Brady wrestling

So, I usually video all of Brady's wrestling matches so he can watch them later to see what he's done and learn from it. I snapped a few pics at the beginning of a match the other day. He is in the silver singlet with the Warrior head on the side.

Cold and icey here today! Haven't had much for winter though so can't complain. Mike is already talking to people about haying for them this summer and getting haying equipment tuned up and ready to go. Yikes! I'm not ready for that again.

I am still alive!

I can't believe how long since it's been since I posted on here! Sorry. I think Facebook has ruined me for blogging. I'm going to try to post more often again but won't make any promises.

Since the last post was so many moons ago I won't try to catch you up on everything. We spent all summer haying. And I do mean ALL! Little time for anything else honestly. The boys were busy with football this last fall but we managed to host our trial the first week of Oct still. Same time as homecoming. Sure made for some tired teens!

We took a short family vacation the first weekend of December and went out to the NFR in Vegas. I can't say I enjoyed being in Vegas very much but loved the NFR itself as well as spending time with my family.

In late October we lost Jag to an extremely fast growing tumor. It still hurts to say it and I miss him every day but thankful to have several of his offspring that I enjoy working and living with so much.

Winter has been really mild and open this year. I hope we get moisture early in the spring so we still have plenty of hay to put up again though.

Just got done with the Denver and Black Hills Stock Show's. We had a bunch of fun and our dogs did well so sure can't complain. Dustin has stepped up SO much as a handler and I'm more nervous and excited watching him than running my own dogs! Kat is getting close to retirement but he's got a young daughter of hers that is looking good.

Speaking of Dustin he's a Junior this year and Brady is a Freshmen. Where or where has the time gone!! Dustin is looking at going into some type of mechanical field. He loves working on tractors!

Well, I'm sure that's scattered enough for one post. I'll try to do shorter one's more often so we all don't get bored with them!

Spring time!

Spring is in the air! The grass is getting green and we have had a couple of warm days. The day I took these pictures it was downright HOT! Today it's 45 degrees and raining. Ah, springtime!

Above is Rock basking in the sunshine. He is becoming such an asset on the place. He's a strong dog with just enough patience to be really good on ewes and lambs. He'll catch and hold a lamb gently now if I need him to. He'll give ewes plenty of time to pick up their lambs and move but if they come out hunting him he quickly puts an end to it. Hopefully I can get a chance to get some trial type work sessions with him in the next few weeks.

We are the same as done lambing. About 3 that are still going to lamb is all. It took 3 weeks and was pretty fast and furious. We had some cold, wet weather that made it a bit difficult but everything is looking good now.

(Fighting for the only sliver of shade)

We had a way higher percentage than normal. I have never had quads before and we had 3 sets of those this year. I need to go through my books and check but I'm pretty sure we had at least 15 sets of triplets as well. Those make for some little lambs that have a ways to go to catch up to the twins and singles. Hopefully with some milk, grass and sunshine they'll get there by fall though.

We have had quite a bit of cattlework in amongst lambing as well. Got the winter take in calves moved out to their home and summer grass. Two days later our summer take in yearlings got here. Preg checked our fall calvers and getting ready to ship our fall calves out as soon as we can get a truck in through the mud. Also hit a few neighbor's brandings in there as well. We're hoping to get ours done at the end of May.

Basically, spring is a time to run around like a chicken with her head cut off trying to get a lot of work done in a short amount of time. Because the next season, haying, is just around the corner! Dustin is thoroughly looking forward to it. Wish I could say the same for me. :-)

A gift from God!

Zac is 11 years old now. He ran in his last dog trial at the end of January. It was the Black Hills Stock Show and it has always been one of his favorites. I really didn't plan on running him at all this year but he's been feeling so good I thought I'd give it a go. In typical Zac fashion, he got 2nd in the prelim round and brought home money his last time out! He got 2nd and won money at his first trial when he was 10 months old as well. Seems kind of fitting, huh!


These pictures were taken just the other day (first part of Feb. 2011) and I know most people just see the gray in his face. I can't help but still see the sparkle in his eyes. This dog has been a huge part of my life for the last 11 years and will hopefully get to be for several more years. He taught me about perserverance, team work and how to handle stock. He also taught me about accepting things for just what they are! He's not perfect but there are few others (animal or human) I've seen with as big of a heart.

He still loves to help when I'm out training pups or ride along in the ranger when I go work the other dogs. He will hold sheep for any of them and still likes to compete with Jag on who can push them harder! He has no shame in the fact that he has grown to love toys in his later years.

His favorite place to be is wherever I am. It's a mutual feeling! He's laying here beside me now and when I get up to leave he'll get up, a little slower than he used to, and follow me wherever I go. It has been hard to leave him behind when we went to a couple of trials this past year because we didn't have enough room to haul everyone. We're working on fixing that problem as it's so important to me to enjoy every minute I get with him. After all, he is a gift I'm ever grateful for! Thank you Lord!!

Much ado about nothing!

It's that time of year when we're pretty much just hunkered down doing the same things almost every day. Feeding livestock, processing new feeder calves, feeding, wrestling tournaments, feeding, shoveling snow and oh yeah, FEEDING!

We do have a new guard dog pup. We call her Sara and she is a Great Pyr/Akbash cross. She's only 2 1/2 months old so a long way from being helpful yet. She is a quick study though and seems to be picking up on how to read the sheep and fit in with them well. She'll be close to the house with some feeder lambs until she's old enough to be safe out with the big bunch.

Brady's wrestling season is going much better this year. He's still an 8th grader wrestling a lot of junior's and senior's but he's beginning to hold his own again. Sure has been good for his confidence. He's wanting to play baseball again this year and his dad had consented since they'll be done when school gets out and it won't conflict with haying season. Oh yeah, more late nights!

Dustin is trying to rope as much as his free time will allow. Hopefully he'll be ready to compete by spring. Right now he has to hang out in town while his brother is at wrestling practice every night so they don't get home until late on the weeknights. He's been named sophormore server for the prom in April and he cracks me up over it! You'd think someone was threatening to kill that boy as big of a deal as he makes that he has to wear something nice that night! Way to much like his Dad. Good thing I love them both!!

I'm working on memorizing some scripture verses this year. Thought I'd share the one I'm working on now.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV)

Are you ever ready for winter?

The pictures below are from earlier this fall. (Sept and Oct) It seems like we work all summer to put up enough hay for the winter. Then we spend all fall (and a good portion of the winter) hauling it home. This year we put up a new barn as well. My kids are sure they don't care to have to tackle that project again anytime soon!

Above is Mike standing next to the frame of the barn. He had no idea I had him in the picture that's why he's actually looking my direction! :-) He thought I was just taking it of the end as we needed pictures (as well as measurements) to take to the guy who was cutting the tin for us. The tin is all now and we just need to do a little dirt work around the edges and put the 2 sliding doors on. Nothing like cutting it close huh!

Here is Mike unloading another load of hay back in October. Look at how green it is then!! So far they've hauled about 80 loads of hay with another 20 or so to go yet. Thankfully I don't have to go with him every load. Just move the tractor every now and then.

Above is Dustin helping unload hay. He goes with his dad every minute he's not in school. He often asks if I'd like to go to school in his place so he can stay and help his dad. He's talking like he wants to come back and ranch after college. We'll see once he gets away from home for awhile but I have to admit it sure wouldn't hurt my feelings to have him come back!

Cattle work

Sorry it's been so long between posts. It's been a busy fall here. The weather has been great and we're enjoying every day we get a reprieve from the impending winter! We got our lambs sold, fall calves branded, spring calves sold, part of the yearling heifers shipped out and just putting on the last of the tin for the new barn. Hopefully we're ready for winter!

I thought I'd share a few pictures of moving the spring calver's back to their pasture after we sold calves. Jag, Rock, Mike and I moved them. I love having dog broke cattle!

(Jag)

(Jag)

(Jag pushing them through the gate and across the road)

(Rock)

(Rock)