Happy Mother's Day!

I was reminiscing today about some things that I am glad my mother did for me. You know - as a young mom, I wonder sometimes if I am doing the 'right' things. That made me reflect on the way my mother did it. She often tells me that she made so many mistakes. But the older I get, the fewer mistakes I can remember!
Here is a few things I am so glad my mother did for me:

1. She told me every story in the Bible, I believe. Most of them multiple times. And she didn't leave out the gruesome/wicked ones. She told them in a matter-of-fact way, that showed me the wickedness of men's hearts, and the righteousness of God.

2. She  always took extra special care of me when I was sick. She made me special food, even though she was a very practical, no-nonsense woman.

3. She taught me that no matter where I go, I can't run from God, so I never tried. :)

4. She frequently scrounged up quarters to buy us ice cream cones at the corner shop - even though we were quite poor.
 
5. She took me on long walks, pointing out the beauty of God's creation. She was not particularly educated, but she liked to try to figure out which bird was singing, and what kind of flower it was.

6. She taught me to love and care for my husband, home, and children.

She taught me how to bake bread,

 

can vegetables,

 sew clothes,

piece a quilt,

plant a garden, cook a meal,

 

...and that books were great friends.

She taught me to work hard, and you will always have a job.

That if you want to have friends, you have to be friendly.

That hard things happen in life, and you have to keep calm and carry on.

That all babies are sweet - even when they aren't very cute. :)

That a real lady acts the same in a palace or a hovel.

That you should be on time. No excuses. It's rude to others to be late.

That it's annoying when girls giggle a lot. :) ...and that they CAN learn to control it.

That it's OK to fix yourself up to look nice, but when you leave your room - you quit thinking about yourself, and start thinking of others.

That popcorn should be popped every Sunday afternoon, and eaten while reading a good book.

One morning she woke me up early, and we walked to the top of a small hill. As we watched the sun rise, she talked to me of God. I don't remember anything she said - but the memory of that early morning walk walk will stay with me always.

I take for granted too often all the great things that my mom has taught me. Today I want to say:         
                                       "Thanks, Mom."

 

3 Day Snowstorm

 

We have been in a drought, here in southern Wyoming. Therefore, it wasn't hard for even this southern gal to be happy for the big (albeit late) snowstorm we received last week. I mean, a foot of snow is at least a couple inches of water, right?

So we canceled the kids music lessons and stayed snug at home in our warm house.

(I love having a warm house. )

 

Sunday evening it began to snow again. They were calling for chance of rain or snow through Wednesday. But I wasn't too excited...I mean, since when has the meteorologist been correct, ya know?!

But when I got up Monday morning, it was still snowing.

It snowed all day.

 

 Tuesday morning it was still snowing....

Again, it continued to snow all day. Now, it wasn't a heavy, pile-it-on snow - just a gentle, at times very light snow. But still, it was snow.

 

Last night at 10:30 pm, I flipped on the porch light,  and watched the snow falling...

When I got up this morning, it was still falling. Snow, snow snow.

Water. Moisture. whatever you want to call it.

I am truly ever so thankful.

But I am considering running away.

Preferably to Florida.

Where snow doesn't fall in the door when you open it.

And where people dress in a normal fashion - not covered head-to-toe in snow gear.

 

But still. I am thankful.

Some hay this summer, perhaps?

That would be great.

Oh, and how cool is it that you can take pictures of snowflakes? Even if it you have to lure the cats to the porch so you can see the flakes on their fur. :)

Get More Ink

...out of your printer ink cartridge, that is.

Printer ink cartridges just cost money, don't they? I get so tired of buying yet another pack of ink. Perhaps because I never had to buy ink til I was 26 years old. Barely knew what the stuff was.

 

But, as a home school mom, I am constantly printing, copying, and scanning things. I go through ink at an alarming rate! I should buy stock in Kodak.

 

I found a way to get a few more pages out of my ink cartridge. I was so excited about it! I tried it several times, and lo and behold - it works!

I have never just thrown away a cartridge since, without doing this one simple trick first.

Ready?

                                                    Before photo of my shopping list

Roll it.

OK, so maybe you knew this. It took me awhile to come across this weird trick, so maybe it can help someone else. Share the love, and all that.

Yes, all you do is roll it side-over-side.

Not end over end. And don't shake it.

For some reason, those two methods do not work. I tried. I mean - if rolling it several times gently is good - shaking it vigorously is better, right? Wrong.

Here's the checklist:

1. Just hold it like you do when you are going to put it in the printer - right side up.

2. Then roll it side-over-side about 4-5 times.

That's it! You will get about 10-12 more pages out of it.

                                                After photo of the same list

Have you ever done this? Did it work for you?

Feedin' Hay

One sunny afternoon a few weeks ago, I took the 'little girls', and went with My Cowboy to feed hay. We usually feed round bales, but - thanks to the drought of 2012 - we have some large squares here, that we had to buy for the cows.

I use the term 'we' loosely.

 

 

Driving out to feed, this is what you see...

Awww.

 

 Then, there is the babysitter. Yes, cows do babysit. A couple cows may go to get a drink at the water tank or creek, and their calves will hunker down together, while another cow stands guard. It's touching. Sorta.

 

At the sight of the hay truck, they come running.
And then wait patiently while My Cowboy cuts strings off the bales and starts forkin' the hay off.

 

Or not...

Actually, cows know not the meaning of the word patience.

It's all noses to the hay bale, people! (I mean, cows.)

 

Anyways.

 

    I was doing what I do best, (next to makin' cinnamon rolls): Holding my baby, taking photos and videos by turn, and steering the truck, while making sure the drenching bottle stayed more or less upright. (My Cowboy had to drench a sick calf after feeding.)

  

You see, I dislike driving large vehicles, so I opt out on any excuse I can think up. Like taking videos. Or holding my baby. Or just about anything.

 

I act like I'm helping by reaching over with one hand and steering. But it's not really necessary. He does it every day or so by himself.

 

So I hold the baby and take photos and My Cowboy starts the truck, then climbs onto the back of the truck (while it's moving!) and forks hay. When he's done,  he climbs back through the door and continues driving.

 

Pairin' Out



After taggin' calves, comes pairin' out.

 

Note: I do not write "pairin' out" just to be cool or funny or Hollywood. That's just how people around here talk. I don't think I've heard the 'g' sound on the end of a word since I moved to a ranch. It's all: "calvin', taggin', pairin', brandin', and movin'." or maybe "pushin'".

So it feels weird to write "pairing out", cause we just don't talk that way.

:)

 

First, the cowboys gather the cows and their calves and push them into a 'trap'. Basically a small fenced-in enclosure.

 

 

 

 

 Here comes the cows, up from the creek bottoms.

The Boss - on the side-by-side, and a neighbor on a horse. Just makin' a sort of a fence so the cows go in the right direction.

 

 

 

 

Like Mama, like baby.

 

 

 

 

Here comes Tom, pushin' pairs up from the creek-bottom.

 

 

 

 

And there's My Cowboy and Obie, getting a few calves out of the willows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the pairs are in the trap, they sort them out, one by one, and after determining the gender of the calf, they send the heifer calves (and their mamas) one direction, and the bull calves a different direction.

 

 

 

 

The purpose of pairing out is to separate the bull calves from the heifers, and to get the pairs out of calving pastures, into larger pastures. At least, that's how I understand it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussing important things. I'm certain.

 

Anyways, that's how it's done. More or less. I had a squealy baby in the backseat of the Suburban, so I had to leave before they were done. :)

 

 

Taggin' Calves

One sunny day last week, I rode out with My Cowboy to tag calves. No - I didn't saddle up and ride out - I was far and away too lazy for that! I rode out in my Suburban. Much faster, easier, and more comfy. Yes, that's how us ranch-wives roll. At least, this ranch wife.

I can drive right up and stick my lens out the window. No need for actually braving the elements.

How do you tag calves? Well, it's about as easy as it sounds...you just ride up to a new baby calf, rope it, and tag it.

Ha.

First - you have to know how to rope. Therein lies the first difficulty. Of course, My Cowboy knows how to rope, so no worries!

 Here he has the calf roped...  

 Then you kneel on the rope,(so baby doesn't go bananas and freak out your horse) while writing the mama cow's number on the calf's eartag. You know - so you can tell which calf goes to which cow. That's sorta the whole point...

Then you throw it, like this...

 Then you carefully place the eartag into the eartag-pliers-thingy, so it doesn't fall out... ( I really have no idea what those pliers are called??)

Then you put the pliers over the ear, and squeeze, which, when done correctly - attaches the tag in the ear much like an ear ring. No - I don't think it hurts them much, cause they don't usually bawl. Besides, how many women and girls pierce their ears? Pretty much the same thing, I'd guess.

 Then you loosen the rope...

 And let Baby run back to mama....

 And everyone is happy.

And My Cowboy is off to rope and tag another calf.

Now - multiply that process times several hundred.

Yes. That is a lot of roping.

remember:

Roping = Fun

Have a happy day, and find something to rope!

Happy National Ag Day!

Happy National Ag Day!

 

Did you thank a farmer or rancher for your food? You should. Every farmer/rancher feeds 150 people. Don't ask where I got that statistic...I forget. :)

 

Today was a rather normal Tuesday. Tuesdays around here are pretty predictable.

Mondays are also predictable.

So are Saturdays.

And Sundays.

The rest of the week is wild, let me tell you. Like, homemaking-homeschooling-and-diapering-the-baby-wild. (OK, so that's not really wild, is it?)

Anyways.

This morning I fried sausage and eggs (homegrown, brown, Omega-3-loaded, from-my-own-chickens-eggs, mind you) and toasted some bagels.

And made coffee.

Of course.

Then it was getting the kids started homeschooling, starting laundry, putting supper in the crockpot, And mixing up a batch of dinner rolls. In between, I fed the baby, diapered the baby, and laid her down for a nap.  



 

Sometimes I say: "I put her down", (for a nap) but My Cowboy says that sounds like I just killed a cow or something. (As in: "Honey, there was a sick cow - I had to put her down.") Yikes. I'm trying to specify that I laid her down for a nap.

 

 

The kids are trying to take photos of each other to send to Working Ranch Magazine. WRM has a kids issue coming up, and they have a contest for the cover photo...Of ranch kids, by ranch kids, doing ranch-y stuff. So I sent them out this morning with my big camera and lots of "be careful's", to snap some pics. They did a pretty good job, although I think they misunderstood when I told them to keep the sun behind them. Anyway, I love this picture, so who cares? 

 

 

 

 I had started a cinch on Monday, and there was about an hour's work left to do on it. So I finished that up before lunch.

 

My first all natural colored cinch. It's a special order for a customer in Texas.

 

After a quick lunch of stew and fresh dinner rolls, I packed up the kids and we headed to town. We had several errands...Wal*Mart, the bank, post office, library, Murdoch's, and then some half-price-Happy-Hour slushes from Sonic, before the kids' music lessons.

Whew!

After all that, I made it home about 6 pm. Just in time for supper.

I love my crockpot on days like today. Coming home to hot food is beyond wonderful.

And that, my friends, is how I spent National Ag Day.

:)