Honestly, I never thought I personally would see the day when the cattle would not go to the high country for the summer. It’s been happening for over one hundred years now and you can count the number of years they haven’t gone on one hand.
It’s the weather’s fault. With 4 times the normal snow pack and rain into early June, there is too much water and not enough feed in the mountains yet to justify bringing them up. And there is plenty of feed in the low lands this year, something which is normally not the case.
Usually …
…Continue reading I’m Going Through Cattle Drive Withdrawals
 Cowboys can take a beating, it’s true. And while you won’t hear them complain very often, sometimes it’s all too evident that things are out of whack. After all, hitting the ground shoulder first at what is almost assuredly mach 10, after flying off a horse on the side of a hill will leave a bruise here and there, at the very least.
Now, most cowboys are the jack-of-all-trades type, which means they might be horseback one day, digging ditches the next, grading roads with …
…Continue reading The Care & Feeding of a Half Century Old Cowboy
 And, in this neck of the woods, where farming and ranching are mainstream occupations, usually every little girl wants to be a Rodeo Princess.
 The speech, written test, personal interview & horsemanship portions of the competition for the Springville Sierra Rodeo Queen & Princess were held this past Saturday……..thank goodness it’s over! So much time, effort and expense goes into preparing and practicing the speech, tuning the horse up for the horsemanship, and figuring …
…Continue reading Every Little Girl Wants to be a Princess
It seems no matter how much time I spend on the ranch, I can never get enough. No matter the time of year, it sucks me in. Whether it’s winter and we’re riding in the drippy fog to gather cattle, or the summer when it’s blazing hot and the hills are a golden brown, from the minute I first visited several years ago, it felt like home to me.
I have lived there off and on over the past 4 years, on different parts of the ranch, and now I live only a few miles from there and I can …
…Continue reading Home, Home on the Ranch
And yes, you never know what you’re going to get.
Right now, for me, life is like an assortment of all the craziest kinds of chocolates that you can possibly find in just one box. Some are nice and sweet, and others are plain ol’ nasty.
I haven’t posted in a good couple of weeks, because there just don’t seem to be enough hours in the day. Having said that, I have been busy, busy, busy, working on great packages, programs and services to bring to all my wonderful clients! I have some really great changes coming up in the …
…Continue reading Life is Like a Box of Chocolates
UPDATE – The rodeo was held the last weekend in April, and Sierra won 1st runner up! We’re looking forward to the next pageant competition at the Tehachapi Rodeo in August of 2011.
 As spring approaches, we start thinking about rodeo around here, so when Handsome’s daughter decided she wanted to run for the local rodeo Princess competition, we weren’t too surprised. After all, she hasn’t competed in anything in about a year, so we knew she’d be getting itchy to …
…Continue reading Rodeo Anyone?
Typically when I mention the word “branding” in my usual line of work, I’m talking about a business’ image….logo, colors, slogan, etc. In my not-so-usual line of work that I get to do from time to time, “branding” refers to marking cattle to show ownership….something that is required by law in most states, if not all of them. This involves a brand on the rib or hip usually, along with ear marks (different shape notches cut into the ears as identifiers). If you are a rancher, this is done every year, on every calf born. By law, it is illegal …
…Continue reading Branding or Branding?
 Cowboys can never have enough gear, as a rule, and Handsome here is no exception. And, what they do have wears out pretty quickly, so there is a never-ending list of gifts to give a cowboy. Never do I struggle with what to buy him for Christmas, birthday or Father’s Day.
With winter and cold weather coming, I decided to have a pair of shotgun chaps made for him. He’s pretty picky when it comes to this kind of thing, so I had …
…Continue reading Christmas for Cowboys
 Well, it is at least for the roughly 100,000 men and women serving in Afghanistan, one who happens to be my 20 year old nephew, Nick. It’s really hard to imagine that the same little boy who squirted carpet cleaner into the control panel of my television set one Christmas when he was a toddler, is now a full grown man and serving in the armed forces. The same little man who did his best superman pose, hands on hips, in his birthday suit no …
…Continue reading Yes, It’s Even Christmas in Afghanistan
Life on a cattle ranch may sound like non-stop fun and games, but it is filled with long hours, less than perfect weather, hard work and very little pay. Those who do it, however, are in it for the long haul, and love the lifestyle. This isn’t just a job, it’s a way of life.
With these photos I hope to chronicle small pieces of the life of a cowboy, over the period of several years, so that you all may share some of The Cowboy Way. …Continue reading The Cowboy Way
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