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Welcome to the Rough String, and thanks for stoppin' by!! Grab a hot cup of coffee and sit a spell!
10/22/18 You will see a name change on the blog. Lots of things have changed in my life in the past few years, and I feel compelled to share my story.

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

Rural Thursday ~ Cattle Drive

Last fall we helped take Rancher Dan's herd to their winter feeding grounds...and now, before they calve, we're helping him drive them back down to Diamond...a two day trip (25 miles or so). Not a bad way to spend our weekend!

Riding into the Sun
The small butte in the distance is where we're headed
 for the over night stop.
On day one, we had sun, clouds, snow showers, wind...a lil' bit chilly when you're just sittin' on your horse following cows. My chin is still a bit raw from the wind and cold.

Bundled Up
My Man is bundled up. He looks much nicer than me though,
I was in my insulated bibs!

Day two was nicer; lots of sun and not as windy, but it was still cool.

Trailed out 2 Miles
Day two, the cows trailed out about two miles.

On day two, the cows trailed out almost two miles. Some were in a hurry to get where we were going, some were just getting tired. The road ahead T's in with another road in the upper right corner of the photo, and you can see the lead cows way out in the distance heading left.

The snow covered top of Steens Mountain can just barely be seen in the far distance.


Winter Warmth
Winter Warmth
This ol' barn is one of my favorite scenes in the Diamond Valley. Sunshine, hay, a barn...all the comforts critters need for winter on a ranch.


Almost Home
Almost there...on the home stretch.
We take off across a neighbor's field to cut out mileage. Shortly before we left the road, we spotted a cow who kept lying down.

I got close enough to see that she was about to calve. She held out for another mile. At least she was off the road. She had it along side the driveway.


Newborn on the Trail
Newborn on the trail.

Come join us on Rural Thursday's blog hop!



20 comments:

  1. I love all your pictures - so scenic there!

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  2. Oh I enjoyed that....but I'm glad I didn't have to walk all that way just before giving birth LOL!

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  3. If it's cold... I don't care what I look like as long as whatever I'm wearing does the job of keeping me warm!
    I loved your pictures - and how neat that a cow calved... right there. Do cows feel stressed by having to stop when the other cows are on the trail.

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  4. I remember Feb. cattle drives with the north wind, blowing like a banshee. Still looks fun.

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  5. Lovely journey you took us on today! Thanks - and loved the story of the calving!

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  6. An amazing post -- love the scenery, the weather, the cattle, and the little one being born at the end.

    Thank you so much for sharing at Rural Thursday. It was a treat! :)

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  7. Oh my goodness, that's so awesome! Bless that momma & baby, tough =)

    Beautiful barn, love that dark wood

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  8. i enjoyed my trip on the cattle drive...that baby is so cute...will you send him to me?!

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  9. Dreaming ~ You know how the mother cow wants to be by herself when she calves, well that's how she was. She just wanted everyone else to get past her and her baby. We had lunch at the ranch and drove out about two hours later and she was standing over her calf. They just left the gate open for her to come to the barn yard when she was ready.

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  10. You just answered my question. I wondered if someone had to carry the calf in their lap on horseback. Love that little barn!

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  11. Wow that is quite a herd! You didn't really say how Colt was so I'm assuming he was his wonderful self. How amazing to have a calf born right out there too, Wow! My bucket list just keeps getting longer and longer...I bet Fred would pack nicely on a saddle. (or in a pouch)

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  12. Great pictures! I like the one with the cows strung out around the corner and the calf with it's momma! Thanks for taking us along!

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  13. All in a day's work! Sure is perfect ranch country there.

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  14. I bet that cow went home and fit right back into her jeans!

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  15. A different world. I think many folks don't realize this is still a way of life for many - not just a scene from a movie. :)
    Thanks for sharing the experience.
    I hope the calf is healthy and doing well.

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  16. This was great! I wear my coveralls also...and I think you saw my Skunk Hat with the ear flaps!

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  17. Nice, scenic! although I shivered about thinking about it. I can stay warm when I'm trotting but I can get pretty cold when I'm walking! I keep thinking I'll help with one of the cattle drives here, but... I also keep thinking it's a lot of work!
    - The Equestrian Vagabond

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  18. Beautiful, beautiful country. Love the pics and the ride. Love the newborn too :)

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  19. Your photos are especially fascinating to me
    because my daughter is interning in eastern Oregon this coming summer.
    It is beautiful territory;
    she will be camping most of the summer in rural areas of Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada.
    I've sent her a link to your blog and your Flickr page.

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I love your comments! Let me know what's on your mind~~