Here are the last few pictures of our cattle drive home. They may all look the same, but I just love them all. And I just love having the snow- a little something different than our dreary old brown
Archives for January 2014
A Cowboy Traffic Jam
A cowboy traffic jam is unavoidable when we move cows down the road. And in some aspects I quite enjoy it because I like to see the different ways non-cattle folk respond. I must admit that I do find it a little funny (sorry) but its simply because they aren’t used to driving with cows. I mean, cows are probably not a common issue for most peoples’ commutes.
We usually try to wave them ahead, signaling to whoever is coming or going should just drive on through them. Sometimes that works.
But sometimes it doesn’t. When that doesn’t we might have them follow and we sort of break a trail for them.
But sometimes that doesn’t work. Most often people are afraid of hitting a cow, whether their concern is for their car or the cow, I don’t know… but that hesitation keeps them from busting on through.
What these fellows don’t know is that a cow will just move out of the way and until they figure it out, they are stuck in a cowboy traffic jam.
The Cows Come Home
There is a movie The Rancher’s Sidekick loves to watch that has a chattering woman that says having caffeinated coffee would make her talk until the cows come home. She continues to chatter about what does that even mean, where have the cows been… And even though its a silly show and a silly woman she’s right- what does that even mean?!
I have posted pictures of the beginning of our cattle trek, of the boys and girls that moved the cows and now I have some photos of our final destination. These cows are now home at the ranch, close by so we can feed them and enjoy lovely cattle filled views from our own window.
A New Year
Can you believe that 2014 has begun?!
I love new beginnings! Its so wonderful to start with a clean slate. I make mistakes (no one is surprised there) and although a new start doesn’t mean that past mistakes are gone, it does mean that you have the opportunity to rise above them.
Traditionally at the start of the new year we make resolutions. I’m big on that. Its like the ultimate year to-do list! And unlike most of my mom to-do lists, these kind of things can’t be undone, well some at least…
But this year I’m going for something a little different. I heard a quote recently that we are faced with the challenge to become. Become what, you may ask.
That is the beauty of it- you get to decide! So maybe this year I will focus a little more on what I want to become rather than just accomplishing new things. Life gives new avenues of adventure in the must unlikely places, places we may never have dreamt of. And while we may have a great list of things we hope to learn or habits to make, it might not accommodate the new road we are travelling.
Now, what is it I want to become? I’m not really sure… I guess I’m still trying to discover what that is but I can tell you it has to do with enjoying life on the ranch more and sharing it with more people.
I do know that I want to share it new ways with new people.
Any ideas?
Bring it on, 2014!
The Crew Part 2
(He, he… the title rhymes!)
Do you want to know what was so cool about our family cattle drive last week? Well, yes the winter temperatures did make it a “cool” outing. What else made it especially cool was that we had all of The Rancher’s brothers.
There are five- that’s a lot of cowboys for one momma to handle. Thankfully she is still alive and sane.
We are always privileged to work with Cowboy Pete and Cowboy E while they still live on the ranch, and once again they graced us with their cowboy presence.
With it being Christmas brother #2 and his sweet wife were around to move cows with us. Wouldn’t it be fun to call them Bonnie and Clyde? Except that they are good kids so the name doesn’t fit. So instead lets call them The Cowpoke and The Montana Girl. Right now they are absent Eliason cowboys because they are becoming educated cow-folk.
And completing the cowboy brotherhood was brother #3. Last week we welcomed home The Buckaroo from his church mission to Kansas. In true cowboy fashion he was moving cows the day after he got home!
So already this is fun to move cows with all the brothers but something else cool was that there were four generations of cowboys out there from The Ranch Boss to The Rancher’s Sidekick. Its not too often that four generations get to work together!
The Crew
Most of the time when we move cows we are with our neighbors and other ranchers. But now that our cows are alone we get to do it just us. Just the family. And what is even better is that we love to do it as a family.
Every family has their own thing that they like to do. We like playing games and working together.