Boon's Burrs

After:

Before:

Burrs--Aaaaa

Poor Boon had several pounds of burrs in his tail. I have tried many different techniques to get them out with the least amount of pulling hair out. The horses don't mind because they get a bucket of oats to enjoy while I'm pulling!

The most effective by far is to just cut the hair at the base.Of course, my deceased father-in-law would roll over in his grave if I did that.

The next best solution is WD40. I know, who'd a thought, but it is slippery and the burrs just fall out.The downside is that it makes your gloves smell funny! And is it flamable? Oh well.

Oh ya, did I mention that my hands get full of slivers as I pull the burrs out? They aren't just your average slivers either. They are clear or hollow or something and they itch terrible! I always wear gloves and stand down wind so they don't get in my eyes. That is also the reason it is important to get them out of the horses hair, because it gets in their eyes too.

I have tried baby oil and that works ok, except just when I saturate the mane or tail they shake or swish and then I am coveredwith oil--not good.

I sprayed and cut down more burr bushes(?) this year than ever before and I still have horses that look like this. We had a wet spring and every seed, I swear, germinated and grew!

I guess I am learning patience and long suffering because I am getting better at not just cutting the hair out. I am also learning not to judge others by their looks because right now my horses look funny and it doesn't matter how hard I try I can't force them to stay out of the burrs.

So, if you smell a strange odor heading your way, know that it is just me stopping by to say Hi and I'm looking for another set of tweezers to get the burr slivers out of my fingers since the girls have lost mine, again

Winter workout pics

Chelsie, watching for danger (you know, mice and stuff)











My workout partner and sister-in-law, Di













Workout equipment

Winter workout

Winter can get very long around here. It is not any fun for me to sit in the house all day. I also don't enjoy going to the gym that much. I used to, but that is another blog.
The last five or so years, I love to go out and snow shoe.
It is so fun--no really, it is fun-- but it is a work out. I come back dripping wet and if it is foggy the sweat in my hair freezes, gross huh.
I have tried several trails around Paradise and always seem to return to the same place, partly because it is the closest for my walking partner and partly because I can get the best work out for the time spent.
Some days, the snow is powder, (that greatest snow on earth thing) and that is the most difficult.
Other days, the snow is crusty and I don't sink and hardly need the snow shoes. (this snow happens after it has been very cold and an inversion is in place) I am surprised that each day the snow is different and makes the work-out change also.
Some days I can hardly see the mountains because of the low clouds, and some days it is so sunny and the snow looks like diamonds because it is so sparkly.
These are my favorite days.
I've tried to get my girls to love it like I do and they humor me and come occasionally but I am usually on my own with my sister-in-law, and she is a great walking partner. She wants to stop and rest just when I am completely out of breath so she gets the guilt for being out of shape, when really I am just as tired! And, she has 10 years on me! She is amazing!
Chelsie loves to come. She runs like a puppy and then she is so exhausted that she sleeps the next day. She is only invited about twice a week.
So, if you call me in the morning, this time of the year, I am outside, sweating my guts out and loving every minute!

Time to get up!

This is our favorite dog, ok our only dog, Chelsie. Isn't she cute? We love her--except for her shedding!
(Oh ya, and her farts are death!)

These are my girls trying to hide from me and Chelsie on a Saturday morning so they don't have to get up and go feed the cows.

And this is Chelsie's best efforts at waking them up and getting them going. There is nothing quite like a wet nose and sloppy kisses to really get you going in the morning! Especially a Saturday morning! Let's go feed!

Just thinking

I have the best counselors ever! No, I do not see several psychiatrists at once even though some days I probably should.

I am the current Young Women president. It is a terrific job--at times!

It is one of those jobs that you love--a lot-- and then you plan an activity and it doesn't go exactly as you planned and you second guess yourself, and question if you really had it all together as you thought you did,

and then you plan some more with your counselors and get all the love you can from them and, with the Lord's help ,try again!

It is exhausting and hurts my heart but, it is the good kind of tired and hurt that I need to grow. I try not to remember the kind of young woman that I was.

It is too embarrassing.

I hope that I have had some of the rough edges taken off.

It helps to remember that my Savior looks at me with a hurt heart and with exhaustion and exasperation and still sends me more blessings than I can ever imagine!

Thanks counselors, for your patience, love, and laughter that you share with me! You are the best!

Tagging the Fall calves

It was a beautiful day when the Real Cowboy Dan and I went out to tag the last few fall calves that hadn't been done.
He is riding Boon and trying to get him to track the calf. It was great watching.
Unfortunately, it was not quite 10 degrees and so to get my hand out of the glove to hold the camera AND get my horse close enough to get better pictures was not the easiest thing.
If you are wondering who actually got off the horse and tagged these 250 pound calves-- yes, it was your photographer. All except for one who's momma was a little too friendly for my taste!
Thanks, Cowboy Dan!

Ski Day

Lunch in the Lodge!

Having fun is hard work!

We had a great day at Beaver Mountain. The air was nasty from the inversion at home so we packed up and headed to higher ground. It was 20 degrees warmer at Beaver! It wasn't sunny but it was still so nice to have the temperature be above 20 and to able to breathe clean air!

summer memories

I found this darling picture today and remembered what a great time we had!

Let me explain the picture:

We are at the cabin it was about June 2009 and we were bring the cattle to their summer pasture.

We approach the gate in the middle of the valley. The gate post is about 1 foot in diameter and about 5 1/2 feet tall with a small hole on the side.

Every time we opened the gate it made a funny noise. It scared poor Skeet to pieces! (it sounded a little like a snake)

I decided to stick my camera inside the hole to see what was making the noise. I could just squeeze the camera in enough to press the shutter!

You should be able to count about 5 baby birds! It was so cool!

Winter Feeding

Tomahawk is thinking Savanna needed to shower first!

One cow in the calving shed. Do you love the hood of our 1974 Chevy! It is a hot truck. Well, it used to be until the heater gave out. Now it is only a luke warm truck.

Silage--Delicious

Feeding cattle in the winter is always, ...an adventure. This winter we have had to battle the ice. It has been the coldest December in 20 years.

We have chipped ice in places we never have needed to.

Thankfully we have terrific hired men to do most of this.

I last about 10 minutes and then I am dead tired!

All the strength I gained from moving sprinkler pipe all summer is gone!

I hope my future posterity get to enjoy the smell of horses, cattle and of freshly fed silage--not the most pleasant smell but a reminder that the best things in life are gained by hard work and sacrifice. And sometimes it doesn't look like much to anyone but you!

Sweaty saddle blankets

I really did make it out and had a nice ride. This time on Boon. I have left him for the real cowboy but I decided to give him a go.

He is a year older now.

Hopefully a year wiser.

I'm not sure that I am, however.

It was only 15 degrees. You can see the sweat on his face but my face is completely covered by hats and scarfs.

Tender Mercy for the day: Sierra didn't get hit by a car backing up, and not checking the blind spot!

Monday morning

It looks cold again.
The girls are gone.
Honey left eearrly this morning. He will not be happy about this. Cattle to load and people to talk to. I'm sure he didn't sleep well worrying if he would wake up on time. He hates that. I sleep through the whole thing. Sorry Honey.
My plans for the day are

• unload the dishwasher (or wait for the girls to come home to do it)
• make the bed
• tidy the bathrooms (waiting for the girls is not an option!)
• go snow shoeing with my best snow shoeing sister-in-law
• go ride one of the 4 year old's that need some time and sweaty saddle blankets ( I hope it gets above 10 degrees)
• fix dinner
• relax(?) with the fam for Family Home Evening (ok, I know I should have the activity all planned out but I just am not very motivated to do this. )