Company

Delbert and Clint came over this morning and took all the teeth of the old Farmhand head for their sweep head. Me and the boys had an early lunch and nap and then we went and doctored a bad eyed heifer then moved some pairs and shut some gates. they are getting handier on this riding deal. Before you know it, I won’t even have to holler at them no more! 😉

Windy and nice. Might have got to 80 but not a bad day other than Lige lost his hat once. After that , I had it shoved so far down on his head he could hardly get it off!

Loadin’ hay

I went out to get the last of the hay and told Gabe he could follow and take pictures if he wanted. He took 106!

I weeded them down to less than 60. He got some good ones and I messed with a few but mostly, he just shot good pictures.

We moved heifer’s this morning.

Went up to Faith to the bronc ride last night. good broncs and good riders. As Delbert said, it’s nice to know these local guys can ride with the big boys in the NFR. The finaly go was real even as far as the rides, the broncs and the scores. A young feller from Colorado just beat out a local, Chuck Schmidt (who is setting 13th in the PRa right now) and Cody DeMoss who has been to the NFR quite a few trips. Several top hands didn’t make it to the final round. Didn’t draw good enough horses or in one case, got bucked off. Sure was good watching. Chance and Hope and the boys came over so I got to see the other grandkids also. Even held Addy Bear for awhile.

Margo, feel free to use any of these if you want.

If it ain’t one thing….

it’s another. While we were putting salt out last evening, we got a leak in the pickup tire. So we hurried home and then this morning after we went and fixed some fence and set gates so we could move the heifers to fresh grass, we took the pickup tire off and hauled it over to Punkin Center and got it patched. Not a big hole, but almost brand new tires. Must have hit a nail going down by the old house. After we ate lunch at the Bull Creek we came home and the boys took a long nap. Then we saddled up and rode up north, reeeeaaalll slow (I’d forgot how slow you have to go with a 4 year old along ahorseback on an old horse) and viola! They yearlings had moved themselves. so we just shut gates to keep them from going back where they had just left and then rode home with horse training tips along the way. Odd how an old horse knows the way home and can travel a lot faster. Next time we ride, Squirt is going to be packing a bit with more leverage to offset Lige’s short arms!

Now, we got hotdog’s cooking for supper. Maybe ride tomorrow and get some more hay hauled in. We are going up to Faith to the matched bronc ride. Maybe these two will pick up some pointers! 😉

Oh, we took the phone and the camera along and talked to some people when we finally found some service, but the battery went dead on the camera so I only got one or two pictures.

Puttin’ up hay the old way, with helpers

That’s what we been doin’. My helpers are pretty good at stompin’ the hay if you don’t work them too long. Mostly, they want to RIDE, since I have gotten ’em horseback. Dang cowboys!

Foggy out

this morning. Pretty cool. Good sleeping weather, with the windows open. ‘Course a grasshopper might come in and eat everything in the house if you do! 😉

There is a clinic going on up at Brad’s, so me and the boys went up for awhile the other morning. Bridgette came out and rode along for the first day, where they were starting the colts. She enjoyed it and the boys found some other kids to play with.

Then we went to town to get supplies to fix the leaky roof the next day. Also got in a side of latigo as it sounded like several at the clinic needed new ones.

I cut a bunch out and took them up yesterday about noon, and of course only one needed it by that time. 😉 Oh well, someone will want them.

I had Shanna, the neighbors highschool age daughter come and watch them yesterday morning for about an hour while I rode out and doctored on the sore footed cow. The calf seemed to be much better so left him  for now.

We went back up in the afternoon and the boys rode Squirt and Beav around outside and then when they got down, rode around inside the big pen. They had a lot of fun and were getting pretty fearless. I think they are ready to follow me out in the pasture when I need to go ride. We are supposed to go back up this afternoon and rope again. We’ll see. Now, time for church, if they got their breakfast ate, yet!

Another thunderstorm

as I type. Sure is a wet ol’ country this year.

Me and the grandsons went out this morning and built a removable back end on the little flat bed wagon so we can pitch hay on, but take the back off if we need to haul little square bales.

My yearling heifer guy and his wife came and got their bulls I had pulled out a while back. They got here about 7:30 and didn’t stick around long. They have an irrigated place up near Belle Fourche. They just got done with their first cutting of hay and are starting on their second. So they need to make hay while the sun shines!

The boys and I went out after lunch and naps and pitched on a couple loads onto the wagon and hauled them in. Had a flat on the wagon after the first load so pumped it up and then went after the second. The tire didn’t hold air so we quit. We put the team away and went and looked at the old Samurai Suzuki to see if any tires on it were holding air and they are so we will have to rob one off it, as they fit the wagon. Then we came to the house and made a small step stool so short people can get to the kitchen sink without having to drag a chair over in front of it. It ain’t fancy,  but it works!

Them boys are pretty good at tromping hay down! Wish I had a bigger wagon tho. Pretty fluffy hay. Oh well this little shower will flatten it out and pack it down. Lige was mad at Bob as he would jump up in the wagon and help with the tromping. One of the few things he does pretty good! 😉

Team worked real good. Never got out of a walk. Might be getting broke.

Pretty nice day. Strong wind out of the south and not above 85 or so.

Another day in the sunshine

Went out this morning and set three more posts for the corral fence. Then mowed the road ditch that was left to do and then went out this afternoon and dump raked it. I worked on the rake the other day and fixed a flipper on it so that it works like it’s supposed to. Team even walked most the time! 😉

Fr Tyler came out a little before noon to spend the day so this evening when I went to gather the bulls that are leaving in the morning, he and Cindy took Purple and helped me with the job. He’s a pretty good cowboy for a Priest!

We grilled steaks and weenies over the coals this evening. I went to move the grill and didn’t realize it was hot where I touched it, until I touched it. I ran cold water over it and tried a trick I read in an email recently. Cindy took the white out of an egg and after my burn was cooled off, I soaked it in egg white. Seems to have helped. Still a little sore. but not nearly as bad as it was gonna get. they claim the egg white is collagen so it helps to restore the skin in the burn. Cool. Nice to know that not  all the email stuff you get is BS.

Got up to about 85. I have plans of hauling in the bucker piles tomorrow and stacking it next to the feeder at the corral. Can’t possibly be any harder than loading, unloading and stacking little square bales. Heck the boy’s can probably even help!

Whew!

Pretty warm and muggy out there. Got some rain last night.

I went out and started working on replacing some old boards in the corral with poles. Went and picked up some old oak poles Dusty gave me years ago. they are in surprisingly good shape, for as long as they have lain around. Hope they don’t weaken when they are tested by cattle.

I got hot enough that I had to come in and cool down. I don’t know how the people in the southern parts of this country get anything done when it is hot and muggy like that.

Teri McTighe came down yesterday afternoon and took some really cool shots so she can do a painting or drawing for Tate and Kass in exchange for a small table Tate made. I am anxious to see what she comes up with. She will use some of the horse shots and others for other art work also, sounds like. Here are a few of my favorites she took. Please do not attempt to use or copy these without Teri’s express permission.