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Trouble in the North Big South
We had to gather a larger pasture of Herefords yesterday. I use the term “we” very, very loosely. As always. Anyway, things did not go well. They went through the gate as expected. Then four calves...
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No Spring Chickens
We had a busy weekend. *Rubbing eyes* What time is it? I flew straight from New York to our big city Friday afternoon and met my family at the Range Roundup, the annual ranch rodeo in our state. Twelve...
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Amarillo by Afternoon
This is a photo of my beloved strapping stallion at the Oklahoma Range Roundup a couple of months ago. The Range Roundup is a statewide ranch rodeo where different ranches compete against one another...
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Before the Rodeo
I love being outside where all the pickups and horse trailers are parked before a ranch rodeo begins. It’s fun to watch all the teams arrive, retrieve their horses from the stalls, and get them all...
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Things I Learned at the Rodeo
We had such a great time at the rodeo. We did not do very well at the rodeo. But that’s okay, because we still enjoyed the rodeo. Rodeo, rodeo, rodeo, rodeo, rodeo, rodeo, rodeo. Here are some things I...
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Cowboys in the Mist
Marlboro Man had to sort some cattle a couple of weeks ago. It was a damp, dark, desperately cold morning. The dogs and the cats were smart enough to stay inside. Man, do they have a nice life....
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This Is…
Josh. He’s filling a syringe with vaccine to give the calves so they won’t contract any respiratory illnesses. Josh is wearing a scarf around his neck known as a wild rag. They come in many fabrics,...
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How Cowboys Say Goodbye
Marlboro Man’s uncle died recently, and his funeral was last week. It was a wonderful celebration of his life—a week filled with reminiscing, family togetherness, food, old friends, and (sometimes)...
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Gathering 950 Steers
Yesterday morning, Marlboro Man, the kids, and the cowboys had to gather 950 steers. 950 steers is a lot of animals to gather. I stayed home and made meat sauce in bulk. It was a gorgeous...
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Cowboy Multiple Choice
Who’s riding the horse in the foreground of this photo? a) Charlie b) Pioneer Woman c) Ronald McDonald d) Marlboro Man What is this cowboy’s name? a) Harvey Wallbanger b) Tom Collins c) Jack...
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The Range Roundup
We had a wonderful time at the Range Roundup over the weekend. It was the first time our kids had actually competed in the rodeo and the little whippersnappers actually held their own. As a mother and...
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Learning the Ropes
We had some really little calves to work yesterday, and when the calves are this small, the quickest way to get them worked is to rope them. And by “quickest” I don’t mean “so we can hurry up and be...
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Gathering, Sorting, and Preg-Testing
We had a big cattle gathering last Thursday. We didn’t start before dark, and that’s because it’s not the brutally hot summertime anymore. It was after seven when we drove out into the pasture....
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The Day After Thanksgiving
Because it’s tradition and because, well, there were calves to work, we had a big working Friday morning, the day after Thanksgiving. The good news was, we didn’t start till the late, late hour...
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Calves, Beards, Kids, and Smiles
Yesterday started early. Around dark-thirty, I think. *Yawwwwwwwwwn* By the time everyone arrived with their horses, the sun had popped up! Look at my niece. No matter what time it is, no matter how...
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Git Along Little Dogie
For tomorrow (UPDATE: late Friday or early Saturday! There are more characters than I thought), I’m putting together a “Cast of Characters” post, which will show the current players on the ranch—a few...
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Cast of Characters
Here’s an updated Cast of Characters in case you’ve ever wondered who’s whom! Note: I didn’t include four-legged characters, because between the dogs, cats, and ranch horses, there would be no end. And...
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Missing Our Walks
I’ve been out of town for the past two days and don’t get home until tomorrow night, which means by the time I walk back through the doors of our house, I will have missed four whole evenings of...
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A Moment in Time
This was a cattle gathering from a couple of weeks ago, and I’m just now getting around to posting the photos, which were taken by my strapping stallion atop his strapping stallion. Actually, my...
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Reflections
1. Marlboro Man snapped this photo last week. He’s my primary ranch photographer these days, and I think I’ll hire him permanently. Sure, there will be all sorts of workplace complications, what with...
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