Prairie Chickens

This morning the rugrats looked out the window and told me the chickens were out.  That's not good!  We have to keep them in their fenced area so the "guard dog", Jury doesn't eat them!  But when I looked out the picture window, I just smiled.  It wasn't the chickens.... it was the prairie chickens.  Also known as female, Ring Necked Pheasants. Lots of 'em!

These girls have been hanging out in our little, scrubby trees.  Most likely to get themselves up and out of the 8 inches of fresh snow we have.  The pheasants usually are found scurrying around in tall grass and the ditches along the highway.  Taking to the trees isn't something we see them do every day....

One of their very favorite tricks to pull on us humans is to try to get us bucked off of our horses!  It never fails that we'll be riding along, minding our own business and WHOOSH!  A pheasant or two will explode out of the grass right under our horses noses or bellies!  Even the best of horses will have a minor heart attack when that happens!  Heck, even I have a heart attack when that happens!! The pheasants laugh at us... I know they do.

But today there will be no riding.  We'll just watch them bounce around in the branches as we all wait for Spring....


Bye for now,
PB

A Winter Walk

This morning a little storm blew in.  It started snowing hard.  But the wind had kindly stopped blowing and the temperature stayed right around freezing.  Not any of that below zero stuff we often get at the end of January. 

I decided it was actually quite a nice day, in spite of the little blizzard going on.  So in effort to get a little exercise, I chose to walk around the farm to get my chores done.  Normally I have to drive something that can haul hay this time of year.  But there is a little extra stacked up in the barn so I didn't have to haul any today. Perfect day for a winter walk....

Today's snow is very heavy and wet.  It feels much like a Spring storm.  The girls almost seem to enjoy this weather.

Mudflap is not amused.... but he is never amused.

The calves were happy to see me put out their bales of lunch so they could stop rooting around in the snow covered grass.

The ponies are loafing in their shed....

The chores are done, the gate is closed and it's time for a cup of tea.....

Bye for now,
PB

Today I joined the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop! Check it out for more fun!
http://www.deborahjeansdandelionhouse.blogspot.com/2014/01/farmgirl-friday-blog-hop-143.html

Is There Anything Better?

Yesterday I fired up the old John Deere and went to spread some new straw out in the barn.  But the weather was so completely lovely and perfect I decided I could take the time to clean out the barn too!  Usually that's a job we don't get to do until spring.  But I couldn't help myself....

The calvies had to follow me up to the barn and see what trouble they could get into.

 

Is there anything that feels better than a clean barn, bedded with fresh, fluffy straw?  Let's see.... maybe looking into your newborn baby's eyes for the first time.  Or the moment you realize the object of your affection loves you too.  Or maybe getting on the scale and seeing that you've lost ten pounds. Those all feel pretty good too.  But ahhhh.... a clean barn.  It's even more divine to me than a clean house!

Barn, sweet barn....

"Zorro" and his hens also got nice fresh straw in their winter house.

 

The calves were so happy I gave them a nice, clean bed!  They couldn't wait to get in to start messing it up, right away!!  It's a bit like cleaning house with my twin toddlers running around behind me, making more chaos.... Lord willing, I'll get to do it all again soon.

Bye for now,
PB

Mystical Montana

This morning we woke up to fog so thick we couldn't see past the yard..... I had to wait quite a while to take these photos for you.

 

 

Fog is probably one of my favorite natural occurrences. I know I have written about it before. (Click here to check out that post.)  Fog doesn't happen all that often out here.  Usually it signals a weather change is on it's way.  I'm praying this fog means Spring! A girl can hope right?  I do know we have February to get through yet. But when March rolls around we can usually at least feel a hint of Spring in the air.  I'm probably getting ahead of myself....

 

 

 

But it's easy to start thinking ahead to brighter, warmer days when everything is looking so beautiful!

 

 

 

 

I can't even believe I get to wake up to this wonderland....

 

 

 

 

It's a long way from the Seattle traffic or Houston chaos that were once my life....

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

Mystical Montana at it's finest....

 

 

 

Well kids, I am off to go fire up the old John Deere and roll out some brand new, fresh straw in the barn. 

 

Bye for now,

PB

Just Wanted To Say "Hay"

 

Hay there!  I brought along my camera while my big boy and I did chores this afternoon.  There wasn't anything "special" going on.  Just another absolutely perfect, mid-January day in Montana.  But I though you might like to come along with me and enjoy the farm for a minute....

 

Skeeter wanted to be sure you had a good chuckle today....

Miss Ivy says hello.... Doesn't she have the most beautiful gold eyes?

Good ol' Rhett was thankful it was his day off....

The not-so-innocent, but innocent looking lambs were posing nicely for me today....

The big boy got to play mountain goat on the stop of the hay stack....

There isn't a day that goes by that I'm not aware how blessed we are to live this life.  Simple pleasures and beautiful things everywhere we look, no matter what we're doing.  Take a look around you right now.  I'll bet there's blessings everywhere....

Bye for now,
PB

A Love Story

 

This is a love story.  It began in the spring of 1997, when a big eyed, red colt came into this world.  He was a blessing and a gift from the start.  After a horrible accident, I had given my favorite mare, "Sevens" to the veterinarian that saved her life.  After kicking herself out of a two horse trailer and hitting the asphalt at 65 miles per hour, she was always going to be a little crippled.  We were all thankful she would be sound enough to be comfortable and would make a great momma.  Some months after I signed her over to her new owners, they called me and asked if I would like to breed her and get one baby out of my beloved mare.  It was a gift I have never forgotten or taken for granted.  The other gift was from my dear friends who owned a stallion and gave me a breeding.  Such generosity and love is so rare and I was doubly blessed.  A year and a half after that fateful phone call, the world was given "Rhett".

 

A halter class in 2004

One of many Grand Champion ribbons.

 

From the start he was special.  He had a bit of a large, bony frame but a chiseled, handsome face and was built quite correctly.  He was smart and sensitive and full of himself!  I decided I would keep him a stallion, at least for a while.  He was to be my new show horse.  And show we did!  Rhett and I showed in almost every event at one time or another. He also got the chance to be a sire to seven beautiful foals.  All of them sorrel stud colts like their dad, except the last colt, who was jet black.

 

Riding Western Pleasure in 2005. I was 5 1/2 months pregnant with my oldest son in this photo.

 

When both of us were young I never imagined all we would go through together.  I was 20 when he was born.  Young, carefree, selfish and driven to see the world.  He was my only obligation or responsibility other than myself.  I never in my wildest dreams thought he would someday go from the fiery red stallion, to the quiet old gelding that slowly plods along dirt roads with my precious babies in the saddle.  

 

 

 

The four loves of my life....

 

I believe in great loves.  I believe the great loves are here to show us the truth and meaning of love.  Whether it's the great love of a spouse, a child or even our beloved creatures that God gives us....Through the ups and downs, plenty and lack, I have had a red horse that never let me down....

 

Rhett is the only horse I have ever seen my mom actually feel comfortable with.



 

 

Bye for now,
PB

It's Quite Possible That I Am Strange

This morning was a gorgeous morning here in Geraldine!  The wind finally quit and left us with sunny, warm weather!  You would never believe it is mid-January.  This was the perfect morning to get my calvies vaccinated and the sick alpaca doctored up.

For those of you that aren't ranchers, I'll show you a little about how we do that....

 

First we tell them good morning and ask them to pretty please go over into the catch pen like good boys....

Then once they are in the catch pen, which is behind the chute, we open the chute and ask them if they would please all go in the chute all nice and orderly.... The alpacas watch and laugh at them!

 

Everyone was perfectly well behaved today as did just what we asked....

Then I walk along the foot rail, on the outside of the chute.  I lean over each one and give them a little shot under the skin of their necks with this thing....

After about two minutes, everyone had their shot and they were ready to be let out to go eat breakfast....

See... there ya go.  Piece of cake!

 

I know it's a little weird.  But for some reason there is almost nothing I like better than messing with cows.  I am far from being any kind of an expert at any of this.  I've been lucky enough to occasionally participate in brandings, gathering, vaccinating, calving and such throughout my life.  I know I have so much more to learn. But I love the accomplishment of the work involved.  I love being outside in the fresh air, even though it usually smells like manure.  I love the sound of the cattle bawling.... The only thing better than working cows, is being on a horse while working cows!

Now that is my idea of a great day.... I know, I know.... I'm probably a little strange.

 

Bye for now,

PB