ELK

Fall is just around the corner and already the elk are gathering in small bunches with a dominate bull.  Zeph and I were walking this morning when I saw some elk before they saw me.  This sure makes it easier to sneak up on them as they are not quite as spooky.  Anyway, there was a mature bull and a number of young spikes and rag horns in this bunch of elk.  I have heard a number of elk starting to bugle in the evenings and mornings around our place so the rut is on or getting very close.  This little herd of about 40 elk was about 3/4 of a mile from our house.  The dominant bull was definitely after one of the cows.

You can see this bull is very interested in the cow he has his head on.

And a few spikes were in the herd.

The ratio of calves to cows is very good this year. 

RAIN AND HAIL HELPS FIREFIGHTERS

We have had nearly an inch of rain in a couple of storms, some of it coming down in torrents at the rate we usually do not see.  Had to do some road work as it washed off much of the sand and gravel in certain areas.  Also plugged up the Rasmussen Ditch which we get our irrigating water from with sticks, pine needles, and pine cones.  That took me a little time to clean out.  And there was some hail but not that big.  We could hardly hear inside our house with the tin roof.  Was quite a storm, and it sure helped the Roaring Lion fire crews.  That fire is now 80% contained I heard.  We can now see how bad the fire was.  Will try and get some pictures of it in the next few days.

After the rain the valley hardly has any smoke.  The puppy and I on our morning walk.

The hail coming down.

Connie and I out for a ride the other day.  Thought this old snag was rather unique.

And the girl riding the horse is really cute.

RANCH RODEO 2

Here are some more pictures from the ranch rodeo. These are more from the saddle bronc riding as it presents the most action.  Jackson is still the pickup man.  When we first saw him and he told me he was the pickup man I was a little shocked as Jack is not a big man.  Lots of agility, but a little shy on weight and muscle!  And he also told us that these ranch cowboys like to grab the pickup man around his head instead of around the waist.  And that is exactly what happened in the first sequence.  Click on any picture to make them bigger.

Making a good ride actually.

Okay mister, it is time to get you off that bronc.

Now grab me around the waist and I will get you to the ground.

How about if I just grab you around the neck????

It all worked out and Jackson got him off the bronc.

Now this sequence starts out pretty good.

Butthe young bronc rider gets a little to far forward and also lost his Texas style hat.

Check out where his feet are.  Not in the right place when the bronc is coming down on his front end.

So he is thrown forward over the neck.

Not much he can do now.

Check the lady in the upper left on the top row.  Hiding her eyes as she is sure this kid is toast.

The rider is looking for the softest part of the Darby dirt.

He disappears for a second or two.

Don't know how soft the dirt was but it does look like he stuck his head in it.

RANCH RODEO & FIRE UPDATE

Connie and I went up to Darby yesterday late afternoon to watch a new event up there in their arena call "Ranch Rodeo".  I have been to some ranch ropings, but this is quiet different.  Teams compete against each other in branding, sorting and doctoring, team roping, saddle bronc riding, and big loop team roping.  We left home and drove through a pretty good rain storm (which is good for the fire) getting there.  Drove by where the Roaring Lion fire is and it is still smoking.  They have let some of the people back into their homes and the fire is now over 8000 acres.

Not many people have arrived yet as the rain kept them away.

You can see the storm as it is going away to the north.

If you look closely you can see the smoke from our fire.

This is the branding competition.

Some of the cowboys waiting to rope.

Branding the steer with paint.

The pick up men for the bronc riding.  The young lad on the white horse is Jackson our grandnephew.

And he is a redhead.

The first bronc rider did the best.  The rules are a little different from regular rodeo. 

Getting a little high in the seat, but doing well.

Jackson leading the horse back to the bucking chute area so the saddle can be taken off.

Driving home I captured these pictures of some of the fire area.

I was surprised to see so many ravens flying over the fire.

After the rain, the smoke was just hanging in the trees.