Rick ( a good neighbor and lifelong friend) came and helped me and Chance bring the heifer bunch in and sort out pairs and yearling’s and the bulls off. The owner will come tomorrow and get the bulls. All but a couple, we will keep with our cows. We then pay him lease and take the bulls back when we are done. Works good for both of us.

Got lots of miles on our young horses. I switched to Mijo, so also got some work on him also. We were short a couple head so I re saddled up Pilgrim and went hunting. Chance and I switched horses while out in the pasture and I rode Jake. Jake may not be the prettiest horse in the world, but he’s smooth and fun to ride.

We went on our annual golf/tripping day. We go to Deadwood for the beginnings of th Days of 76 rodeo and watch the single steer roping. Then we go and play 9 holes of golf. The group varies from year to year, but about anyone who wants in is welcome. We have a mix of us codgers and some of the younger guys. Chance wanted to go but needed to stay home and help a feller with his haying.

My buddy Keith, came up and brought a horse to a young man I know who is working east of here and riding on lots of yearling’s. So then he spent Monday evening here and yesterday we went on the tripping/golf day. The rest of the group decided to play another 9 holes, but Keith had a fair drive to get home so we took off after one game. I did swing by the open cut mine in Lead to show him that big hole in the ground. Anyone who is going by, should really stop and look at it. Pretty amazing all the rock that has been relocated there, looking for and removing, gold.

Day before, I worked with a cut up filly and the grandkids were here so we played with horses. Here’s a few pictures.

I took off the other afternoon and drove down south east of here to look at a buddies ranch. I spent the night and then after looking it over the next morning, took off and came home. He had hay to put up. And threatened to put me on a tractor!

Yesterday I hauled a cow to the butcher and then took a dry cow of Chance and Hopes on to the sale and stuck around and got the check for them.

Today I showed some yearling’s to a sale barn rep. Then worked on a water system down at a well south of here. Drove the tractor down, but couldn’t finish up by myself, so left the tractor and walked home. Whew. That is hard on an old fat guy!

Now I am waiting on Cindy to come home and give me a hand. She went out in the kayak last night. She even had to admit that it was fun!

There was a 50th birthday party for my friend Rick, last night at his brothers. We went and had a good time. Then the clouds opened up and let loose.When we left and made a run for the car we got soaked. Must have gotten over an inch, any way. The dog food pan on the steps was running over.You got to love a wet country. Unless your trying to put up hay

Chance and I rode up north and doctored on my favorite cow who had a sore foot. Maybe she ain’t my favorite no more? We also doctored on a heifer and a bull with bad eye and bad foot. Chance  is getting to where he can really stick it on the head end. And he rode Mijo and he’s getting better at tracking also.

When we got up this morning, Fr Tyler was sleeping on the couch. This is his day off. Not too sure what time he came in last night.

In the morning. Going up in the Hills to entertain for a trail ride that is a fund raiser for Cancer Awareness and such. This will be my third year to entertain, and my first year to take my horse and go along for the ride. Maybe if some people see Mijo they will be interested in one of his colts! Wish me luck! 🙂

The Highly Insulted! Lots of funny people who work on ranches all over this great nation.

http://members.boardhost.com/cowpoke/

Must be millions of them around here! The river breaks are even worse, seems like. They are really thick in the clover up west. I ordered some Semasphore bait from Planet Natural out of Bozeman and it got here yesterday. It gives the hoppers the sickness they will eventually get that Mother Nature uses to wipe them out. I am just trying too hurry the process along. I’ve used it in the past and think it is the best, most cost effective way to deal with them. I am not sure if you could save a crop with this stuff, but the neighbor who told me about it originally, some years back, thinks you can, if you apply it thick enough.

When they eat it, they start to get sick and eat 75% less and even if they lay eggs, the eggs are infected and will have the sickness also. It also causes cannibalism so they spread it among themselves. We got 50 pounds and just drove around, scattering out the window of the little Suzuki we use as a 4 wheeler. Cost about $130 bucks laid in. And it doesn’t kill the good bugs. Just the hoppers.

Die hoppers, die!

Chance and I went up and doctored on some yearlings this morning and had another wonderful adventure, losing ropes and horses and chasing them down. I won’t mention any names to protect the guilty, but I am sure glad it wasn’t me who lost the rope or horse. 😉

I had a great day!

Chance and the boys came up and Gramma watched the little guys while Chance and I rode on cattle. We roped and doctored a couple with sore eyes and caught one that had twine around the base of his little stub horns. People will do that when they dehorn, so that the horns don’t bleed so bad, but they are supposed to take the string back off in  day or two. Dumb SOB’s left this on. Second one we have found, like that. Poor ol’ steer had a sore around the base of his horns where it had cut in. He didn’t appreciate us catching him and taking it off and giving him a shot ,but oh well, that’s our job!

The dishwasher quit and Cindy’s lawn mower was broke down, so we took off for Rapid. Tate had left his billfold this weekend and needed it pretty bad, so we did some shopping in Rapid, got a new dishasher, dropped the lawnmower off at the repair shop, got my glasses fixed and headed for Custer. As we came up on the place that gives Copter rides over the Black Hills, on a whim, we decied to do it! Kind of pricey for no longer than you are in it, but I always wanted to ride in one. It was way better than a little plane! Now I can say I have ridden in one!

We went on to Custer and met Tate and had supper and gave him his billfold, took off towards home and stopped at Cabela’s and wouldn’t you know it, they had kyaks on sale! Cindy got tired of my whining and slobering all over her feet and finally gave in and let me get one! Woohoo, watch out fish, here I come! Woohoo!

Now,if I can just find a seal or walrus to kill, I will be all set!

Wet! I don’t remember a 4th like this, tho’ Dad talked of a 4th when he was a child and it snowed. Anything can happen in this country!

We had mist and lite drizzle all day yesterday and then in the evening it rained so hard that you couldn’t see out the window! Must have gotten over an inch. There is an old frying pan setting on the step and it is full of water.

Remember the cat who had kittens in the house last winter? Guess what?!

Yup, she’s at it again. When I got up at 5 I could hear mewing. I finally found a wet, fresh born kitten, in the closet by the front door. Then I found the cat in my leather shop with some other kittens. When I went outside later, I found 3 by the red granary that sets next to the house, for storage. Then I found one that looked to be dead, out by the other front door. When I went to move him, I saw he was still alive! So I brought him in with the others and left them in the leather shop. I hear mewing again, so I better go see where else she has left them!

Man, how many kittens can one cat have?

Anyone need kittens?

The 4th is almost here! How did that happen so fast?

Cool and misty this morning. Lots of guys got hay down and it hasn’t been drying out for them with lots of humidity. Makes it kind of hot and muggy to ride on cattle. Chance and I doctored on a couple the other evening, until we lost the syringe in a wild chase where I almost got my saddle jerked off my horse.

Chance and Hope had a get together yesterday evening. Burgers and Brats and beer. Quite a few people showed up. Me and Gramma left early so she could get to bed so she could get up this morning.

Guess I better go work on some leather.

Have a happy Fourth of July!