The Secret Ingredient preview...........

My youngest son is getting married this summer and I am headed to my future daughter-in-law's bridal shower.  This is so exciting!  I have picked out a special present for her and can't wait to give it to her.  I am also going to include a tradition gift that I started giving out to new brides some 10 years ago or so.  I love giving this gift and I would really like to share the story behind the gift with my readers.  This story goes back at least 20 years, so here's the background.  I was speaking at a Mother's Day brunch, and I choose to read a very touching story from the Reminisce Magazine about a special ingredient in a little tin can.  I had brought a little tin can with the special ingredient with me and gave it out as a prize after I read the story.  Then I forgot about it.  Years later, as I was cleaning out my Farmer's grandmothers house after she had passed away, I found the little tin can that I had giving away that day at the brunch.  She had won the prize and had kept the little tin can with the special ingredient on her stove all these years.  I was very touched.  And I decided right then that I had to give this as a gift to new brides.  I then went on a search for that magazine with the story in it, because the story makes the gift all that more special.  I know I did not throw it away, I distinctly remember putting it somewhere so I could find it later.  (To this day, I still have not found that magazine.)  So I decided to write my own story.  I remembered the basic plot behind the story and the important words, so I just winged it and came up with my own story.  Are you ready for my story of Bill and Glenda and the secret ingredient?  Now, as I said at the beginning, I am headed to the shower, so I'm thinking it might be best if I wait and share the story with everyone after the shower.  Who knows, she might read this and I don't want to spoil the moment now do I!  Besides, as usual, I have rattled on enough for today.  So please come back in a couple of days and I will share with you the secret ingredient in the little tin can. 

Weather...............

Today is picture sharing day again.  I was going to blog (OK, complain) about the weather and how I can't wait for warmer weather and no snow.   However, after watching the news and the destruction that the tornadoes are leaving in the south, I think I will just be thankful for my weather and just share pictures.  My heart goes out to those people that have lost so much. 

watching the storm come in as we are fixing fence.

feeding time

yeah, bare ground!!!

what are you lookin' at.....

time to fix fence

Got the Cow by the Tail

We are about halfway through calving, and things have been going pretty good, especially compared to last year.  Last year was the year of the backwards calves and I believe we had to pull 10 to 15 calves, which is not fun.  This year, so far, we have only pulled 3.  Last night we had to pull one.  The momma was a first year heifer, and her calf was BIG.  She was trying to have it on her own, but it was just not going to happen.  She would look at us with those big brown eyes, and it was like she was saying, "Can't you help me?",  "What the hell is going on?", "I want a spinal tap!", "Don't ever let those bulls next to me again!".  Ya, I know, can relate.  Anyways, we got her to the corral, and started the procedure.  Now my main job

Just saying it in pictures...........

Momma and baby soaking up some much needed sunlight

new one still a little wobbly

The little guy needed some help getting on his mom

now he's totally got it figured out~

snow geese flying over the feed lot

some snow geese getting ready to land

Just thought I would share some pictures with everyone today.   A view of my place of work.  Hope you enjoyed them!!

The Evolution of the Ranch Wife

Tonight, I was thinking about who I was 30 years ago compared to who I am today.  And it made me think of an article that use to hang on my refrigerator for many years that my mother-in-law gave me, probably sometime after my 10th wedding anniversary.  I thought it would be fun to share the article with you.  However, it is no longer on my fridge, (I must have cleaned or something, probably something); so I am just going to wing it, write it in my own words, but you will still get the just of it.  Here goes:  

The Evolution of the Ranch Wife

1st year.....Rancher to wife.........Honey, you just sit here in the pickup while I check the cows.  I love you.
5th year.....Rancher to wife.........Honey, would you mind fixing lunch for the branding crew, there will be about 10 extra for lunch.  You're the best.
10th year...Rancher to wife........Honey, just stand here in front of the gate and don't let that black cow get past you.   You can do it, it's not that hard.
20th year....Rancher to wife......Honey, you need to push the calves up the alleyway faster.  We're burning daylight!
30th year....Rancher to wife......Honey, it's your turn to check the cows.  I did it last night........

I always figured that my Farmer would never do that!   Well, I guess someone was wrong.................
But I'm still livin the Farm/Ranch Life and still lovin it!!  

Right Or Wrong, Who's in Control??

The cows are definitely keeping us busy. The other day, my Farmer left the house around 5:00a.m. to check the cows.  He found a new calf had been born, however there was another cow trying to claim this calf, and she hadn't calved yet.  So my Farmer spent a couple of hours just trying to keep the mom and calf

Brave or Not Brave, that is the Question...............

I have been doing the midnight check now for about a week.  Just me and the dogs out for a late night stroll through the cows.  Leaving the nice warm house to go out into the very cold night is the hard part.  But once I bundle up in my 50 pounds of warm clothes, it's not so bad out there. It is actually very peaceful and beautiful out in the pasture that time of the night.  I really kind of

AND HERE WE GO.........

Well, it's official, we are calving! The first one was born a week ago, (and by the way, I did call this one....YES!!)(see ready,set,calve) and all is well with him, and then today we had 3 born. The little break in between was good, cuz it allowed us time to get things ready that weren't.