Random Bits of Learning

I am taking Vaquera to Petsmart classes. There is a shy little poodle in our class. In the second class we went over the manners expected from the dog while on a leash. Vaquera and I did fine, but our little poodle friend (Sophie), um lets say didn't want to participate. She sat down, held her ground. The teacher said drag her she will get up, no one likes to be dragged. She mopped the floor the whole night. The next week she walks normal. The tile floor is one thing on your bottom but a sidewalk and asphalt can teach a lesson.

Lesson: Walk up to what is expected of you, if you don't you might not expect what you get.

I went to Chino Valley to a livestock auction. Yes I put in time looking the animals over. But at one time I watch the people, especially the kids. They ran and played, showed off, and of course got rough. I noticed one young boy kept saying "I need to take this to my dad". The other said okay but you have to come back. He persisted that he come back. He had been treating him a little hard. So the boy ran up to his dad and handed him a little book and a pen. The dad looked at it and put it in his pocket. Said nothing. Just kept on talking to the other man. What I perceived is the young boy used it as a way to get away from the others. The dad was patient and none judging as his son stood next to him.

Lesson: Are we a safe haven at times without judging, or lecturing? Can we accept the way others may get out of a bad situation?

At the above mention auction they had ranch horses for sale. They would describe it as such: rides all day and is still ready to go, can be roped off, will drag um to the fire (branding fire), etc. The horse were shown by one of the owners, mostly men. Did see one woman. What took the cake was they sent out a boy that looked no older than ten. Fine looking horse, was a tad older than the rest but no where ready for retirement. The boy worked his horse like the rest. Fast start, stop on a dime, cuts both ways and then they always send out a calf for you to rope. The boy gets his lasso ready his horse if following in true form and.....what the heck the calf jumped a plywood fence. All you see is the belly clear, the back legs up in the air and thunk. The front body weight pulled the calf over. The announcer said we will release another calf to show you this horse has what it takes. The young man went down to get his next calf, faster that lightning it was an exact reenactment. The announcers apologises to the boy for sending him two bad calves and sends out another. Oh you have got to be kidding. Yep the third follows suit. It is nothing the boy is doing. The first calf found a weak spot and the other two learned it. They brought in a calf farther down the line so as hope it didn't learn the new way to make a gate. Low and behold it was roped and dragged before you could blink.

Lesson: For the boy, don't give up. For the adults, let them keep trying. For those in charge, take the blame don't hand it down.


Just things I see.

Once upon a Week

On tuesday me and Tom crossed wires and I ended up having to walk from the Mesa Library to Jesse and Amandas house to wait for Tom.
I get there as Carsyn is going out the door to play. Paisley had a fresh container of popcorn and she offered me a bite. I went over to work on the quilt. Paisley followed me all the time asking "pop or". It was a joy being shared too instead of being the sharer.
Paisley is a tender heart.

On Wednesday morning the Red Tailed Hawk that had circled us the two previous mornings was at it again. I don't know if we are the only thing happening at 6 a.m. or if is sizing Mobie up for a meal. She circles and then lands on the same telephone pole and waits for us to go by. It takes a minute or two to get in the spot, but this morning I decided to coo at her. That brought Gideon to a halt and he turned to look at me with those big brown eyes that say "what mom?". It must of sounded like my cattle call in a way cuz not thinking I raised my arm to point at the bird, and off he ran toward Power Rd. I immediately called him back. He was on a high speed chase to find those cattle. I am thinking since my arm was so high he thought that meant way out there.
Gideon is an obedient heart.

Me, the dogs, and others went to work at the big mill. The cattle that for the last three feedings were not accounted for have been found. They were not at the big mill previous, but they are now and so we need to make sure there is sufficient water. Batteries were dead on the generator. As we study it out more we found that the bolt holding the alternator in potion had vibrated out and was gone. We found bolts on the windmill frame that would work. Got it set, jumped the batteries and pumped water. As we were leaving Grandpa Nicoll said " I do hope this is the last winter that we have to keep your mom up here. It is to cold for us anymore. I want to keep coming and helping. We just can't winter anymore."
Grandpa is a good heart.

Proud Mama

I haven't been fair to Vaquera. She has had no puppy time compared to Gideon. With Gideon I was religious about 5 minutes 3 times a day on training. I don't know where my life has gone or my commitment to her is, but tonight I decided to change that. Yes I taught her to sit and to come when called. That is nothing compared to what I did with Mobie and Gideon. I spent time helping her learn about chickens but that was also with Gideon training along side of her.

I sent the other dogs in the house and decided to teach fetch. I grabbed a tennis ball. Called Vaquera to me. She came happily. I bounce the ball twice to get her attention. Tossed it, at the same time I said go. That way she would acquaint the word "go" to working cattle. She went for and returned with it. Wow, first time and so far every time. Mobie can't fetch, he takes the ball and runs. Gideon went for the ball but when I called him he dropped it, and came running with out it. It took some time but not long.

The other day it was time to put away the chickens. Found all but one. After 45 minutes of looking. We (me and the two dogs) went into the back yard to see if she had come out to start roosting now that it was getting later in the evening. There I found her, outside of the yard. I said, see it. Gideon knows that phrase and went on alert, looking in the direction that I was pointing. Vaquera took to the excitement and tried to follow Gideon. I opened the gate, they ran in the direction of the chicken. The chicken started running the wrong way then turned and dove under the small hole in the fence. Both dogs turned toward the fence, Vaquera turned once again and ran toward the back yard to finish the job. Gideon stopped at the fence looked at me and then took off to the back yard. The chicken was put away. Yea.

Gideon amazed me on how smart he is. Vaquera scares me on how smart she is. Can I stay a step ahead of her?

LOVE, TRUE LOVE

For anyone that doesn't know, I cry every time something involves a new born baby. Seeing one, holding one, talking about one, movies showing them, etc. Always human ones but even animals. So that is my weak link.

Every time one of my grand babies are born I have fallen apart. Everyone stares at me until I am done. One day in October or November Billy said I could come watch my first missionary be born if I wanted. He didn't even finish the sentence and I was crying. Not to mention this was in the down stairs office and once again I got stared at. I have gone back and forth. I really didn't think I would keep my composure. Just in private times thinking about it I watered my cheeks.

Wow, got up at 5 am and noticed I had a 2 am text. Oh my Hannah's water broke and they were at the hospital. Got to fly. Just wanted to hold my little boy. Didn't even cross my mind of staying in for the birth. Truly thought I had missed it. And hadn't convinced myself to stay anyhow. Get to the hospital and I am not late. Get a text from Alicia that I had better stay in there and watch. She has stated that her and Louise don't want me in their delivery rooms so I better take the chance while I had it.

I walked in the room. Started crying. Stated that I don't think I should stay for the birth. Hannah said not if you are going to make me cry. Well I had some time. Hannah wasn't half way there yet. Tom showed up. Tell ya I had to fly. Left him home, didn't take care of my animals. I was starving. Good thing Tom cleans up after me. He fed my animals, fed me and didn't cry.

Now it is time, Tom left the room and I was going to hide in the corner and be good. Just had to wait for the doctor so Hannah could push. What is that, the doctor wants me and her mother to hold her feet. Is the woman crazy. I will be down there with nothing to look at but, butt. Naw just had to put that in. Too tempting. So I decided to look into Hannah and Billys face. Hannah gave me the evil eye so I looked down. Low and behold it was the most beautiful thing I have witnessed. Birth. I've seen so many animals born. But this takes it all. No tears, believe it or not. Just pure love filled the room. I don't recall feeling those feelings before. I have felt love, but this was a new love.

While helping dress my sister for her funeral. I felt a new love, different for all other loves and different still from the one I experienced watching birth. The Lord has blessed us with so many loves. I guess I am going to have to live to find them all.

So now is the question, shall I become a doctor so I can revile in that joy more often or just work at a funeral home so I can feel that joy? Ah who am I kidding. I got no cooth and will just have to keep cowboying and feel that joy.

Love to all my family, especially if they can take my humor and my love.

THE CHICKEN GOD HAS SPOKEN

As some may know I am trying to train two pups to work cattle. I have never worked a trained dog myself, heck I have never seen with my own eyes a dog work cattle. But I raised 5 children to work cattle, even though don't work cattle. Hey it looks fun.

To reach my goal is to work them on chickens daily. I don't have access to cattle everyday. So with the breed of dog that I have picked has one small trait that is common but would be better if I could shove it back into the closet. They are known for grabbing the chicken around the neck and dragging it over to you. Now what chicken farmer wouldn't love that. He brings you dinner. And all this with no death, no blood. They can do it without hurting the chicken at all. I will admit it is looks funny. So with my older pup (Gideon, named after a warrior of God). I have been working on getting it across to him that I don't want it. He is coming along.

I now have a younger pup (Vaquera, cow girl in Spanish) who came with a whole lot of grit. I spoke to the breeder and told her I need a very strong willed pup. I got a really really strong willed pup. She is in the middle of learning that the chickens can run around the back yard until I say, not her. She has tried to let this trait out and she has shown me that she won't be a gentle as the other. So I am working on that harder with her. I love the grit because our cattle don't like dogs and they show it all the time. I need one that looks like she will do all she can to get it done.

Now with the both of them I have chained them up if I found them putting them away. With Gideon I only had to do this twice. Vaquera had been up to four times now and didn't get the hint. I have read three really good books on training your own stock dog and everything I can google. In one of my books the trainer says if there is something going down and you can't control it with voice, can't reach the dog to discipline then throw a dirt clot at them and let them believe that the "god of you should do that" has spoken. So as I yelled in a very low growly voice NOT YET and threw a stick at her. It hit her in the side of the head. Oh my goodness the cry she put out. I went to her and checked her over, reminded her not yet and sent her to the back porch.
Where I loved her up for being obedient.

Done, the chicken god has spoken. She now lays in the yard and lets the chicken have all the room they need. Soon as I put the leads on the dogs and say walk up, they are doing their things. Gathering and pinning them in the coop.

Thank heaven she doesn't know it was me that threw it. That is one thing he pointed out. We don't want them afraid of us, just the command. So now when or if I have to say not yet, she will look around for the not yet god.

The Smell of Death

Conference weekend some of the family came to Vernon to listen to General Conference. On Saturday evening Jesse dug a hole in the back yard, filled it with hard wood and burnt it down to some beautiful coals. He dug out the coals and we then put some seasoned roast in a dutchoven, buried in the hole with the coals and a heap of dirt on top. The next day put some potatoes in the oven. Oh yum. Sign me up again.
The next weekend was shipping and our great adventure to New Mexico and Texas. Fun Fun.
This weekend we drove up late Friday night to make the parts delivery in St. Johns, then over to the ranch to check the water. (For anyone that wants to know, there was still plenty). Back to Vernon to fix a frozen pizza, chop a little wood, (yea for fires). As we sat there eating, believe it or not it got warm enough to open the doors and let some fresh crisp air in. Suddenly I turn to Tom and ask him if he smells something dead. Yep he does. Wow do I need to close the door. As I get up to check it out, I smell it from the back door worse. Ugh. I go toward the door to close it, and wow, over powered. Death is in my oven. Oh man do I really want to look. Years ago we had mice nesting behind the stove and as I heated it up it put out a smell, so at this time that thought crossed my mind. And the pizza I just ate came from there. Hold on stomach. Open the door and behold death is wrapped up in tin foil. The stupid left over potatoes from two weeks ago. The sad thing is for those two weeks, I remembered I forgot to get them out. I just remembered every time I was in Higley. And forgot again when I was in Vernon.

FALL BREAK? 2009

This week was Tom's fall break from school and Ginny’s three days of shipping cattle. As we both needed a vacation, we took most of the week off from Baker Machinery and made a working/traveling trip out of it. It started off Sunday; we had all the kids in the valley over for dinner. We had to get in the last good byes with the little girlies. Ginny loaded up her cow dog and took off with her brother to do the ranch work. Tom buttoned up the itinerary for the trip and the businesses.
Monday morning went to the ranch to gather all the cattle in the knolls pasture. Buddy (my horse) has gained so much weight on the ranch grass that his saddle won’t stay up right. So I had to keep stepping down in the stirrup to straighten it up that at one time I must of popped my phone off my hip only to get to the mill and realize that it is missing. See what a fat horse can cause.
On Tuesday late afternoon/evening after a very tiring hard day at the ranch I went to load up my dog and he would have nothing to do with it. He had always stayed by my side but now he stayed a couple of feet in front of me so I couldn't catch him. I will admit he can, and is stubborn, but I forgive him cuz he is a great companion and help with the cattle. But at this time one of us was going to learn a lesson. I left him at the ranch. I was hoping and silently praying that it would be him that learned obedience and not me having to learn more patience. Cody was spending the night there so I asked if he would keep an eye on him. He said sure and I took off.
Tom came up Tuesday night and we decided after calling Cody that it would be a good deal to leave the stubborn thing there all night. In the morning Tom took off to St. Johns to diagnose a piece of equipment for a customer and I headed off to the ranch. I get there expecting a reunion with my dog, nope, no where to be found. Can’t go find him cuz the calves had knocked a gate open and were all out in the bull pasture. 78 head loose, Cody had most of them back in but still no time to look for the dog, cuz we only had an hour to get the calves separated and counted before the cattle inspector came and the cattle truck arrived.
Tom called said he was done on the machine and wanted to know where to start looking for the dog (I call him a dog but to me, he is still a pup, he had just turned a year old that week and that is when the brains and training really start), I told Tom to go around and come into the ranch from the back way cuz that is the way I bring Gideon in most of the time. So Tom did that and did some more looking. He had no luck and came into the ranch just as the cattle had been loaded and I was done with the shipping papers. So I was free to leave. Tom the good hearted person he is wanted to blow off our trip and spend the week looking for the dog. Me the cold hearted person who can’t put up with disobedience or stupidity wanted to take off on our trip. We decided to take one look over at the big mill, that is where he is used to working along side of me. And then drive one more time out the back way so I could shower in Vernon, before I spent the day with 2 inches of corral dust and cow stuff on me. So yep he wasn’t at the mill, yep started questioning my self but then I am more stubborn than my dog. Started the dusty, bumping road to Vernon. Lo and behold there is Gideon about 30 yards from the 60. He had heard our truck as we drove up the ridge and had already turned and was running back toward us. He would have made it home to Vernon, just don’t want to think of him going down the highway.
Got cleaned up in Vernon and passed Gideon off to Steve to take home to Jesse’s house for the rest of the week. We ate lunch in St. Johns because we were now 3 hours behind because of the dang dog. Then headed off to our first destination of Los Lunas NM. Tom had planned the trip to take as little as interstate roads as possible. It was amazing to see all coke ovens in the yards of the Zuni Indians. How they take care of them by tarping them over when not in use. While there, we stopped at Phillips Diesel to pick up parts for the ranch Yanmar.
We then went to Albuquerque and had dinner in a bowling alley that had great food. We heard about it on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. You wouldn’t believe what they serve. You’ve just got to go. Well worth it.
Stayed our first night in Santa Fe. Since we were behind in leaving we had to check out the town in the morning. Now it is so early in the morning, and we have got to get going, we end up walking around all this history before anything is open. The Indians who sale their wares are in front of the Palace of the Governors. This is where Gen. Stephen W. Kearny of the Army of the West announced to the citizenry that they were now under the rule of the United States. So basically the US took possession of the south west here. The Mormon Batalion was part of the army of the west but had not come through Santa Fe yet.The workmanship was well worth the look. History will have to wait for another trip. Hurry of to Taos, the real history. Kit Carson home. But atlas, we are still behind because of that dang dog. Didn’t have time for history here either. The auction that we came for was hours away and going to start. Besides the dog lateness we have a new time zone taking 1 hour away from us and some stupid day light savings time stealing another hour. For a grand total of 2 hours. Just wake up world. Quit changing things. I don’t know but this is another reason the word “Change” makes me sick.
Leaving Taos is some beautiful country, and where we ate lunch at Eagles Lake, can take your breath away. And to think before all the foreigners got there it was Cattle and Lumber County. To put it like I heard an old man there say “before them from California came here and told us how we should live”.
We were hungry when we got there, so we were going to eat at the first thing that showed up. It was a little hamburger place, no empty tables, dang, then the old man previous spoken of comes up and greets us and tells us to go ahead and sit with him and his friend cuz his friend is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. And to tell you the truth he was. Ends up when he found out we were from Arizona he told us that he had served in the air force at Luke Air Force Base. He did not complain of the heat like most. He said he missed it. He was raised here in Eagles Lake and the short warm season and the long cold season made him appreciate what we all hate.
On the road to Dalhart (the cattle auction) we drove down a state road that took us past Philmont. The big beautiful scout camp. No time to look for scouts, cuz you know we still haven’t caught up with the lateness or what we can call the CHANGE. Get to Dalhart Texas, the address we got off the internet for the auction ends up being the address for the head quarters. Did the only thing you can do. Rolled down the windows and let the smell lead us there. Got there after the calves had gone through, but the cows hadn’t. Man it is so exciting, I always feel like I am the trainer for Miss America. Sit there so proudly as my girls hit the scales and get judged. Only if you let the money per pound be the points scored. My girls can die proud of their selves they done them selves fine. Collected the checks from the sales and slept thinking about the closure of this year and how I can’t wait to work cattle again.
The hotel in that place was great, for more than nothing but a cattle stop. My only thing was the train runs all night and has to sound its horn as it goes through intersections. I know my hotel was a good as the rest cuz the hotels are all in the same intersection. So really, can’t tell you anywhere to get a whole night sleep. But they have clean rooms and great friendly people.
Went the next morning to Lubbock to pick up a special parts washer for the machine shop.
Then on to Los Cruses, it is close to a pecan tree farm and we are thinking of getting some more. They won’t be sold until winter, but what the heck we are in the neighbor hood. Then went to Hatch NM, just had to see the “chili capital of the world”. It was amazing to see field after field of chili plants. This time of year they were red chilies only but that gave some great color. On the side of the road and on business roofs they have them out to dry. It was cool to see. Bought some red chili powder and some green chili crumbles. Can’t wait to cook with them. Oh but I will wait. So tired from the trip don’t even want to cook.
Then on to Safford to see the girls and Lance, but to get there we had to go through to black mountains and Gila National Forest. That took us back over the continental divide. And the color in the trees. Was able to stop and pick me some leaves. Now a little bit of fall will be in my house. Met them for lunch, went to see where Alicia lives and went to see Louise’s kitten. Just a mean ball of fur. But the face makes up for it.
Had to stop on the way out of town for a cone and the best ice in Arizona. Worth the crunch.
On to globe where we stopped for a park and swap and Tom got some machine tips and me a small cast iron pan and a bat so I can play ball with Gideon. So ready for a water bed. Just can’t do regular beds for to long.
All on All I would do this trip again and that is unusual for me. Tom was right all along. He has told me that life would be good once everyone moved out of the house and he got it right. So relaxing for a mom not to worry about what and who she left at home. Thanks heaven for marriage and school. Not ours, theirs.