MOVING COWS 18-21 JULY

We went over to the ranch and moved cows from the main ranch up to the lower cowcamp the Mayberry.  As always we had a good time and a wonderful visit with the Martinell family.  They are some of the hardest workers I have ever been around.  To keep a ranch the size of theirs going, they must work everyday of the week.  There are no weekends off on a ranch.  They were also haying so that meant they were moving cows early in the morning and cutting, raking, and baling hay till dark.  Those are some long days when you get up at 0330 to saddle horses and be moving cows at daylight.  We took about 500 pairs and a few bulls up near the lower cowcamp.  So that was the last bunch of cows down at the ranch headquarters at Dell, MT.   The rest of the cattle are already up in the Centennial Valley and all will be moved to the upper cowcamp (the Gobel) in a couple of weeks.  Then in October they are gathered, the calves weaned and the cows moved down to the Mayberry until the snow gets to deep.  And then they bring them down to the ranch headquarters and start feeding them the hay they spent the summer putting up.  And life goes on.

Bill Cody and Jack getting a little rest after the first day.

Connie, Taryn, and Cassidy riding along the side of the cows.

This is part of the ranch pasture at the lower cow camp and that is the Lima Reservoir in the background.

Yvonne, Connie and I took out Allen's supper while he was baling.

That is a big baler Connie is standing by.

There we night hawks roosting in the cottonwood tree just behind our camper.  Click to enlarge.

UPDATE 16 JULY

We are getting ready to head over to the ranch to move cows in a few days.  Put new hind shoes on Bill Cody yesterday.  Got Jack done the other day.  We are still getting some rain almost everyday.  There are a number of folks who have hay down and it just keeps getting wet.  Will post again when we get back from the ranch.

We have a yucca blooming in our rock garden.  Makes us think of the desert when we are still in Montana!

And the lilies are blooming.

A thunderstorm moving through. 

A LITTLE HOT - A LITTLE KAYAKING

Headed up to kayak the lower Twin Lake in Lost Horse canyon, but the road was closed because of the soft roadbed with all the moisture.  We then headed up to Como Lake and paddled up to the falls.  Round trip was almost 7 miles the way we went.  The temperatures around here are pretty darn warm- high 80s today.  Summer is here for sure.

Had to take a picture of Lost Horse Creek which is still running pretty full.

Heading out from the boat dock area.  Como Lake is still full and the trees at the edge are standing in water.

The "Falls" at the upper end.  Can't see them very well from the water though.

The falls from the walking bridge.

To see pine trees standing in water was something you don't see a Lake Como every year.

This picture was taken the other day when Debra Ann, Gary, Connie, and I went for a nice ride.

HOT SUMMER DAY

We have had temperatures in the high 80's - almost hitting the 90 degree mark.  Carl and Deb and kids came down to let the kids run through the sprinklers (an adult or two also participated).  Cooled everyone down some I think.  We did have a little rain around a few thunderstorms that rolled through - but only enough to settle the dust. 

Ants have taken over the upper fire pit.  I have never seen so many ants on one of the benches up there.  It was like the queens had hatched and were taking flight to make new colonies.  Was really interesting though.

Andrew and Elaina running through one of the sprinklers

Zeus and Andrew hanging out.

Click to enlarge to see all the ants.

Slab art!

A few flowers in the garden.

UPDATE 5 JULY 2011

We have been rather busy lately.  Summer is here for sure.  We have temperatures in the high 80's and no rain for over a week.  Hot and dry which makes for good haying weather.  We have the first crop of hay up and ready for the tarp tomorrow.  Really glad that chore is done. 

Carl and Debra Ann and the kids are here staying in their cabin to the east of us.  Went for a nice early morning walk with Carl and Andrew the other morning.  Went up to the overlook and the "tent" tree.  Andrew climbed around in the tree for awhile.  Wish I had had this tree in my back yard as a kid.  I would have lived in it probably.  Did not get to see any elk on our walk though.  The elk are bedding down in the trees early now days to avoid all the horse and deer flies that have hatched out.  Miserable creatures they are.

Last week Connie found herself on the ground when her young horse Peg spun out from under her.  She has a few bruises on her back side, but is doing well.  She also had a sore back, but that also has pretty well gone away.  And she is back riding so that is good.

The wildflowers are still blooming around here.  When we have a wet spring, we get lots of flowers just like the rest of the world.  Should be taking my camera with me more when I walk, but usually just carry my binoculars.  Made an exception today as I was only doing a short walk and got a few pictures of some new flowers.

Andrew climbing in the tent tree.

The grasses are all headed out now.  Some foxtail with a crested wheat grass.

The lupine is in full bloom now.

This grass is called "needle and thread" and we are always picking it out of Zeus's hair.

A nodding onion just about in full bloom.

The flower Clarkia which we don't see very often, but this spring is pretty abundant.