Good Bye Sweet Jack

                                         Love you Jack

 

                                  Just a week ago. Jack and his best buddy Bean Stalk.

Don't cry for the horses that life has set free.
A million white horses forever to be.
Don't cry for the horses now in God's hand.
As they dance and they prance in a heavenly band.
They were ours as a gift, but never to keep.
As they close their eyes forever to sleep.
Their spirits unbound. On silver wings they fly.
A million white horses against the blue sky.
Look up into heaven, you'll see them above.
The horses we lost, the horses we loved.
Manes and tails flowing they gallop through time.
They were never yours - they were never mine.
Don't cry for the horses. They'll be back someday.
When our time is gone, they will show us the way.
Do you hear that soft nicker? Close to your ear?
Don't cry for the horses. Love the ones that are here.

 

     

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A little this and a little that

A little this and that from the last few days.

Yep another rattler! There sure seems to be a lot this year.

We were putting out salt and a mineral lick for the young cows when an awesome rain/thunder storm and wind rolled through. Just enough rain to keep the dust down! Beautiful clouds!

Then early evening sitting on the back patio looking east, the clouds were lifting and the sun hit the pasture just perfect.

What a good kitty!

The puppies. They are 8 months old now. They are turning out to be really good little cowgirls. We took them with us when we moved the heifers. Left the big girls home.
They waited so patiently when we crossed the heifers at the creek. Just told them, down and stay and they did until it was time to go. Very impressed. So different then the heelers!

This is Spook. She hangs with me.

This is Two. She hangs with Cameron.

Gotta love these Poppies in the yard. So vibrant!

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RRRRRRattle SNAKE!

This is NOT what you want to encounter when riding, or anytime!
There seems to be a huge rise in the rattle snake population this year.
Thank goodness we had a hand gun with bird shot. This was just a little guy. Had 5 rattles.

Are we at the beach? Nope.
The seagulls move in here on the meadows in the summer to eat little fish and grasshoppers.
Grasshoppers do so much damage to the grass. I swear they eat more then the cows! So these birds are kinda nice.

Today we got the angus bulls outta the heifers. The boys were pretty good sports. Well, except one of them! He decided to ditch us and go pout in the creek where the trees are the thickest! BRAT!
Smokey and Bandit coaxed him outta there and he loaded right up in the trailer. No pictures of that. Sometimes getting the bulls out can get pretty western! :)

We opened up the pool yesterday. YUCK! Although its a lot cleaner then I thought it would be. Chemicals and vaccuming should clean  it right up! YEAH!

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Memorial Day

 

                                                            Memorial Day

They died so that we might live free; of themselves they gave all as the ultimate price for Liberty.
In every clime and place they have fought and died for freedoms sake; and for each a mothers’ heart did break.
Some were fathers, some were brothers, all were sons; they each gave all and a nations freedom they won.
Remember why they died today and each day hence; that their sacrifice is wars final consequence.
Let us never forget to pay them the respect for all they gave, because of them, this truly is the home of the brave.
So bow your head and do pray; for each of the men and women that we honor on this, Memorial Day.
Michael Gasaway

John 15:13 Greater love has no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends.

 

Have a safe and fun Memorial Weekend.

 

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Body language

These two Hereford bulls have the body language going on.
I think they were having a discussion on who is the most handsome! HA!
They did just walk away from each other when the discussion was over.
Things I witness from the back patio....

And another gorgeous Ritzville sunset.

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The sun & The Moon

Yesterday was a beautiful warm 80* day! Today was 85*! Tomorrow is suppose to be 85* again!
Loving this weather.

Yesterday we went to Cameron's parents house and took out a bunch of old ponderosa pine stumps.
Came home and sat on the back patio.

The view from the back patio.

Sat outside to watch the moon come up. It was absolutely stunning!

As was the sunset.

Today we rode Hillcrest pasture to gather the dries and dinks.  Tomorrow we will sort the dries off. Monday the dries will be going to town. When the dinks get a little bigger and older, we will vaccinate and brand them.

Cameron thought this was a cool picture of the sun with a contrail right through the middle!

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Fishing the Snake River

We got a day away to go salmon fishing on the Snake River. The river is about 45 minutes south of us. Back roads all the way!
The salmon season here is very strange. They are considered an "endangered species" here. You can only keep one hatchery Chinook and 4 jacks. Which are what they call land lock. They don't leave the river to go to the ocean. The season is only 3 days a week. And only on a certain part of the river. Needless to say it was jammed with people! There were a lot of fish caught. We caught one and released three. It was warm, but very, very windy! And a quick rain squall passed through. But it was nice to sit there on the river with a line in the water. Its been a long time coming! And then to get a fish? Even better!

The winding back roads. This is called Hammer Grade. You go up, up , up! Then down, down, down! No guard rails to the left, just a huge drop off! These pictures don't due the view justice!

Uh Oh! A little bit of a hold up!

There are a lot of barges that go up and down the river. And a few tourist ships. But this is the first time I have seen one like this. Kinda cool. A huge ship! Called American Empress. It was raining at this time.

Little Goose Dam. Where we fished. The boats all have to go through the locks on the other side.

 

Cameron and the fish I caught. Perfect BBQ size. Butter, brown sugar, lemon pepper! YUMMY!

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Finally A Breather

We've been busy, busy, busy.
Finally we have a little break. The bulls are turned out, the branding is done and the cows are all in their summer pastures. We are rotating the heifers every 7 - 10 days.
The weather has been typical spring weather. 80's for a few days, then the mid 60's with wind and a spit of rain.
We hopped on the 4-wheeler and took a spin through the cows to make sure everyone was doing good. All the calves looked good and all the bulls are healthy and happy looking.

Heading up the creek to check the heifers and bulls. Spotted a few turkeys. They are so funny. Especially when they are in full strut!

This is a dam at Sheep Springs. The creek. Cow Creek, comes from Sprague Lake, flows the length of the ranch and dumps into the Palouse River. I have never seen the water go over the dam. But it has in the past. It does go around the dam. We have 2 small syphon hoses that keep the creek flowing pretty much all year long.

Headed to the "highway" to go check the cows across the railroad tracks. Stopped at the neighbors to say hello to some of the bucking bulls and a few stud horses of the Flying 5/ Big Bend Rodeo. Here's a link to their face book page. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Flying-5-Rodeo-Company-Big-Bend-Rodeo-Company/379886398742729.

The wind picked up in the late afternoon and blew some cool clouds in.

The sun getting low in the western sky, with rain to the east and we have an awesome rainbow!

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