A typical day here at Duncan starts around 8 or 8:30am. This morning, we were all up and at'em by 5:30 and on our horses ready to chase cows up the hill at 6. This was not our choice, but the neighbor's. He gets up that early nearly every day (as do most ranchers/farmers, I suppose), and seeing as we were helping him move his cattle, he got to call the shots. C'est la vie.
All in all, my first drive was a great success despite the early start. I started out a little unsure of myself, but after a while, I got comfortable getting where I needed to get and knowing how to come at the calves to get them to move.
We had only one or two glitches. One was an incredibly old cow who decided that two or three steps to go at a time was just too much and that down the huge ravine was the only direction to go. Clara and I stuck in the back lagging farther and farther behind doing everything in our power to just get her to take those next couple of steps without running down the hill. We got her close enough to the top of the road (where it evens out into a nice open field: much easier to work cows up there) when the neighbor came down and told us to leave her. We loped a nice long distance to catch up with the others.
Drifty's lope is almost heavier in the front end than Marty's. Her trot's a dream though.
The other problem was the Duncan Ranch cow that decided to follow along. We'll have to go back and find her later.
Clara and I have been knocking out chores together this week. Weeds, fences, cows, horses. Sometimes I get surprised by the fact she's only 12. I'd say 15 or 16 at least. I'm so grateful for all the girls. They're so sweet, energetic and hardworking. I hope they enjoy their lifestyle as much as I do!
Here's an interesting fact; cattle are curious critters. If something/someone plops themselves down in the middle of their field, they will undoubtedly all go to investigate.
On Monday, we were sent to move the fats to the next patch of grass, and so we got out there, moved most of them, and were going back to take down fence when out pop about 7 more cattle! After very unsuccessfully trying to get them to go under the fence while we held it or down to the end so we could open it for them, we plopped ourselves down and started chatting, and lo and behold, here came the seven cattle drooling and mooing with curiosity in their eyes. We crawled a little ways, and they came plodding right along behind us. The more I'm around cows, the more I like them. :)
I joined the Lankisters for church on Sunday. It was fine-mainly different than I'm used to considering it's a MSL Lutheran church. I was taken aback and got completely upset when they didn't allow me to take communion because I wasn't confirmed in their sect. I suppose everyone has their thing. I have a lot to say on this subject, but I don't think this is a good place for rants. Simply put, Jesus died for everyone, no matter their sect, past, etc. If anyone knows this and, more importantly, follows Him and wants to join in with communion, they should be allowed that right, not excluded.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
The Kick Off
Welcome to Wyoming. Windy, windy Wyoming.
I live in a pretty little green house with a beautiful view and a huge yard that I have yet to mow due to a finicky lawn mower.
My first week has been an all round adventure filled with glitches.
Monday was full of running about in the hot sun with the girls weeding (Hounds tongue and bull thistle), building fences and bumbling about on 4x4s.
Tuesday was fighting with the lawn mower and shooting sparks and smoke all over it and my car. Yikes. I learned to use a weed whacker and learned the horribly jiggly feeling of post-weed eater arms. and fences. and moving fences and cows. We found a bull snake climbing a tree. He was large and defensive. The girls wanted to kill it, but I'm sure glad we didn't. He wasn't doing any harm.
Wednesday was nice and brisk. We finished weeding and built more fences. Clara, Keith and I went up Sawmill on the 4x4s. We went all over the ranch and saw many many new calves. They're so scrawny and awkward and totally cute. They hide on the far side of their mothers who moo loudly at you. The hills roll and remind me a lot of Fort Collins. Which makes sense, because in reality, I'm really not that far from home.
Thursday was rainy, snowy, haily, and a little miserable. I set up a fence on my own and got so cold. I don't think I have ever been that cold before. I got home, and finished unpacking, cleaning and finally got to vacuum all the dead bugs off the floor. Then I sat down and ate and found myself feeling quite awful.
Friday, today, I spent most the night throwing up and thrashing with fever dreams. I kept some toast down this morning, and later a bowl of rice. I helped Keith put up a fence (and by helped, I mean I put in a few posts then sat down and watched him do the rest) and then went home and slept slept slept. The family did the sawmill cattle drive in the fog without me. I was sorry to have missed out, but I was grateful for the rest and their understanding that I was sick and miserable. Hopefully it'll pass soon, and I'll be back on my feet in no time.
Cows are silly creatures. They have wide, square faces with large eyes and their mouths open wide and they bellow a funny little tune. They fallow you when you ride up on the four-wheelers in hopes that you'll bring them to new grass or a fresh block of salt. They make me giggle every time.
I live in a pretty little green house with a beautiful view and a huge yard that I have yet to mow due to a finicky lawn mower.
My first week has been an all round adventure filled with glitches.
Monday was full of running about in the hot sun with the girls weeding (Hounds tongue and bull thistle), building fences and bumbling about on 4x4s.
Tuesday was fighting with the lawn mower and shooting sparks and smoke all over it and my car. Yikes. I learned to use a weed whacker and learned the horribly jiggly feeling of post-weed eater arms. and fences. and moving fences and cows. We found a bull snake climbing a tree. He was large and defensive. The girls wanted to kill it, but I'm sure glad we didn't. He wasn't doing any harm.
Wednesday was nice and brisk. We finished weeding and built more fences. Clara, Keith and I went up Sawmill on the 4x4s. We went all over the ranch and saw many many new calves. They're so scrawny and awkward and totally cute. They hide on the far side of their mothers who moo loudly at you. The hills roll and remind me a lot of Fort Collins. Which makes sense, because in reality, I'm really not that far from home.
Thursday was rainy, snowy, haily, and a little miserable. I set up a fence on my own and got so cold. I don't think I have ever been that cold before. I got home, and finished unpacking, cleaning and finally got to vacuum all the dead bugs off the floor. Then I sat down and ate and found myself feeling quite awful.
Friday, today, I spent most the night throwing up and thrashing with fever dreams. I kept some toast down this morning, and later a bowl of rice. I helped Keith put up a fence (and by helped, I mean I put in a few posts then sat down and watched him do the rest) and then went home and slept slept slept. The family did the sawmill cattle drive in the fog without me. I was sorry to have missed out, but I was grateful for the rest and their understanding that I was sick and miserable. Hopefully it'll pass soon, and I'll be back on my feet in no time.
Cows are silly creatures. They have wide, square faces with large eyes and their mouths open wide and they bellow a funny little tune. They fallow you when you ride up on the four-wheelers in hopes that you'll bring them to new grass or a fresh block of salt. They make me giggle every time.
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