! 😉

It was a beautiful fall day. Rode Mijo and looked at the cattle and looked for a lost heifer. Didn’t find her. Maybe tomorrow.

Blogs

I follow quite a few. Too many, probably. Some are posted almost every day, some once or twice a week. A few just sporadically.

I hate word verification. Not real sure why anyone needs it, but either I don’t have a problem because of this blog on WordPress, or maybe because I have a Mac. Anyway, I am not sure why anyone needs it, tho’ several authors of blogs have explained it to me.

Hey, I have gray hair and it’s getting grayer, so that my excuse for not remembering what I ought to and for not understanding what I ought to!

Anyway, I have made a command decision. I will no longer post a reply on any blog that has word verification, unless it is a truly outstanding (I’m talking top notch here, folks) post. Like this one.

http://archangelstomp.blogspot.com/2011/10/do-whatever-he-tells-you.html#comment-form

Sorry.

I like your blog. I read your blog, but life is just too freekin’ short to go to the extra effort with as much time as I should be doing other things and not trying to fill in made up words and/or symbols. I figure it’s all a commie plot anyway!

If you blog writers hate me for this, so be it. Like I said, life is too short and hectic of late. ‘Sides, I rally ought to be doing other things, but I am a voracious reader. Not so much on the comments!

If because of this, it makes you feel you should not comment on mine, so be it.

That is all.