Ranching and A Road Trip

Jer went and irrigated then started getting ready to haul a pair and Mr. P to Fox’s. Nick finished stacking the 1st cutting bales that had been brought back to the house. In the meantime, Charlie and Marion were busy collecting bugs. Jer loaded 804 and her calf and Mr. Perfect to haul them to Fox’s.

 

I snapped a quick picture of Power. He’s waiting to go out with girls until next weekend; and Doug would be there that evening to draw him. The fullblood girls usually have a shorter gestation–about 2 weeks–and then heifer calves usually being born a week early, means that if we put a bull in with them too early, we end up having February babies. It’s just too early. Mr. P is going out a week earlier because the CCR girls usually hold to a gestation that is closer to what the gestation charts say, so we will be in mid-March to calve.

Power waiting patiently. 6-10-2016

Power waiting patiently. 6-10-2016

The CCR girls–cows bred and developed by CCR–and the purchased girls (same type of cows as CCR produces) are at Fox’s. I thought they would be more interested in an open gate, but Jer and I actually had to go push them. They had wanted in the upper field so desperately, I should have known they wouldn’t be right there waiting to move.

804 with her calf and Mr. P behind her. 804 is a purchased of similar breeding to CCR cows.

804 with her calf and Mr. P behind her. 804 is a purchased of similar breeding to CCR cows.

Thursday (left) and Suzy (right) are two CCR cows, bred and developed by CCR, using CCR genetics.

Thursday (left) and Suzy (right) are two CCR cows, bred and developed by CCR, using CCR genetics. Picture taken January 15, 2015.

Lily helped. She’s great bait. Only way to “work” our cows with a dog… Wasn’t intentional to use Lily, but was bound to happen since Lily is with me all the time. Don’t know if Lily will cooperate if we tried to do it on purpose. She’s so stinkin’ smart, pretty soon she’ll learn to stay out of their sight.

Mr. Perfect and 804 (and calf) were in the corral, waiting for the cows to come out of the pasture. Nick didn’t have/get the gate open in time…

We moved all of them down to the corner field. Copious amounts of forage. Was shoulder+ high on me, some hitting me in the mouth and nose as I was walking. If we would have known–or thought about it–we would have flagged or moved rocks before the growth started, had a few marks put in for drainage, and we would be taking a hay cutting off of it right now!

When we went to load up, Charlie had picked a flower for me:

Purple weed/flower that Charlie found at Fox's and gave to me. Purple is my fave color; and this is the first time I've seen these blooms in purple.

Purple weed/flower that Charlie found at Fox’s and gave to me. Purple is my fave color; and this is the first time I’ve seen these blooms in purple.

Doug, from Hoffman AI Breeders was going to try to be here around 2:00 pm to draw Power, but didn’t make it at that time. I had to leave to take Nick to meet my sister, Billie, in Utah–road trip!–and coordinated Doug’s arrival at around 7:30 pm to match up with Jer being home from irrigating.

When Nick was 4 days old (delivered via c-section), he did a road trip to Kansas City, via Oklahoma City, from Hotchkiss, Colorado, with Jer and I to go pick up a cow and bring her home. Traveling has been more limited since the family has grown; and time has seemed to become more limited, too.

First we stopped in Delta to get the oil changed in the car.

Ken's Pit Stop, in Delta. After an oil change, they left this yellow carnation on my dash. I called them immediately and thanked them.

Ken’s Pit Stop, in Delta. After an oil change, they left this yellow carnation on my dash. I called them immediately and thanked them.

Then we headed to Grand Junction to jump on I-70 westbound. Starbucks–caffeine–was needed.

Starbuck's drive thru in Grand Junction--caffeine needed!--this vehicle was in front of us. I thought it interesting that Florida has "In God We Trust" on their license plates! Go Florida!!!

Starbuck’s drive thru in Grand Junction–caffeine needed!–this vehicle was in front of us. I thought it interesting that Florida has “In God We Trust” on their license plates! Go Florida!!!

Nick barely made it past the Utah border before he passed out. Later he ended up stirring and I had to rescue the drinks that were on his lap. Was a little crowded in the Corolla, but the fuel economy of that car has me putting up with a lot!

Nick barely made it past the Utah border before he passed out. Later he ended up stirring and I had to rescue the drinks that were on his lap. Was a little crowded in the Corolla, but the fuel economy of that car has me putting up with a lot!

Typical dog, likes to stick her head out the window and let the wind blow in her face. Doesn't like people blowing in her face.

Typical dog, likes to stick her head out the window and let the wind blow in her face. Doesn’t like people blowing in her face.

Lily is pathetic. This didn't last long, I couldn't shift.

Lily is pathetic. This didn’t last long, I couldn’t shift.

Multi-tasking with the road trip and handling ranch business: Jer said Doug was going on and on about Power being such a high quality bull, his length, depth, muscling. Doug sees *a lot* of bulls, so when he speaks so highly of Power, it says a lot. We love Power, and know what he produces; but to have someone else that is so knowledgeable and experienced is reassuring.

He was also commenting that we aren’t like most people because we don’t dilute our semen to get more straws. No, we leave all our straws flush quality, so they will give the best chance at pregnancy!

Finally arrived at the hotel and got in the room after midnight. Didn’t get to sleep until around 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning. I actually climbed in bed at like 12:55 a.m., but my sister and her friend, Teresa, came back in the room from grabbing a bite to eat and said they were going swimming. I questioned whether the pool was open and Billie gave me a look that said it was a silly question and said, “It’s the Hilton, pool is open 24 hours.” Guess I gave myself away. Motel 6 closes their pool at like 8:00 or something…not that I’ve stayed in a motel/hotel in recent years. Went swimming…well, hot tubbing for me…and then back to the room. I tried to lay down, but Billie kept talking to me, then they turned on White Fang and I watched a few minutes/listened a little longer and then passed out.

June 11, 2016

Jer called me at 8:00 the next morning and I was back on the road by 9:00. Stopped at Murdoch’s, in Clifton, to get chicken feed and clips for irrigation gates. Chicken feed, check. Clips for irrigation gates, not paying that. $0.37 per clip. Total gates (front, back, and clip) are $1.19 at Murdoch’s. Bollinger & Queen, complete gate costs $1.00. Presumably Bollinger & Queen will be cheaper on a per-clip basis. Probably only a couple cents, but I would rather spend my money locally. Also going to see what Tim Gonzales, the owner of Backcountry Goods, can do.

Went and irrigated and then up to Crawford for fireworks. It is the main firework display in Delta County for the year and is put on during Pioneer Days, instead of July 4. Delta may have a display on July 4, but we don’t go to it. Paonia used to do a display, until they lit the hill on fire; hasn’t done any fireworks since then, and that was a number of years ago.

Was fun to hang with Maura and Greg (Grandma and Grandpa), Jolene (cousin), Jordan (brother), the kids (ours, plus nephews and niece), and the dogs (Jolene’s bulldog, Ruby, her Chihuahua-type dog, Fudge; and Lily). We pulled away from the reservoir at 10:20 pm. Another late night for me.

June 12, 2016

Jumped out of bed at 8:50 a.m. Church starts at 9:00. Made it at 9:10! They hadn’t even started singing yet! Have a youth group from a church in Houston that is here for a week to put on a day camp. Was crowded, but someone must have known we were going to be there–and late–because they’d left the back row open!

We worshiped the Lord with some great singing and then Tim Gonzales did the sermon this morning, instead of our pastor, Lee Byram. We are blessed to have such great men in our church that speak so well!Tim’s God-given gift is also teaching (he and I have that in common, it’s sort of a joke within the congregation) and I especially enjoy his insight and knowledge.

Jer is taking care of irrigation and chores today; except I have to go get him food for the week (works out of town, lives out of a cooler) and will check cows at Fox’s then.Billie called, they made it to her place in Washington at 3:00 a.m. Nick is already off doing something with her husband, Donnie, and Donnie’s son (Billie’s step-son), Dillon.

I plan on working on the educational articles/posts I’ve been compiling for a few years about ranching, farming, cows, etc. Maybe will get to mapping and satellite photos of the fields/leases. The day will be gone before I know it…

Then I plan on calling it a day by 9:00 p.m. I desperately need some sleep. Right now I’m running on coffee!

Monday starts a crazy week. Have to look at my planner, but I do believe a VBS is going in Lazear from 9-12 that Charlie and Marion go to (Rosie is still a year too young), and then day camp runs from 1-4. Irrigation, take kids to VBS, pick kids up from VBS, feed kids lunch, take kids to day camp, pick kids up from day camp, irrigate. There’s the beginning schedule for this week. Now let’s see how much can be squeezed in between.

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