Thursday, June 2, 2011

Memories of May

In May we found out that two more special packages were coming. Billy's wife Hannah (#4) & our daughter Louise and Lance will be having their first adding to our son Blaine and his wife Kaitie's first. This family is growing and growing more than just cows! Love it.

BEST COUSINS!!!! Carsyn, Averee, Paisley, Nixyn

In May, Cody, Ryan and I met at the ranch to gather the bulls and move them. Then on to the east pasture to move anything out of there and close all the gates. I came to the ranch the back way as to see where the bulls might be. Four were east of the mill and hopefully the others were just beyond the ridge. We went out on quads. It was a no pressure day. If we got it done or didn't. We still had time before spraying to get it accomplished. Knowing that I could take some time and teach Gideon to ride on the quad. Also to see if I could ride with two dogs on a quad. We got to the four bulls and couldn't see the others. I went west and Cody went farther east. As I passed the drinker I let the dogs get a drink and a swim. Cody found them and called me so I headed back his way.
Time for lesson one. I got a rope on Gideon and put him on the back of quad. Sat on the rope, then called Vaquera who promptly sat in front of me. I sped off. It worked. Got two dogs on and saved their energy for later. We gathered the bulls and started to push them. Like always my dogs were a bit too pushy. But they got the feeling of things and started to work right. Pushed the bulls to the ranch. Got a drink and loaded my dogs on the quad until we got to the east pasture. I went north, Ryan went south and Cody went center. I found my first cattle on the east side on a hill. My dogs and I pushed them toward the road. I spotted some more that looked to be on the fence line. I swung wide to get behind them. Gideon was still coming up the hill slow (bad hips) and Vaquera looked to be headed straight for them. I tried to call her but the wind and the quad made that imposable. So I will just clean up after her. As I topped out I could see she had judged it right and was behind them pushing them down to the road. So I went on down the fence a bit more to see if I could see the other riders and know if we had done the complete area. I looked and saw Cody headed toward what I had pushed off and Ryan on the road with a few head. My dogs had kept the cattle going while I checked out things. What a breath of fresh air. They are still young and impatient, but I am getting somewhere with them. Pushed the cattle through the gate and Yea done. Finished, trained and tired.




In May, Scott Baxter who is creating a book about 100 Arizona ranches for 100 years, to help Arizona celebrate its centennial, came to take pictures of the ranch and us working and interview my dad on some of the ranching history. Some of the ranches will be featured in the Arizona Highways Magazine. We won't know if we will be, but we will be in the book.



In May, we gathered the cattle and sprayed. More time to work my dogs. And great time working along side Blaine and my extended family.