Meanwhile, Waiting for the Water Trough to Fill...

Smile!

What else would you do...but have a photo shoot!

Let's chase bunnies!

The "Get Up" command in action!

"Hey Mom...I feel stupid up here!"

Awww...but you're so handsome Rastus!

And...other stuff...

Boulder & Sage

Tumbleweed Corner...yes, in my arena...gotta get to cleanin' that mess up!

Have a wonderful Fall weekend!

Farm Photo Friday~A Day In the Saddle

~Young 'uns are better off farmin' than schoolin'.~ 

~Pauline Hunter 1910~

Yesterday was a good day in the saddle helping the 3J Ranch gather, sort and move cows. The calves had already been weaned off and moved to their other ranch.

Ty on Cole...the dried grasses and the sun shining through
 the low, thin clouds make for a pretty photo.

We gathered over 150 head and brought them to the corrals. Then the fun part begins...sorting! Cows like the red one below are old and not productive for the ranch and need to be culled out. Colt got to use some fancy moves on those old, wise cows that didn't want to go out the gate.

My fav view. You can see by Colt's mane that the wind was blowing.

After sorting out the culls, taking them to a field by the house, it's time for lunch...and warm up! The wind was unmerciful and eventually drives the cold right through your winter clothes.

Then it's time to move the herd to a winter pasture where they will stay until it's cold enough and the feed is too sparse to sustain them and their unborn calf that they're carrying. They'll then be driven back to the ranch and be fed hay.

Counting...the cow boss always does a lot of counting...
it's important to know how many cows you turn out to a field.
When they come back a few months later, you hope you have the same amount.
It's not always the case. There are predator and illness deaths...and cows
seem to think the grass on the other side of the fence is better.

The whole trip was probably only 2 miles. But the cows had never been to this field before. Cows have an amazing sense of direction once they've gone there before...they will draw a line across the desert in their mind and start walking...most often they're right on.

So, we had to keep adjusting their course when they wanted to go left and they needed to go right.

Across the flat...up and over the ridge.

At the top of the ridge it was an awesome view, but the cloud cover was increasing...and the temperatures were dropping.

Father and son...and a few good workin' dogs.
Notice the butte in the background?
That's Hat Butte from the SE...it's out my kitchen window from the SW.

Cows love to run downhill...they do it every time!! Behind the little rise there's one last downhill stretch where the water source is. If you don't show the cows where the water is, they'll tear down the fences back to where their last known water source was.

It's a downhill cow race!

We arrived at the ol' homestead where the water trough had lots of cool, clean water...I wish I could have tied Colt up and explored the old buildings...but, there wasn't any time to dally.

The ol' homestead...imagine what it looked like in the early 1900's.

Water...everyone takes a turn...

Ahhhhh...good stuff!

We left the cows milling around the ol' homestead and the water trough...hoping they decide to stick around there and not try to come back home...you never know with a cow!

Happy Friday everyone...have a great weekend!!!

Linking into Farm Chick's Farm Photo Friday and Farm Friend Friday ~

Early Mornin's at the Rough String~Post #500

~No man can know the thoughts of a woman.~

~Martha Austin 1899~

Unbelievably to me...this is my 500th post! I had no idea how much enjoyment I would get out of blogging...or the number of wonderful people I would meet...or how much I had to say! I started in October of 2008 when a Dogster mom friend mentioned her blog (an awesome artist and her sidekick Rat Terrier Cloud)...I hadn't a clue what the word "blog" even meant!

Well, it didn't take long to figure it out and because of all of you it's been quite a ride!

I want to thank everyone for stoppin' by and reading about my snippets of life here at the Rough String, and I truly appreciate your comments! I will try harder to respond to your questions (I'm very bad at following up in that department and apologize). I've really enjoyed the photo aspect of blogging too...telling a story through photos...well, it's probably 'cause I'm a lil' more of a visual person.

But...


Really what I want to say is...

I'm glad you're along for the ride!!

Well, it's Friday again, and I've enjoyed posting the past few weeks with a couple of blog hops that focus on farming/country life living/ranching. One is Dandelion House (but her blog has disappeared...I hope she finds her way out of the internet black hole pretty soon), and the other is Farmchick's Farm Photo Friday ~ Link Party. Please visit her blog...good food recipes and farm life abound over there!

So...on with today's post!!

This mornin' before the sun came up, we woke to the wonderful sound of a tractor and the squeak of the rake. There was moisture in the air and the heavenly smell of alfalfa filled our home. Ahhhhh...life doesn't get much better than that!!  We hope to be stacking bales out of our field on Sunday!! Second cutting is gorgeous...beautifully green...those dairy cows are gonna LOVE it!

Hay Man Rudy's wife is at the helm...along with three dogs in the cab!
Now that's a Farm Girl!!!

As I make my way out of the house with a cup of coffee in hand, I enjoy the droning sound of the tractor and squeak of the rake at the end of each row, deeply breathe in the aroma (I'll need to remember these days when it's 0 degrees and the snow is blowin' sideways), and watch the sun come up over Hat Butte. The barn is the first stop...I let Colt out of his stall/run to graze on pasture for the day and clean up the manure.

Then I head for the garden. I know there's peas to be picked and hope they're not too ripe. I'm sure glad My Man and I worked so hard at expending the raised beds this past spring...I had room to spare for more plants...OK, next year I'll do that!

The new section of the garden has bush beans, zucchini, tomatoes
cabbage, bell peppers and hot peppers.

Oh good...the peas look like I'm not too late!

A basket full of peas with a cherry tomato on top!
I picked that one tomato before the birds ate it like they did the first few!

Walla Walla Sweet Onions...my best crop of them yet.
I have another section just like this one.
We're gonna have onions comin' outa our ears!

A volunteer onion from last year popped up,
and it has these beautiful seed buds on top...
guess I better pull that onion, it's ready to eat!

Yesterday was another yearly mornin' too...up at 4 AM to get Colt fed...myself fed...the dogs fed...get Colt saddled...Ty would be there by 6 AM to pick us up to help move cow/calf pairs.

Ahhhhhh....it sure felt good to be out movin' cows again!

These pairs are grazing on BLM allotments. They are rotated between three allotments so they don't over graze the land. So, we gather up everything from one field and trail them to the next one. Proper grazing management is essential for the continued healthy growth of grass for years to come. These allotments cover thousands of acres and gathering and trailing by horseback is the only way it can be done.

Colt loves his job!

As you can see by Colt's head gear, I'm still riding him in the two-rein, but am working more and more off the bit. He's doing well...I've got to have him straight up in the bridle by September...just a month away!

Colt 'n I have a lil' bunch moving west. Ty was off on our left pushing more
pairs up to us...our bunch kept getting growing.

One happy, cool Cow Dog! There are water troughs through out
the BLM allotments. They not only supply water to cattle but to
the native wildlife too...and occasionally a hot dog or two!

The view across the valley...Steens Mountain is on the horizon on the right.
Riddle Mountain begins with the rolling hills on the left.

We rode back to the ranch house and arrived by 1 PM...and it was plenty hot by then. Colt got unsaddled and put into a paddock with Ty's horse Cole for a good roll and some cool water. Then a tasty lunch and a cool drink ended another good day in the saddle.

Thanks for ridin' with me...have a great Friday and a fantastic fun-filled weekend!

Of Bulls and Owls

~I wonder if all women spend their time

cooking, sewing, and tending the chickens and pigs.~

~Sarah Brown 1900~

Come on!!! Hop along with Deborah Jean's Dandelion House FarmGirl Friday blog hop!!!

Goof's gone home...never to return to his Cowgirls again...as he loaded into the trailer, the Cowgirls look a lil' forlorn.





Number Three and Black Calf will miss him too...the two of them loved to hang out with Goof. I think they must have known that he was their daddy!

Next year, Number Three will be bred, so we'll need a different bull other than Goof to cover the herd.

The difficult job of loading Goof into the trailer...NOT!

Come on Bully, Bully...right on over here to the trailer!

Ha...and in he stepped...and off to home he went! Thanks for the visit!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Earlier this year I had made my mind up that I would be keepin' better tabs on this year's Great Horned owletts. Well, the days go by so fast that before ya know it...they're flyin'!!!

Look at me!!! I can FLY!!! (photo taken 7/8/11)

On June 26, I hiked up toward the base of the rim rock to see if I could find the owlets and take some photos. I found one of the parents stayin' cool in the shade of the rocks and grass...

Hiding in the rim rock and grass is one of the parent owls.

Then I finally spotted the other up on a ledge (quite a way up). I didn't even see the owlet until I downloaded my photos onto the computer that evening...what a nice surprise!

And here is the other parent...and...OH Look! It's an owlet too!
Doesn't he look cute with all that fluffy down?!
Mother Nature provides them with good camouflage!

Last evening I saw one of the owlets fly onto the top of the chicken coop...so, they are gettin' around pretty well.

This mornin' I decided to see if they were in the elm trees in the yard...sure enough they were...it just took me a while to spot them because the leaves and branches are so thick.

"You lookin' for us?"

I decided to get on top of the house roof and see if I could get some closer shots. Both parents flew over to another tree...but these two (of the three) owlets tried to stay still and quiet...

Whoooo...Whoooo...Me?

Mother owl closely watched my every move...I've been dive bombed before by the owls for gettin' too close to their owlets, so I didn't want to upset her. I stayed low and moved slowly.

Mother owl is definitely givin' me that "Don't mess with my kids" look!

Just Another Week

~If you always tell the truth, 

you'll feel good about yourself.~ 

~Mabel Wheeler 1878~

Participating in:

SkyWatch Friday

FarmGirl Friday Blog Hop

Farmchick's Farm Photo Friday

It's been a busy week...but that's typical of course for summer. Moving irrigation wheel lines twice a day...over and over again...

But, when you're up with the birds, you get to see gorgeous sunrises!

Mornin' Flight

And, at the end of the day as the sun begins to set, the views are just as spectacular as in the mornin'. Pivots and wheel lines all across the valley are running 24/7...growing alfalfa to feed hungry cows who in turn provide us with milk products and beef.

High Desert Farmland

This photo of our 1st cutting bales was taken on 6/26/11 (just 12 days ago). We started irrigating this field that evening.

Stacked in Two's

It's amazing what a lot of summer heat and good water will do...after just 12 days, the alfalfa is over the tops of my rubber boots...and I had damp jeans this mornin'! Grow alfalfa grow!!!!

When the Wind Blows

Tomorrow, My Man and I are headin' into town for the annual Harney County Ranch Hand Rodeo...a day to relax, visit with friends, eat good food, and watch a bunch of great buckaroos and horses do what they do best...brand, rope and ride!

What are your plans for this beautiful summer weekend? Whatever you do...have a great time doin' it!

Number Three

~He told me I'm a real woman,

But I'm not sure what he meant.~

~Betty McClare 1901~

Participating a fun blog hop over at:

Let me introduce you to Number Three, born March 25, 2011, out of Annabelle, sired by Goof (I'm sure Goof has a fancy registered name since he's purebred, but his owner just calls him Goof). Number Three is a permanent fixture now for our herd...she should make some awesome calves.

"I'm pretty? Thank you very much!"

OK, Number Three isn't a very "country" name. I had asked for some suggestions for naming her and readers suggested Clarabelle, Isabelle and Grace. My Man and I  couldn't decide and we kept calling her Number Three, and it just sort of stuck.

But remember Seven of Nine? She was a character on Star Trek: Voyager. I always thought she was very pretty and elegant. They called her Seven. (yes, I have a lil' bit of Trekkie in me ;~)

So, we have Three of Three.

Number Three.

She's pretty (look at those eyes) and elegant, but she doesn't have any bio-implants!

Question...which of these two photos of Number Three do you like best...I can't make up my mind and want my reader's opinion. One of them will be entered into the county fair this September...so help me decide!

Three of three...Number Three

Life at the ranch...they seem to like it here!

The CowGirls & calves takin' a sunbath after a good breakfast.

Enjoy your Friday. It's Good Friday and it's Earth Day...a great day for sure!