Category Archive

A couple weeks ago or so, I went to get the horses in and Brody had stuck a big stick under the skin on his neck … I pulled it out and was going to town so stopped at the vet’s and got some stuff to doctor him.. Tate has been riding him so he did most of the doctoring… he’s about healed up.. might leave a little scar but it’s a long way from his heart…. then the other day when we got the horses in Pilgrim was limping.. cleaned the foot and couldn’t find anything wrong but he was swollen up almost to his knee.. We gave him Banamine every day for a couple days and it got lots better, but then he was getting lamer, so asked a the local vet to stop and look.. sure as heck, we found a puncture in the sole of his foot.. either a bruise that finally broke open or a nail wound.. we soaked it in Epsom salt and some iodine last night and he’s much better this morning..gave him some penicillin and soaked it again and gave him a little grain to eat while it was soaking.. I got an old truck inner tube and made a long boot so i could put it on the leg and then tie it to his neck so when he tried to move around he didn’t knock the bucket over and spill the solution, like he did the night before.. works pretty slick.. looks like he will be healed pretty soon.. I am missing him.. got a couple days of cow works at a neighbors and need a dependable horse… this morning cows were out where Tate had for got to close a gate so he and Gabe and Lige went to put them back.. me and Eshack took the tractor to a water tank that was needing so  dirt work around it.. he got to steer on the way back and he thought that was pretty cool.. think I will work on leather this afternoon..Gramma has a bunch of kids here she is babysetting.. chance of rain tonight I saw but not much of a chance, keep praying we need lots more..

Sue took me to task in a polite way and reminded me I ain’t posted on here in awhile so I will try and catch you all up to speed… last Friday family started arriving from all over the country as we hosted a family reunion.. Cindy and her helpers fed 30mto 60 people three meals a day for a couple days, had quite a few camped, lots who drove out or over for the day and we had a blast… this would be the Johnsons, my mothers side of the family.. we got the place picked up a bit so that was a good thing.. no major wrecks or mishaps and seems like everyone one had a great time… we got two rains a week or so ago, with a bit more than a half inch both night then last night we got a half inch.. it is dry, dry, dry! But the rains the Good Lord sent us sure will help… we have grass but hay is in short supply to put up around this area.. if it keeps giving us a little every week we will make it to winter with grass but sure need a lot of hay… we went to a wedding a week or so ago, got another next week.. we have the late calves to work, going to try and get them done tomorrow, been trying to herd the cows a bit and get them to stay in a herd as the hoof action is good for the ground and train them to not be so fussy on what they eat.. I went out with 4 grandsons and got some cows out of the neighbors this afternoon and never even killed one kid! 😀  About all for now, if you got any extra rain, please send it, if you can’t please pray for all of us in the dry area.. it’s a big one, so we all need a lot! Thanks!

Had neighbors stop over to borrow a calf fork this morning, sat around and had a great visit… then I went and got the tractor and started to do something and noticed I ought to clean a little in the corral.. was doing that when Cindy came and got me and told me I had to make a phone call.. stopped that and made the call, it was about noon so made some lunch, then after a nap went back to it.. had the horses in so caught the team and took them for a spin.. first in the corral and then a short drive outside. Rill had a messed up bridle so quite before we got in a wreck and came up and fixed it.. it was getting on towards evening by then so saddled Pilgrim and rope around the drop bunch then up north to check water and cattle.. nice ride, put my mind in a peaceful place, not sure why i don’t do stuff like that more often.. country is green but dry, we sure could use a long steady rain but will take what ever we can get… got some pretty good pictures and video this evening…

For some time now, we’d had a bubbling spring out here on the new waterline, and also recently found another one at a well that hooks on to Tate and Kass’s house, so day before yesterday we ran in and got a backhoe rented.. tore into the mud and dug and dug and finally found what we thought was causing the problem out here, so moved on to the next one down by T & K’s… dug and dug and again, found the leak, went to Punkin Center for stuff to fix it.. got home and found we didn’t have some of the stuff we thought we did, so had to return to Punkin Center.. by then it was close enough to noon that we went ahead and ate a bite… returned home and dug and fixed and fixed and dug and went on to other things, only to return and see we still had water leaks.. dug some more and found the problem here.. Tate came back and got the hoe as his was still leaking so we finally found another leak just as it was getting too dark to continue… he is after parts, I am waiting impatiently…. hopefully we get it all fixed and i can go on to other things and perhaps return the backhoe by this afternoon… they rent by the day, so the quicker we get it back the cheaper it is… the wind has been blowing pretty hard for 3 days at least.. sure hope it blows up a good rain, we sure need it…

Wind is howling this morning.. not blowing snow tho’ so it don’t matter.. kids are having their rally day today… a few years ago they moved it into town 60 miles away.. I don’t know why… seems stupid to me to haul these kids all in 60 miles so they can run and jump… I suppose they think it helps prepare them for when they all go to town to high school… branded our bunch on Saturday and a neighbors yesterday… I didn’t sleep goodnight before last so was tired when i got up yesterday a bit before 5… we did two bunches and them kids worked their tails off wrestling those calves, big boogers.. Gabe and Lige got to rope and drag.. Gabe did good, Lige had a hard time.. windy and his first time at it.. I need to build them a heeling dummy we can pull around and they can rope ahorseback… we got done with the second bunch and back to the house to eat about 3:30… we had plenty of breaks and snacks to eat all day tho’ so it wasn’t too big a deal… have had one of the new bulls die.. side of his head was all swollen up.. think it might have been snakebite.. I slept good last night but still sleepy this morning.. guess I better go look at the ones we worked and maybe move them on to fresh grass..

No rain, but it’s coming, had some a couple nights ago.. someone claimed we might have got an inch, I bought a rain gauge in town yesterday so I guess we will see what comes now…. worked on a saddle today, Brad A showed up this afternoon and kept me company while I was working on it… got the fork covered and carved/stamped… not a lot left to do, need more days like this.. found a plant today id forgot about finding last year, houndsstooth.. not good stuff, so I need to go spade it up tomorrow before it spreads any more.. it’s in an old hay corral.. not sure where it came from but it’s toxic to cattle, tho’ they claim they seldom eat it.. sure don’t need any of it growing, tho’ it has pretty flowers… also got a lot of burdock.. guess I will have to rig up a sprayer and get after that too…

Went out this morning after checking cows and tore an old section of fence out… that used up most of the morning.. I needed to gather and sort some cattle and my normal crew was busy.. at stupid things, like school, so decided to just do it myself.. me and Pilgrim went out amongst them.. got them in and sorted off the yearlings into a different corral, kicked a mama and her calf and some steers back with the pair bunch and moved the drop bunch across the road and down into one of the south pastures… they were working at the Red Owl Hall and I was asked to be there so went over and we hung a bunch of sheets up.. hopefully it will help the acoustics… came home and the crew was home from school so Tate and Gabe and Arri Cat and I went out and moved the pairs all up west and tried to locate them on a certain patch.. I will say one thing for these new corrientee cattle from Wyoming, they must have been raised around wolves because when they decide to leave if you think your going to head them, you better be ahorseback and he better have some run in him! Goodness! I was playing ping pong by myself for awhile there.. I had saddled Mijo and he can flat run and it was a good thing! Plumb wore me out.. on the way back I swapped off with Tate and he rode him and I rode Brody.. Brody moves a lot calmer and smoother than Mijo.. might have to steal him back! I am tired!
Cindy and Chance and Hope and kids are taking a mini vacation to Denver so I been hearing how much fun they been having.. that’s ok, cuz I been having fun too!

Colt, cows and trailer…

I spoke for a yearling colt from Vern and Laurie Ward this later winter, finally went to town yesterday to get him… I have been having some issues with my old stock trailer so went to Carl’s to pay a bill and found a newer one in lots better shape, so made a trade.. the old one cost me $1000 for the 15 years I used it, not counting tires and fixing… I didn’t think that was too bad.. we went out to V and L’s and had a great visit, loaded the yearling and headed out.. went around by Newell and then on 212 over to Larry S’s and looked at some heifer pairs I’d spoken for.. his son delivered them last night.. so Gabe came up this morning along with most of his siblings, and we went and branded the cows after checking cattle, then we caught up the colt and messed with him.. I had worked with him a little last night.. plain jane sorrel, think he will go by Booger Red until another name fits him…we got his front feet trimmed and at the end he had thrown himself and we did it while he was laying down.. never done that before, heard it was awkward and they were right.. think we will go move some cattle this afternoon… gonna get warm today…

Been going to help with the spring calf works every day for the past three days..windy today and yesterday and the day before.. was nice yesterday as it got pretty warm, not so much today, but we pulled trailers up close to the dragging pen and made a wind break and it wasn’t bad… for some reason I am tired in the evenings… found what looks to be a bummed twin calf this evening while checking cows.. brought him home and Cindy tried to get him to take some milk.. he wasn’t real interested.. hopefully she doesn’t find a tight bagged bawling cow out there in the morning..

This is the kind of days we put up with all the snow and cold and heat and dust and wind.. for days like this! Beautiful weather, not too hot, not to windy, not to cold, green grass growing, I don’t think you could beat it unless it was pouring down rain! 😀

Checked cattle this morning and kicked out a few pairs with the help of Bit the Border Collie… then worked on getting my new tree patch fenced.. got it done by this evening, except for a couple of gates… Gramma rode with me this evening and we checked for new calves again. found a few,. everybody seems to be doing fine… I hear we have plan to take 3 giggly girls to town tomorrow, so I may not have much hair left by tomorrow evening! 😀

Dean stopped in a bit before noon and borrowed a couple horse collars.. heck, I ain’t using them and I got extras if I get a wild hair and decide to hook up the team… which would be good, but not on the agenda with a saddle to finish and fence to fix and cows to check and a young horse who needs rode… in that order… not to mention the house which is always calling saying, “come, come finish me!”

But man it was a nice day and looks to stay that way tomorrow and not bad for the weekend if you don’t mind a breeze and who doesn’t when it gets warm.. God is great!