When did Summer Happen?

Time really got away from me this summer.  It seems like I was sooooo busy yet do not have much to show for it.  Actually I had to go from part time at work to full time (and then some) and that really threw me for a loop.

The Civil War vacation was wonderful and we both so enjoyed the two weeks.  I will try to get some posts up on that.  Learned a lot!

Rebecca wants a picture of a calf so here you go ---

Most of our cows are about 3/4 angus now even though they might have a full belt.  Our bull is angus so we don't get too many belted calves anymore.  Occassionally a spot or two but the full belts are becoming rare.  Which for us is good as they dock you severely at the sale barn for white spots let alone a fully belted calf.

I did manage to do a little sewing this summer.  These were changing pad sheets I made for a gal I work with.  She had an adorable baby boy.

We went to a driving clinic in Gering Nebraska in May and had a great time! (Highly recommend the city campground in Gering.)  I fell in love with this mule who was the nicest boy ever, and his owner was a very nice person.  I believe his name was Festus and she would not part with him for love nor money and I can see why!

Course what's summer without baseball (or T-ball)?  Here #1 Granddaughter is at bat.

#1 Grandson had already had his game prior so he & Grandpa were playing catch.

AND BIG NEWS!!  We have a new granddaughter arriving late fall.  This is the little bib outfit I made for her recently, lined with green flannel and little hat to top it off.

And that pretty much sums up a summer that was way too brief.  We never even got up to the mountain this year.  But in addition to work overload, we've been busy trying to find a contractor (and are going with Morton Buildings) for a 60 x 100 arena/barn.  This is on five acres next to our #1 son near town.  A retirement place.  We will still spend spring/summer at 60 miles North of Nowhere but last winter, we decided it was no place for old people. 

Who wants to deal with this when they are retired??? Not ME.

So we will become snow birds.  Ha Ha. and go 60 miles SOUTH for the winter.  Horses will go with us, but we feed big round bales so we can set enough for the cattle for a week and come check them and feed them.  But retirement is still a few years off.  In the meantime we will enjoy that riding barn immensely.

Fall is really upon us.  In a few weeks the calves from the 'herdlet' will be shipped off and we will bring in two semi-loads of big bales of hay -- 44 tons.  Each bale weighs 1300 lbs and have to be moved with the skid-steer (tractor type machine).  I am not ready for winter again.  We had snow clear up to April and then just last week.  It seems it snows most of the year the past few years but boy did we have the GRASS this year.  And that is good.

Okay next posts have got to be about our vacation and what we found out and what we saw!

Special Treat or Why I live on the Edge of Earth 60 miles north of Nowhere

 Today, Saturday, my #1 Son and #1 PDIL (perfect daughter-in-law) came out to 60 Miles north of Nowhere and we went to Buffalo, Wyoming to visit my mother.  It was a fun day, hour and half ride to visit going up, an hour to visit, and hour and half ride home.  Got home mid-afternoon to Beautiful Sunny Warm (well as warm as it gets in Jan-no-airy) so they caught horses and went for a short ride.  I went out and tended my chickens and we all met back up at the front of the house just after they had put saddles away.

This is what we saw - one of the Great Benefits (and they sometimes feel like darn few) of Living 60 Miles North of Nowhere.   ELK -- seven of them.  Only five in the photos because when I put my camera on super zoom it zoomed out two of them.

Now they all told me there WAS no way I could get a picture of them as they were too far away!!  HA HA - I darn sure did get it, guys.

Our mares were eating hay just on the hill in front of the elk.  Now I don't know if they were asleep or what but all of sudden they threw up their heads and headed back to the barn pronto like they had just noticed the elk.  Silly mares.

Hubby thinks these elk have been up there all winter and coming down after nightfall to clean up hay after our cows and horses.  He has seen them several times but this was first time we all saw them.  He says they don't pay any attention at all to his feed truck, like they are used to seeing it.  Well they may be used to seeing US, we are certainly not used to seeing THEM.   We have deer and antelope and other critters who share the Edge of the Earth with us and after seeing them every day, well they are just part of the landscape.  But after all these years in Wyoming, I still get a thrill whenever I see elk.  They are so majestic.  Truly one of our creator's masterpieces.

We ended the day with a nice supper and the kids went home.  End of a PERFECT day and one I'll remember for many many years to come.

Tomorrow #2 son--- elk got in my blogging way today. But I had to share.