Where's the Snow?!?

Ha!!! Well, now that I've said those three words, maybe we'll get some snow!

Layered Clouds

But really, it will be February 1st tomorrow, and we've had less than 6 inches total so far this winter...and we've had very little rain. I worry about the snow pack on the Steens of course; we need lots of water for the alfalfa!

Snow Play!

I shouldn't be complaining...I should be out riding...but we've been consumed by this...

No more carpet in the house!!! YEAH!!!

My Man worked his a$$ off to get two bedrooms and the great room done. I'm very proud of him; it turned out gorgeous!! All that's left to do are the moldings around the edges...I get to prep and stain them.

All I can say is that Do It Yourself Home Improvement is not all that it's made out to be!!

Friday Fences ~ It's a Job

Participating in this week's Friday Fences...check it out!!

My fence this week isn't pretty or photogenic...but it's where all fences begin~

A fence can be many things...from decorative to useful...wood, plastic, rock or metal (and anything and everything in between)...they all have one thing in common...it had to be built.

Putting in a good H brace is key for a strong fence.
Having friends (in this case the brother-in-law) help is BONUS!!

This particular fence boarders our side yard toward the hill and needed to be rebuilt. The posts had rotted off at the base, but the wire was still good to reuse. We've been propping up the fence with boards to keep it from falling over for the past two years. It's a 6 foot fence that keeps the deer out and the dogs in.

Fence building takes lots of contemplation...and
tools...and equipment...and a maybe a good dog too.
Starring at it doesn't get it done, but you hope it prevents
you from making a mistake and having to do it over!

Tenacity, perseverance, grit, muscle...and maybe a few bad words muttered
under your breath helps get the job done.
My Man loves to build fence (Lord knows why), but when he
builds one, it stays up for a LONG time. He learned that from his dad.

Straight.
The fence, according to My Man, must be straight or it's not a good fence!

And, it's still a work in progress...

The first four photos were from Thanksgiving weekend and the above photo is from this morning. The fence still needs the rail across the top (like the two posts in the foreground) and the bottom, between each post, will have a 4 x 6 retaining wall to keep the erosion dirt out of the yard...which also keeps the dogs from digging under the fence.

For now it's keeping the dogs in...just another project that isn't finished. Hmmmmm...what was that New Year's resolution on yesterday's post?...finish projects!!! Ha! Just one of many projects that need finishing.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Gardening and More Gardening~Whew!

~Hard work makes a woman haggard and thin.~

~Gail Bailey 1910~

I started another part-time job...like I really need another one. But my dear friend Sam who died last month worked at the Princeton Post Office. It worked out that it would fit my schedule and it's usually only 1-2 days a month and when our Postmistress is on vacation. So, I've been training this week, hence a late post about our busy "gardening" weekend...two fun-filled days of gettin' down in the dirt!

This was the size of my raised vegetable bed for the
past two years. It was REALLY crowded.

With Cowboy's help and approval, I laid out a plan. Cindy Sue seems to be very happy
about the layout...Bella Jo and Abby obviously don't give a darn!

Instrumental in the construction phase is My Man...what a sweet guy.
But, he tends to like those home grown tomatoes ;~)
First drill the hole through the rail and then run a 2 1/2 foot length
of re-bar through to hold in place.

Then with the handy-dandy lil' tractor, layer dirt and compost. Thank
goodness for the tractor...we'd be lost without it!

Set in more rails...layer more dirt...and then the rain moved in.

We waited a while to see if it would just be a shower, but no such luck...it was a steady rain. But before it turned everything to mud, I went out and planted the section we had finished...in the rain.

The next mornin' we finished the last section, and
 I planted, and then laid out the soaker hoses.

The final touch...a fence to keep the critters out!
Well, it works pretty good except for the dang sage rats.
I think that's who nipped off the leaves of some
of my peppers and my zucchini plant...grrrrrrr.

With that completed, it's off to the front yard.

Last summer we put in the front deck, and My Man
built the flower trough for me. We've finally gotten to good
enough weather to plant! So, I needed to get soil into
the trough and put in the bedding plants I had bought.

Ahhhhh...things are starting to come together!

Last fall I made this flower bed. It's going to be much easier to take care
of rather than mowing. I'll get the soaker hose out and it will be easy.
But, I've got a lot of blank spots that need plants. I've been gathering
starts of heirloom plants from neighboring ranches. It's
been a fun project. I also ran out of bark mulch and need to
get a few more bags to get it covered. I'm excited to watch
the flower bed develop as the perennials expand year after year.

Here is a link to the post from last summer showing what the front yard looked like before the deck and the new flower bed.

Well, after all that, My Man said I should go ride a horse...well, twist my arm!!!

Come on Colt...let's ride!

Smoky Pritchett Clinic & Life at the Ranch

~If I ever become successful in life, I'm 
going to get me a ranch of my own.~

~Emily Downs 1892~

The days are flying by!!! It's already Wednesday, and I'm finally sneaking time in to do a blog about last weekend! I've got my Horsefly publication deadline coming up...and some ag surveys to do also...OK...gotta make this quick!

The Smoky Pritchett clinic was awesome!

The only photo of the clinic. I was too busy listening!!

Every rider got to work one on one with Smoky with a maneuver in the reining pattern...rider's choice. Horses were at all levels of training (green snaffle bit to bridle) and riders were of all ages (youth and adult). What everyone's main point of trouble boiled down to moving the horse's body parts...hip, shoulder, nose. For example with the lead departure, the hip needs to be to the inside as well as the nose...and the horse drives from the hip to pick up the correct lead. If the body parts can't be moved by the rider, the horse won't be able to do the maneuver very well.

For me personally, I rode Colt in the two-rein and asked Smoky for some help on getting him starting correctly and some basic use tips. Since I've never had any formal training with the two-rein, it seemed like a good place to start...from a man who's been there and done that! I brought along my hackamore just in case, but never had to use it.

After Smoky helped me adjust my bosal under the bridle correctly, we got started. First he had me pick up the bridle reins...well, I'd only been riding Colt with just contact on the hackamore reins...so, I took the slack out. We practiced his neck reining...making sure that Colt's eye was tipped to the inside. We'd spiral down in the circle and come back out in the same direction and pick up the lope. Colt tends to drop his shoulder going to the left and I need to work on keeping him balanced. It was a really good exercise to get the horse positioned correctly.

After we had finished, I told Smoky that I'd never picked up the bridle reins before today...he said that it seemed like I had and that I had a really nice horse. That was a wonderful compliment coming from a man with his background!

Then after everyone had their one on one, we each got to box a cow...a fresh one at that too! I've never had professional help with my boxing or fence work either, so it was a great learning experience. I just need to do my job..."stop the cow!" I've got to make sure that going to the left I get in front of the cow (I tend to lag behind too far) and then Colt needs to finish his stop before he turns (rider adjustment).

There was another gal there in the two-rein and she'd been in it for a year, so I got great info from watching and listening to her works.

It was supposed to be a two hour clinic, and it ran 3 hours and 15 minutes...but everyone was learning and they wanted everyone to get their works in...it was a great day!

After the clinic, they started the horse sale. This is the annual Shelman Family Horse Sale. I didn't stay too long, but saw this photo op and couldn't resist:

If you want to sell a horse, get a cute lil' buckaroo to show it for ya!

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It's been pretty hot for the past week or so...the dogs are taking full advantage of the pool too!

Abby loves her pool and is always laying down in the cool water!

Everyone except Abby only wants to get their feet wet...Abby's the water dog!

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What do you do on a hot Saturday night at the Rough String? Well, stack hay in the barn...what else is there to do?!?

First My Man puts 3 bales in the tractor bucket...

...then My Man stacks it in the barn....what am I doing? I'm driving...and taking pictures!

This photo in the barn looks like it's snowing...but it's just hay dust emphasized by the flash. We finally got done around 9:15 PM or so...we only have to stack 3 more loads (including our own alfalfa bales).

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Hmmmmmm...Sunday...what shall we do? Let's put in the new deck!

My Man got a smokin' deal on this "already built" deck that was used for a home and garden show...and we'd been thinking about putting a deck off the front steps.

Whala...instant deck!

This load made that lil' tractor grunt!

This is probably the heaviest load our lil' tractor has ever carried...My Man had to drive it in backwards because it didn't steer right! But after wiggling it around for a while, he finally got it into place.

We placed pier pads underneath it...and it's in!

Now all of the landscaping comes (that's like my job). I'm planing on using the "lasagna" method. This link talks about vegetable gardens, but it's the same theory for flower beds. If anyone has had any experience with this method, I'd love to hear your thoughts...pros or cons.

The pups have moved right in!

The posts are coming off the deck and My Man is going to make a cedar flower trough along the front that will hide the pier blocks. Finish it off with one of my Leopold benches, a two chair bistro set and the BBQ...we're ready for outdoor entertaining...until the skeeters drive us indoors ;~)

A picture perfect ending to another great weekend!

The hay is cut...raked this AM...and now I hear thunder and it looks pretty dark up behind our hill...pray that the rain and wind hold off for a couple of days~

Welcome to the Two Cow Ranch

Yep, as of yesterday...My Man and I are in the cow business! Meet Annabelle & Ellie~~

Two cows...that's not many...totally embarrassing compared to all the ranches in Harney County. But for us, it's a perfect number to start a lil' herd with.

Annabelle is the one with the horns.

Ellie is the curious one...she's trying to help My Man

put in the electric line for the tank heater!

We traded some hay for the cows. Ellie's had one calf and Annabelle has had two. They are both bred and should calve in late March or early April. I can't wait to see the lil' calves on the ground! But, there will be no naming of the calves...they're to sell and eat!

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In other news, I'm home by myself once again after having My Man home since December 3 while he was recuperating from hernia surgery. He was pretty sore for the first few days and then needed to get up and moving...so that's where the painting came in. He was a great help! We got the living/dining rooms done as well as the master bedroom.

The windows still need painting (today's project) so I don't have anything up on the walls yet. I have a wood bench to paint too that will go at the foot of the bed. The French doors going into the master bathroom are getting a new coat of paint too...OK...got to get going!

The photo turned out funky colored, but the bedroom

is sage green and a sort of pink color. It looks much

better in real life!

The living/dining rooms are a brick color and a tan.

It's a very cozy warm feeling color.

Lastly, welcome Winter Solstice!!! My favorite day of the year...yippee!!!!!! I'm totally ready for the days to get longer again...come on spring!

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

It's Like Having A New House!!

We now have a freshly painted house!! It's only taken us 3 years to get it done...but it's done...and I love it!!

We've determined that this old paint was the

original paint...1989!!

Two years ago, we had to replace some siding

on the addition, so we started painting then.

But, the color was wrong and then winter set in

and we never got back to it.

With My Man working a full time job in town and commuting an hour and a half a day, we knew that the only way to get the job done was to hire it out.

Our best friend Ron and his girl Carrie offered to do it...they did a fantastic job!

Everything went really smooth...the wind stayed

down and so did the temperature.

But after being here for 5 nights, they were happy

to be on their way back home.

Look at the beautiful detail on the trim!

It wasn't all work though; they spent the day

at the Kelley Rodeo with us and had a blast.

We ate really good food, drank a few beverages,

and had lots of laughs!

It's a new house!!!

Next comes staining the deck, and I'm in the process

of painting the dog houses and the chicken coop to match!

We learned one important thing...don't wait for 20 years to paint your house...it makes it a bugger to paint!