April 25

Today was the big auction day. We had cool weather in the 50's and it was overcast. There was a pretty good crowd and I think it went well. Some things went high and some low so it evened out pretty well. The auction lasted until 1pm.
I went to the ranch and fed lambs afterwards then did chores this evening.
2 heifers with heifer calves were being picked up tonight by a buyer from Colorado. The brand inspector had to come out and health certificates had to be faxed over from the vet. He was showing up about 6:30 pm to take them home.

I got a call from a guy in Sutherland today (1 1/2 hrs away). That was the place we picked up lumber that my boss bought at an auction last weekend. There were some glass blocks that they didn't know if they sold. Well, he called and said they didn't sell and I could buy them. I got them at a super price and will head down that way tomorrow to pick them up. It is a nice drive and will take up part of my day. I'm going to drill a hole in the side, fill them with miniature Xmas lights, wrap ribbon around them and try to sell them at a craft fair or booth. I got one for Christmas this year and just love it. I have it plugged in all the time and it is just beautiful. I know, just what I need is another craft project!!!

Our week at work will be busy next week. We will be taking sheep to Ft Collins to sell and deliver bulls that sold at the bull sale. So, more sorting of sheep and cattle!

I think the week will be a bit cooler again. I was getting used to the 80 degree weather we had last week. But my farmer tan is starting to show up. The wind just kicked up pretty good tonight.
Hope your weekend will be great!

April 23, 2009

We have been busy at the ranch. On Sunday the boss went to an auction and bought a bunch of lumber. We went down on Mon. and Tues with the trucks and trailers to bring it back. He got quite a bit and will be able to do quite a bit with it. He also had to take some heifers to North Platte, NE to a sale on Tues.
We sorted sheep and took 2 bunches to summer pastures yesterday. About 60 sheep went.
Today we sorted cows, some are being sold and we had to get them to the pens to have the brand inspector come and look at them on Sat.
We have someone repairing a windmill that isn't working. Hopefully he will be done with it by tomorrow.
Bob and I are having our household auction on Sat. The auctioneer is coming by tomorrow to sort things out. Then at 10:30am the auction starts. It won't be as big as last time but we hopefully will have a good turnout. The weather is supposed to be in the 60's.
We've been having weather in the 80's for the past few days. My summer tan is coming back, in the form of a farmer tan. I have lost 32 pounds while working this winter. I need to get some "skinny pants" again. The ones I got in Dec. are already too big. But, I like the way I look and will continue to stay skinny.
Have a great Friday and better weekend.

April 17, 2009

I spent the Easter holiday in Cody WYO. with my family. It was a 9 hour drive to get there and I was pretty tired that first night.
Mom is feeding 45 bum lambs 3 times a day. That kept us very busy for the weekend. We also had 2 calves born while I was up there. My neices and nephews came over for dinner and we had a great time.
One sister couldn't come up, sure did miss seeing her.

Back at work on Tuesday had us sorting cattle all afternoon. I didn't have a good day, couldn't make the boss happy about opening gates. But today it rained all day and we had to work out in it for 4 hours. It was miserable and we were all soaked and chilled. Got to go back for a couple hours this afternoon and get it all over again. The rain is supposed to die down by tomorrow night.

I am feeding a couple new lambs at the ranch. One acts like he can't see, she just follows my voice. Now she is my favorite lamb!

We are having our auction in a week. The house will be rented on May 1st. I am staying in Oshkosh till at least May 15th. Bob will probably head to Wyo on May 1st.
Hope everyone is having a great spring...

April 7, 2009

We survived the weekend blizzard. Saturday it snowed but mostly blew snow. We had a hard time feeding the animals, couldn't find the white ones to easily. The winds blew up to 40 mph and it sure was cold.
Today it turned nice in the afternoon. I was working in my shirtsleeves.
We've still been having a few lambs and calves. None were born in the blizzard tho.

I'm headed to Cody, Wy this weekend. I might leave Thursday and get part of the way. It is about 500 miles. It will be nice to see my family for Easter.

We're getting ready for the auction on the 25th. I've been organizing things in the garage. Bob still has to take a load or two over to his kids house to store. I don't know when he will do that.

I'm going to work at the ranch till about the middle of May and then go to WYO.

Hope everyone is enjoying the spring time weather.

ELK, donkeys and llamas

I worked until noon today. Afterward, since it was so nice outside (55 degrees with no wind) I decided to head out of town about 3 miles and take some pictures. There is an elk ranch where people can book elk hunts and the elk were up close enough for me to take some pictures. Some have lost their antlers but a couple still have theirs. They just watched as I snapped pictures and weren't a bit scared.

On the way up there, I noticed some miniature donkeys in a field with some woolly llamas.

Here's a picture of a pheasant I saw. There are a lot of them out this year. Mostly they live in the corn fields where there is plenty to eat.

AND---on the river---A DUCK!
Enjoy the pics!

Well, I tried to download pics but when I went to look at them on the blog, it was just #'s and letters. Ron, what is going on with that? Email me!

On Monday we moved cattle about 5 miles to the ranch. They didn't drive good! As I was in the truck with a round bale of hay on it, the cattle headed every direction but to the truck once they got outside the gate. The winter wheat is coming up and they headed toward the "GREEN". After a while Henry came up to the truck and said swap him out for the horse. He took off in the truck to get a 4 wheeler, I got on the horse and tried to herd cattle off the wheat. I haven't been on a horse in a while so it was fun. Henry brought the 4 wheeler back and I was the one to hop on it and hopefully help out. But after going thru a ditch and it stalling, I wasn't able to go any further. It quit and wasn't starting! I ended up walking and herding cattle on foot. It was just like the olden days. We finally got them back to the ranch. The wind had started to blow very hard but was at our backs. I walked a total of 2.5 miles. After we got them home, we worked on the ranch.

Sheep had to be sorted on Tuesday. We moved some that were going to lamb soon, up to the barn.
We've still been having lots of lambs, pulling ones that the ewes can't have. We've lost a few but have been doing pretty good otherwise.

Today, I had to give CPR to a lamb that was not breathing. I will find out tomorrow if he lived.

The weather changed from nice to COLD and WINDY on Tuesday. But today it was up to 50 degrees and I shed my coat and enjoyed working outside.
I'll try to get some pictures in the next post.

Lambing season

It is definitely lambing season! Yesterday I think that 8 ewes had lambs. That includes the lambing during the night. We have had a set of quads, one of which we were able to graft onto another ewe that had enough milk to feed him. We had a set of triplets, they are doing great. I pulled 3 lambs and Elton pulled 2 lambs in 2 days. They are huge lambs and the ewes are having a hard time with them.
After they are born I have to put ear tags in their ears, give them a shot, band their tails and spray paint them with the # of the ewe that had them. I have to write down the ewe that gave birth right away so I don't miss any of them.
This morning one ewe and her twins, busted out of the little pen I had her in, I had to hunt down the 2 lambs and get them tagged, etc.
We try to keep them in lambing jugs (pens) for at least a day so they can bond good and we know that they will give enough milk.

I had to "tube" a bull calf that keeps bloating. It is a plastic flexible tube that goes down his throat into his 1st stomach and lets the air out. He has gotten used to being loaded into the chute and having this done every morning. At least he is alive!

We talked to the auctioneer the other day and have our household auction set for April 25th. It won't be as big as the last auction, but hopefully we can get rid of everything. May 1st or there a bouts, we will hook the trailer onto the truck and head west to WYO for the summer. I would like to take a week and camp and fish at Boysen Res. just outside of Shoshone WYO. Bob hasn't given me the OK yet,,,just will wait and see.

The weather is getting warm here. We have had the temps in the 60's and will hit 70 soon.

We miss everyone in Q!
But next fall,,,we will be there!