Ultra sounding heifers

Started riding at 7 am and got done loading the dries out at 7 pm. Long day but got it done and sure got some good riding and training on some young horses.

What we been doing

this past week.

I had a friend I met on the internet fly in last Wednesday and he flew out today. We have been having lots of fun and getting lots of riding and cattle work in. Here’s some photo’s.

Mike

has left the building!

Put him off at the airport this morning a little before noon. He got everything ready to go, we visited for a minute and he headed for the security guys so he could board, shedding, hat, boots, belt and other assorted things you can’t wear while going thru’ their chute. Bet he knows how them cows and calves felt yesterday we helped the neighbors with I will be posting pictures as time passes. Had a great time and am looking forward to his next visit.

Happenings

I picked up my buddy Mike from the airport on Wednesday and we have been gong none stop ever since! We moved some cattle around on Thursday and then Chance and family showed up in the afternoon and an old friend from up around Medora came along, and they helped us on the last little bit of moving the pairs north of the road, in preparation for working them the next day.

Had a great crew on Friday and got the calves all worked and dang, but it went smooth. Thanks guys!

On Saturday we prowled around and doctored on one calf and then Cindy rode in with us to Deadwood to watch the Ranch Rodeo and Tripping. We knew quite a few of the contestants in the rodeo and it was good watching. Went out to supper and came home afterwords, then on Sunday we went to Mass and then stopped back at the house and picked up Mike and headed for Devils Tower. Had a great line up and a great time. Lots of friends there from the Ranch Country board.

When we finally drug ourselves away from all the friends gathered we followed Hope and Chance over to Spearfish and ate at Guadalajara’s and it was great! If you like Mexican food, it’s a must stop.

This morning we are dragging a little. Too much fun jammed into too few days and hours. We plan to go move some cattle and then head over to C & H’s and help them move some cattle. Mike has to fly out on Wednesday and I have to work heifers here on Thursday and plant trees on Friday. Dang, time is roaring by!

Family

MY sister from Switzerland has been visiting over here since the middle of July. She rode out from town with Cindy on Sunday afternoon and has been enjoying her visit. She had been staying at my brothers and had the use of a car for the first part of her visit, so she has been hither and yon all this time. But only once out here. When we were younger and first found out we had siblings we were not raised with, she came over to the US with another sister who was raised separately from all the rest of us. 5 siblings raised in three places, just for the record. Anyway, when Brigette was her at the age of 19, she fell in love with the life her and stayed for a year, until the government forced her to return home. She has been back a couple times in the remaining years up to now, but only fort short visits. This is her third time and she wanted to re-live her youth when she would ride with me and go along and help with the work I do. Of course, just like all of us she has aged, so riding a horse was something that was not as easy as when she was 19. So I put her on Beaver and he of course took good care of her, as he does everyone. She helped me move some cows yesterday and enjoyed it. Then Fr Tyler came to visit. He had been gone to Spain for World Youth day and we hadn’t seen him for several weeks. We all sat around the fire last night, waiting for it to burn down to coals so we could grill some steak. Fr Tyler brought some cigars and we sat and smoked and relaxed and enjoyed the company until the food was ready then ate a meal of home grown steak, home made bread and cucumbers and onions in vinegar. The wall tent I had ordered arrived yesterday afternoon, so all pitched in and we got it up, tho’ not quite as I had planned as I didn’t have enough long poles, as I had thought. But it is up and will protect people from the elements who want to stay in it.

I will be taking Brigette back to town and then going to pick up a friend Mike, from California who is coming to visit for a bit. We are working calves on Friday and of course have the gig at Devils Tower on Sunday. I will take Mike to see Mt Rushmore today and any other spot he might want to look at around the Black Hills. Then tomorrow, his butt is in the saddle and it’s work for him! 😉

New Poem

Had this running thru’ my head and am not sure it gets out mt meaning, but I think it’s close enough to put on here for evaluation.

out there

there’s always been a class of folks
since mankind came along
who didn’t quite fit in with the rest
couldn’t quite sing that song

they were always feeling crowded
by those who lived nearby
chose to live outside the village
closer to earth and sky

some would call them loners
must not be right in the head
if they didn’t stay closer to the village
they’d one day wake up dead!

from the dangers and the bothers
that caused mankind to band together
at first I suppose the saber toothed cat
or perhaps a change in the weather

many people feel more secure
if they have others to watch their backs
they willingly give up their independence
prefer to live in civilizations tracks

but the others always felt sort of itchy
when they got crowded by the mass
they preferred to take on the risks alone
and there’s always been that class

of people who are just like them
tho’ they sometimes run together
by two and three’s and even fours
scorned silk and invested in leather

the exception was times of war
but as soon as the battle subsided
they’d soon scatter out yet once again
tho’ their lifestyle was derided

they’d head where wilderness begins
those places the masses never went
where mankind didn’t intrude quite so much
where natures rule was spent

with room to follow your beliefs
tho’ the existence was pretty raw
throughout history they’ve been called many names
uncivilized, ignorant, outlaw

wanderers, wastrels and strangers
tho’ the pay sure wasn’t grand
they have made their way by many means
all scattered across the land

seldom an organized group 
tho’ they’d work together for a time
the fur trapper and cowboys and even sheepherder 
all followed natures rhyme

they are still amongst us today
these loners of all ages
they have always taken on a different name
depending on existence stages

no urge to group in large bunches
they are self reliant and proud
tho’ their life span perhaps is shortened by this
they refuse to follow the crowd

still, once in awhile they gather
to talk and laugh and spree
to be with others who feel this very same call
in this honest camaraderie

so call them throw backs or culls
the vagabonds who choose this life
who still carry their weapons and tools with them
their wisdom, wits and a knife

a salute to these modern day knights
be their preference horse or bike
it doesn’t matter their outside attire
they unfurl similar banners on a pike

here’s to you and me, my friend
your very presence makes the soul grin
so let’s visit and party and spree for a time
‘til we meet on the river again!
rdennis 8/2011

Visitors

An internet friend from Nevada, who has been working over in this neck of the woods, stopped in yesterday morning. I put him to work. Made him ride a good horse and help me move some cows, bring in a bummed calf and rope and doctor a yearling heifer. We had fun. Fed him a fresh burritto and pico for dinner and shishkabobs for supper.

My sister from Switzerland has been in this country visiting , so Cindy brought her home with her yesterday afternoon. She and I rode this morning and it started to rain so we came in and just putted around this afternoon. Cindy has been making up a batch of bread for the upcoming cow work, so she made a fresh batch of dough this evening and fried some up and we had Indian Taco’s. Mmmm!

We be eatin’ good!

Got another friend flying in to spend a week, from California. We met over the internet also, on the same chat board as the first guest. There should be quite a few from the Ranch Country board meeting up at Devil’s Tower this Sunday for the annual poetry event. It starts at 1 pm at the picnic area below the tower. and goes until about 4.

I enjoy visitors. Especially if they are as nice as these guys!

Odds and ends

Hooked up the mower today and knocked down some weeds around the corrals and out in the hog pasture. Tried to cut some american licorice plants, but the ground was too uneven. Gonna have to rig a hydraulic cylinder to raise and lower the cutting bar I guess. Then  I worked on some corrals and after dinner I had some visitors. then Cindy came home and we ran up to a young neighbor couple who have too many cucumbers, if that is possible! Drove Chance and Hopes new outfit to see if it was burning oil. Seemed to do okay. When we got back I  caught up Q Tip and worked her a bit in the round corral and then rode her down south. She is a sweetheart. Believe I will start calling her Q T cause she’s such a cutie. Got her fathers lope and her mothers no nonsense good nature, but all business. Damn, I am glad I have 2 full sisters to her. Now, to get them started!

Oh, a buddy from Missouri called and offered me a good border collie pup, if we can arrange a ride for him. sounds like they are a ruff and tumble bunch with lots of grit. Maybe tuff like Bob but more biddable.

Been working on a new song and Rick gave me some good advice when he was here. I think it’s gonna work.

Just remembered

this little happening.

While waiting for Cindy to try on some clothes in a ladies dress shop I approached the lady helping her and before Cindy could acknowledge me I asked the young salesclerk, in my best Scottish accent, “Do ye sell kilts, lassie?”

She kind of stammered and stuttered that she didn’t and then Cindy laughed.

So I walked around to the other side where three older ladies were leaving and again, in my best accent, told these ladies “that thy dinna sell kilts here!” in somewhat of a grumpy Scottish voice.

Two of the ladies grinned and the third took me serious and suggest downtown at some store she told me the name of, they might!

Ahh, it’s fun to play with the civilians! 😉