The Best Mom Ever

Whenever I do something spectacular, like pack their favorite lunches or remember to pick up ice cream at the grocery store, I ask my boys “Who’s the best mom ever?!”  They promptly reply “You are mom!  You are the best mom ever!”  This only works because my boys are young and they haven’t figured out that I am not the best mom ever.  I can’t be the best mom ever because that title belongs to my mom.  My mom is the best mom ever.

Who do I call when I’ve had a hard day?

My mom.

Who do I call when I’ve had a good day?

My mom.

Who do I text “What did I do wrong?” with a picture of my latest culinary fail?

My mom.

Who bakes the CowBoss carrot cake for his birthday?

My mom.

Who do I email when I have an article due yesterday and I can’t get it quite right?

My mom.

Who do I call when my little darlings do something clever?

My mom.

Who do I can when my little monsters do something particularly un-clever?

My mom.

Who tells me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear?

My mom.

Who do I want to be like when I grow up?

My mom.

Who loves me even when I don’t deserve it?

My mom.

Who is the best mom ever?

My mom!

Truth be told, I am the mom I am today because of the great mom I have.  Without her love, support, and advice, I wouldn’t be the person I am.  My hope for my boys is that they feel the same love and respect for me that I have for my mom when they are all grown up.  Then I will know that I have successfully raised two wonderful men.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of those moms out there who truly are the Best Moms Ever!

There's Nothing Romantic or Poetic About Being a Cowboygirl

There's nothing romantic or poetic about doctoring calves in a foot of snow.  When it's cold, and slick.  And you have to keep the vaccine bottle in your bra so it stays warm enough you can actually draw vaccine out of the bottle when you need it.

 

There's nothing romantic or poetic (or even cool poems about....) processing yearlings in the rain.  In mud up to your knees.  With wet gloves.

There's nothing romantic or poetic about classing calves in the alley.  In 6 inches of oozy, sticky, gummy mud.  Buried under 8 inches of snow.  One hour before the truck shows up.

There's nothing romantic or poetic about trailing cows down the highway in subzero temperatures.  Leading your horse because you can't feel your feet.  When you can see your breath.

There's nothing romantic or poetic about calving out 1500 heifers.  In 4 weeks.  Twelve hour days.  Each black heifer looks exactly like the black heifer you just rode past.  In January.  By week 2 you won't remember your own name.

 

But....

It is kind of cool to watch the sun come up over the canyon rim as you trot out of camp in the morning.

There is definitely some poetry in a perfect heel loop that scoops up two feet, or a bridle horse working a cow in a gate.

I'll admit, it is romantic, holding hands with your CowBoss while driving home from the sale after selling a trailer load of your own calves.

I guess drinking Carlo Rossi out of a tin coffee cup by gaslight after a long day doing cowboy stuff is rather romantic and poetic!

Frosty Cows

 

 

Ever take a really cool picture, then get it home and realize there is one of the Cowboss's friend's stupid Corriente cows right in the middle?  Yeah, it sucks.  But I am slightly  jaded because the Corrientes make me crazy.  If there is an open gate, or wrong direction to go, they will do it, and it is usually when you are trying to get the tractor through the gate and keep the Corrientes in and you are by yourself.  You will spend an hour getting out of the tractor, chasing the Corrientes off, opening the gate, running back to the tractor, get almost though the gate before the Corrientes get to it, have to jump out, run them off and try again.  It is a vicious cycle.  Hopefully a neighbor driving by will take pity on you and watch the gate as you drive through.  Most likely, it will be on a day you are hurrying to make it to an appointment in town.  You will be late.  True story.

Good Help is Hard to Come By

Good Help is Hard to Come By

Why is it fall feels like it is so much busier than the rest of the year?  I think it is because you have to work around other people’s schedules more than any other part of the year.  You have to preg your cows when the vet can be there and ship your calves when the trucker can haul them and it is convenient for the buyer to receive them, all while working around helping neighbors and school.  In the summer, if you can’t spray weeds because the wind is blowing, or you don’t get through the heifers in the Red field, you can probably do it the next day and not worry about scheduling conflicts.  You have more flexibility during the winter, spring, and summer months.

I feel like I have been running since fair time and haven’t stopped to catch my breath yet.  Between getting the boys to and from school, my college class, and working for the Cowboss I haven’t had much opportunity to get into any trouble.  On the upside, all 3 of my boys have been too busy to get into trouble as well!  QT has been busy helping the Cowboss and me in the mornings before school. 

QT and I had a really hard day last week.  After we got TR on the bus and off to school, we caught our horses to help the Cowboss and Russ move a bunch of yearlings from the Barn field to the Ryegrass field.  After we got them moved, QT and I were to go back for the pickup and trailer, then meet the Cowboss and Russ at the house.  Right off the bat we found a yearling that we had missed.  We got around her and got her put where she belonged, and headed on our way to the pickup.  We were given very specific directions to load our horses, then drive through the pairs in the field next to the Barn field, checking to be sure no heifers had crawled in with the cows and calves.  After driving through the pairs we needed to hurry home and get QT fed and ready for school.

We got our horses and dog loaded and drove through the pairs.  We didn’t notice any yearlings and were ready to go home.  Then I noticed 1 hot cow and 13 yearlings in the field we just came out of.  I asked QT what he thought we should do, let dad get them later, or unload our horses and put them away ourselves.  He was pretty sure we better get them for dad, so we parked the trailer a little closer to the gate we would push them through and unloaded our horses and dog.

The cows were pretty wound up, and took off in a long trot in the wrong direction when we got on our horses.  We trotted off to get around them and QT did a really good job keeping up.  Then we chased those cows all over that field.  If there was a wrong way to go or a chance to scatter, the cows took it.  It felt like we were trying to herd cats.  We ran back and forth across a boggy creek 3 times before the cows bee lined it for the willows.  I got QT back across the creek and told him to sit right where he was and I would chase them through the willows.  It took me a good 15 minutes up, down, and across the boggy creek in the willows, a few tears and a lot of swear words before I finally got them out of the willows and headed somewhat in the right direction.  I let out a holler for QT to catch up, and he and old “Knothead” made good time trotting across the field to me.

I told him that if we could get the cows past the barn at the Oglvie and could keep them on the fence we would be in the clear.  If he could keep them coming, I would stay on the side and keep them together and going the same direction.  I’m not going to lie, I had my doubts we were going to get all of them past the barn and to the gate.  Between my 5 year old cowboy, 6 month old puppy, and colt, things were not going well and I was ready to cut my losses and let the Cowboss get them another day.  Every time I looked back though, my little man was whooping and hollering, working back and forth pushing those cows for all he was worth, never slowing from a trot.  We got them past the barn and QT held them up in the corner while I got the gate opened, then he brought them to me and I turned them in.  I don’t know how we did it, but we finally got them through the gate.

Riding back to the trailer I told QT that I was very proud of him.  I said he did a good job, I was so glad he was there to help me, and that I didn’t think I would have ever got those cows on my own.  He looked up at me just as serious as could be and told me “I know mom.  Let’s go home so I can go to school.” He’s good help.  I'll take him over most people any day!

Things I Love....

I love watching the Cowboss with my boys.  There is nothing sexier in my opinion than a dad that spends time with his kids.  I am so thankful that we live in a lifestyle where we are expected and encouraged to take our boys to work with us daily.

I love early morning cuddles with my little manly men.  I have to get used to the idea that my babies are growing up and don't need mom like they used to.  Most days they prefer fist bumps to hugs and kisses.  I live for early mornings where one of my boys will crawl into bed with me and just snuggle for a few minutes, forgetting that it isn't cool to hug mom.

 

I love the exuberance and enthusiasm my dog greets me with when I get home.  Whether I have been gone for 3 days, or just stepped out the back door and came in through the front door, she lets me know that I was missed.  She meets me at the door, jumping up and down, and the minute she can touch me, she is jumping up on my leg greeting me.  Makes me feel good to know something cares about me and is  happy to see me!

I love fresh horses on brisk mornings.  Isn't it excited to put on a wool sweater, felt hat, and chinks, then step aboard a fresh young horse and have them take a little hop or two on a cool morning?  You get warmed up quickly.  It is a thrilling way to start your day!  Tight horses on brisk mornings make me smile, as long as I can cover them.  If I get frapped, I know it is going to be a bad day!

Cricket

The Cowboss and I roped together in a branding contest one saturday in March.  I used my favorite horse Cricket, and he did awesome.  I felt like I could rope bridleless and he would put me where I needed to be.  He was wonderful.  He has been my sidekick for years.  The horse I depended on to take care of me when I put myself in a bad place, bring me in for a heel shot when I can't think, ride, and rope all at the same time, gave me the courage to do what I didn't think possible, and wings, so I could fly.

Then on that following Tuesday Cricket colicked, and I held my breath.

Wednesday he was better, and I let out a huge sigh of relief.

Thursday I put him down, and I cried.

I keep telling myself how fortunate I am to have had him for 13 years and how lucky we were to have one last great ride, doing what we both loved together.  Honestly though, it hurts.  I feel like I've lost my best friend and can't get over it.  He was the one constant horse in my life.  I rode him through both of my pregnancies and gave he gave both of my boys their first rides.  When I needed to get something done or didn't feel my best, he was my go to guy.  I just knew he would be the horse to teach both the boys to rope.

When given the option of surgery or putting him down, I made the choice to put him down over the 5 hour trailer ride for surgery when the odds weren't in our favor.  He was in so much pain and kept looking to me to make him feel better.

I loaded him in our trailer and I drove him home.  I unloaded him in the drive way, and lead him just as slowly as he wanted to walk down in the pasture where he would have shade and a beautiful view of the Rubies.  Then I held his head and scratched the spot I knew he liked the most while the vet gave him the shot that took all of his pain away forever.  And I cried.  A lot.

I really hope he is with a girl in heaven who needed a good horse.  Who can appreciate him for what he is.  Look past his quirks and love him like I did, because he deserves that much.  Maybe someday I will find another horse just like him, who challenges me when I need it and takes care of me on the days I can't.  Until then I know I will have some hard days.

Saturday I rope in the first branding contest I've entered since I lost him.  I feel lost.  I feel like I can't rope, and I just really want to stay home and pretend that he is down in the field with his ears pinned back, glaring at any other horse who gets too close.  I could really use my copilot for one more ride.

Photo courtesy of Heidi Stevens

5 Things Every CowboyGirl Should Have

1.  A Good Bridle Horse.

Everyone has that neighbor, or friend, or friend of a friend who is a wreck waiting to happen.  Sooner or later you will have to work around them horse back.  It is comforting to know you have something to ride who can take that stress without having a come apart.

Case in point:  We helped some family brand this spring.  Whether it was the neighbor kid running under my horse's head to get to the calf we just heeled and were headed to the fire at a high trot, or the drunk idiot stumbling through the middle of the branding pen you had to watch out for, there was always some kind of chaos afoot.  Knowing the potential I took "Natty," my bridle horse the Cowboss made for me (who I am still trying to get used to after losing Cricket).  She was doing pretty good.  Then I pantyhosed a big calf.  Instead of dallying, I went with the calf, bucking across the branding trap (calf, not Natty), hoping the rope would slide off it's flanks and I could get dallied before slipping a foot.  When that didn't work, I went to turn the calf off the fence.  I was thinking I could reach down and slip the rope down.  Just as soon as I got close enough to reach down and move the rope, someone decided to help me.  They came running at me, spooking both Natty and the calf.  The calf darted behind my horse still roped.  We were a tangled up mess. Instead of panicking with the rope around her feet, Natty held her breath and waited for the dust to settle.  In case you are wondering, I lost the calf.  Natty didn't have a come apart.  She didn't lose her head.  She stood there and waited for a cue from me.

You should always have a horse that can keep it's head when things come tight.  Not just for your safety, but for everyone around you.

2.  Pretty Boot Tops.  They are like expensive lingerie.  Nobody has to see them, but you still feel sexy.  Feeling sexy makes you confident.  When you are confident, you rope better.

3.  Pretty Silver Earrings.  They make you feel good and like you are put together.  You are more confident when you look and feel your best.

4.  Painted Nails.  Either finger nails or toenails.  Just because I work with a bunch of men doesn't mean I need to act like one.  Painted nails are a good reminder that I am a girl and should always act like a lady.

5.  A Good Cinch, and not just because I tie and sell them!  I feel a cinch is one of the most important pieces of tack a person should have.  It keeps your saddle on your horse.  You need to keep it clean and check it often for broken strands.  There is nothing worse than soring your horse or roping a soggy yearling and having your saddle come right off your horse!  Your horse will perform better when they are more comfortable.

Photo Courtesy of the Fabulous Heidi Stevens!

Work

I just completed 3 months of U.S. Census phone surveys.  One of the questions I was routinely asked was "How many hours did you work last week at your primary job?  How many hours did your husband work at his primary job?"  WE live on a ranch.  I am a cowgirl.  The Cowboss is a cowboy.  Do you think they would believe me if I responded with "Well, there are 7 days in a week and 24 hours in a day, so I guess 168 hours?"

While we may not have been physically working on the ranch, we were on call that entire time.  For me this is a very hard question to answer.  Do I just account for the hours of physical labor?  What about the bookkeeping aspect of it, or even just the hours I spend thinking about my ranch job?  Things like figuring how much to feed each cow or horse, and how much hay we need to get through the winter, or what vaccines we need to give and how many doses we need to purchase, or even what jobs I need to complete here on the ranch.

Ranching isn't a 9 to 5 Monday through Friday job with a 40 hour work week.  We don't get a time card to punch when we get to and leave work.  We don't have weekends off or vacations.  If we take a trip away from the ranch we spend that time worrying about what is going on at the ranch.

Why do it?  I have a college degree and can have a job anywhere with better hours and better pay.  The Cowboss could get a job at the mine, work 15 days a month and make significantly more money.  We could both drive brand new vehicles and have a brand new horse trailer.  We could go home a the end of the day and not think about our jobs.

On the other hand, we wouldn't be able to take our boys to work with us whenever it strikes our fancy.  We wouldn't have the teaching opportunities to teach things that are important to us, like work ethic, compassion, or the cycle of life that ranch living grants us.  We wouldn't be able to stop in the middle of work to watch a cow calve, cranes dance, baby geese swimming, or even a coyote hunting mice in a ditch.  I really don't know why people would want to work anywhere else!

Sometimes A Mom.....

just needs a long hot shower without someone pounding on the door every 2 minutes or flushing the toilet!

to take the outside circle on a long trot with a green horse, and maybe her dog.  NO ONE ELSE!

an hour without the question why?

an hour where "Because I said so" is sufficient.

a nap!

2014 Goals

I read somewhere that most New Year's Resolutions are broken within 2-3 weeks of setting them.  I am thinking that if I wait until mid-January to most my goals for this upcoming year, the odds will be more in my favor for success!  We shall see.  Keep your fingers crossed for me just in case!

My first goal is to write for 30 minutes everyday.  It doesn't have to be blog worthy.  It can simply be brainstorming blog and writing ideas, something that has been weighing on my mind, a grocery list, or even an email to a friend.  It just has to be 30 minutes of writing (or in the case of e-mail typing!).

Second, I want to write 2 handwritten letters a month to send snail mail.  Before internet, I had several friends that I kept in touch with through letters.  I anticipated the mail almost daily for letters from Becky, Tilly, Jamie, and Andrea.  In college my best friend Marva and I both looked forward to the beautiful letters her grandma Charlene would send her or the notes and cookies my grandma would send me.  It is just so nice to get something in the mail that isn't a bill or credit card application!  So, if you would like to receive a handwritten snail mail in 2014, email me at jenniferwhiteley@rocketmail.com and I will send you a note!

Thirdly, I want to cook more.  My boys and I eat every meal together at our kitchen table.  I think it would be better if more of those meals were made from scratch, and less convenience foods. Unfortunately some days it is too easy to whip up some Hamburger Helper or a frozen pizza instead of actually cooking something and I want to get a way from that.  I really need to make a stronger effort to make better meals for my family.

Lastly, I want to do more to promote Agriculture and to tell my story.  I want to use social media to promote my lifestyle in a positive manner.  I don't need some animal rights activist telling the world how I take care of my animals.  I need to be the person doing that.  I know better than anyone else how my cows and horses should be treated.  I also need to do a better job explaining why I am doing things the way I am doing them.  Most importantly though, I want to share my passion for ranching and my way of life.  I know who I want to tell my story, do you know who you want to tell yours?

Hot Dogs

I'm sitting here trying to plan out what to cook for dinner tonight.  I have to be in town on Wednesday, so I really don't want to run to the store today.  Pickings are getting kind of slim around here!  I hate to go to the grocery store more than once a week, and I never really plan my meals more than like 3 hours in advance.  So often (like today) I am craving something food wise and lack half the ingredients I need to prepare it.  Terrible I know.  

The Cowboss pointed out that we do have hot dogs.  I hate hot dogs.  I really don't like most sausages either, but love chorizos.  Go figure.  In fact, I very rarely, if ever buy hot dogs.  Unfortunately I made the comment to QT the other day that it was his half birthday, so for the last week he has been planning his birthday party (in June mind you). He wants a camping birthday party, complete with friends sleeping over, hot dogs, and roasting marshmallows.  I thought if I made him hot dogs he would forget about it, but no such luck, and I still have half a package of hot dogs left over....I just might cook them tonight!  Waste not want not, right?

Did you know:

The average American eats 50 hot dogs a year.  (Except for me, I'm way below average apparently)!

Hot dogs were the first food eaten on the moon.  Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin j.r. ate them on their 1969 Apollo flight.  (Really?  If I just landed on the moon, hot dogs would not be on my list of culinary delights)!

Hot dogs were served with bread for the first time in 1893.  (About time)!

President Franklin Roosevelt served King George VI of England hot dogs & beer during a White House visit in 1939. Mrs. Jimmy Carter served hot dogs at a White House picnic in 1977. Queen Elizabeth II served hot dogs at a royal banquet held for the American Bar Association.  (Our tax dollars at work.  Man we sure know how to impress people, don't we)?

7-Eleven sells the most hot dogs annually.  Also, people in the south eat more hot dogs than in the north.  I also learned that socioeconomic status makes no difference when it comes to hot dogs.  (Who would have thought)?!

If I had a fully stocked kitchen though, I would really love some Barbecued Spare Ribs. Pork ribs are one of my absolute favorite foods in the whole wide world, and my grandma Ada Rose shared with me one of the best recipes for BBQ Sauce.  I came across it today while trying to figure out what to cook.  I can actually smell it right now and taste it.  I think it would be pretty good on pork chops, or even chicken.  Reminds me, I need to add ribs to the grocery list!

Barbecued Spare Ribs:

Boil or brown spare ribs, drain, and cover with sauce.

Sauce:

3/4 c. catsup

1/2 c. water

1 T. dry mustard

1 T. celery seed

1 1/2 T. vinegar

1 T. sugar

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

Dash of cayenne pepper

Mix together and pour over ribs.  Bake at 325* until done.  Stir if necessary.

Me in a Nutshell

My favorite candy holiday is Easter.  Who doesn't love Mini Cadbury Eggs and Peeps?

I only like the pink and yellow peeps though.  The blue ones look like they are suffocating under the cellophane wrapper, and the green ones look like they've gone bad.  Purple are okay in a pinch.

I threaten my kids with taking away Christmas to make them behave but it never works.

I love listening to the cowboss read to the boys at night after he tucks them and the puppies into bed.

I look forward to TR getting home from school at night, almost as much as I look forward to him getting on the bus in the morning!

Hamburger Biscuit Roll

Today is Meat Eater Monday!  I am eating leftover Hamburger Biscuit Rolls for breakfast, and let me tell you, they are heaven in your mouth!  I need to do laundry, school work, and get something figured out for dinner tonight. I am overwhelmed, in a funk, and fighting a headache.  I am drowning my sorrows in carbs and comfort foods.  For me, beef is a comfort food.  It just makes me feel better about things, and I can justify eating half a pan of these beef rolls because they have to be better for you than Twinkies, right?

It blows my mind when my college students tell me that they can't cook.  I want to grab them by the shoulders, look them straight in the eye and ask "Can you read?"  Frankly, cooking is easy.  As long as you can read and have an oven that works, you should be able to cook.  I grew up in a family of wonderful cooks, and remember being not much older than my sons helping my mom and cousin Margie baking cookies and things like that.  Not only are my family wonderful cooks, our entire community are wonderful cooks.  They've published 3 cookbooks and they are my go to whenever I need to make something and I'm not sure quite where to start.

All 3 Mountain City Homemaker Cookbooks

As you can tell, mine are well used.  I have a rubber band holding the first one together, and half of the binding is missing from the 3rd cookbook.  Today's recipe comes from the 2nd cookbook.  It is so easy, it's almost embarrassing!

Hamburger Biscuit Roll

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1/2 c. chopped onion

2 tbsp. green pepper

2 tbsp. mayonnaise

2 tbsp. catsup 

3/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1 3gg

Biscuit Dough:

2 c. Flour

4 tbsp. shortening

3/4 tsp. salt

4 tsp. baking powder

3/4 c. milk

Gravy:

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Make biscuit dough (you can substitute Bisquick biscuits and make one batch).  Roll out dough in a 12"x18" sheet. 

I wouldn't recommend using your canvass rolling sheet like I did.  The next step involves putting raw hamburger directly onto the sheet, never a good idea unless you wash your rolling pin and sheet everytime you use it.

Next, mix ground beef and remaining ingredients, excluding gravy.

I used the same bowl I mixed the dough in because I am lazy like that and hate, hate, hate washing dishes!  Spread meat mixture on to dough.

Roll up like a cinnamon roll and cut into 12 pieces.  Before cutting them, I moved them to a cutting board.  

Place in a greased baking pan and bake about 40 minutes at 350*.

Just before removing from the oven, combine soup and milk in a small sauce pan and bring almost to a boil.

Pour over rolls and serve hot!

They are so easy, and tasty, even TR and QT liked them!  I served them with a simple green salad with a sweet and tangy dressing and canned green beans.

Forgive my pictures, they are really bad!  

What kind of meat are you enjoying today?

Mama's Broken Heart

The boys watched Black Beauty the other night.  I won't watch the movie.  I'm afraid it will be too different from the book by Anna Sewell, and frankly, the book makes me cry.  (If you've spent your entire life under a rock and are unfamiliar with the story, here is a little recap: "As a young horse, Black Beauty is well-loved and happy. But when his owner is forced to sell him, his life changes drastically. He has many new owners--some of them cruel and some of them kind. All he needs is someone to love him again...
Whether pulling an elegant carriage or a ramshackle cab, Black Beauty tries to live as best he can. This is his amazing story, told as only he could tell it.").  So I hid out upstairs, trying not to think about it.

Here is a trailer to the movie:

When the movie ended QT came upstairs and found me, on the verge of tears.  I asked "What's the matter?"  With a slight stutter and quivering lip he told me "Ginger died," and with that he broke down into sobs.  I did my best (not to start crying myself, and) to explain that while it was very sad that she died, it was just a story and not real life.  That seemed to make things a little better, so with a big hug, I sent him on his way to get ready for bed.

I heard TR sobbing before I found him.  He grabbed me in a big bear hug and wouldn't let go.  I asked him "Are you upset about Ginger too?"  He nodded and told me between sobs "Ginger is dead and they didn't take very good care of her."  If the boys being upset that Ginger died bothered me, TR's comment broke my heart.  I want them to think there is good in the world and not to notice all of the bad just yet.  I want them to think everyone takes care of their animals like mom and dad do, and nobody or animal anywhere is mistreated.

I tried again to explain to him that it was just a story and not real life, which he understood.  It just really bothered him that the horse was mistreated.  I told him that I was proud of him for realizing that Ginger was mistreated and that he knew that it was wrong to treat any animal like that.  I shared with him this quote from Black Beauty, which is actually one of my favorite quotes ever:   “My doctrine is this, that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt.”  ~Anna Sewell  I tried my best to explain to him that we should always try to prevent wrong doing when we see it because if we don't, we are just as wrong as the wrong doer.  

I am happy that they are growing up and able to comprehend what they are seeing and hearing, and willing to come to me when something bothers them.  I'm glad (to an extent) that they cried when Ginger died.  It tells me that they are compassionate and hope nothing ever happens to change that!

The Cowboss and I are currently compiling a list of movies and books to not watch or read with the boys.  So far it includes Where the Red Fern Grows and Old Yeller.  Please let me know if you have any other suggestions of sad stories to avoid.  This mama can't handle too much of this!

Cricket

(Photo courtesy of Heidi Stevens)

I'd like to tell you about my friend Cricket.  He came into my life at a point I really needed a friend. He taught me how to pick my battles, when to push buttons, and when to be patient.  He has tolerated my short comings, been patient with me when I didn't deserve it, and showed me that no matter your size, knowledge, or ability that you can do anything you set your mind to.  To be honest, he's been one of the best friends I have ever had.

I made some very poor decisions when I started my teaching career, and I pretty much set myself up for failure.  Maybe I shouldn't have been a teacher at all.  I do know for sure, I shouldn't have started teaching in the school that I did.  I was the 6th Ag Teacher in 3 years and the Ag Program was pretty much nonexistent. I would have been more successful as a teacher if I would have gained some experience in a developed Ag Program under some experienced Ag Teachers instead of trying to do it by myself.  I was very green, and other than a little substitute teaching, had no teaching experience at all.  I didn't have the experience needed to succeed, and I didn't know how or who to ask for help.  I was ready to be done after my first year.  I stuck around for a second year hoping that it would get easier.

Cricket and I kind of saved each other the summer between my first and second years teaching.  My dad didn't like the little sorrel gelding that was standoffish and not very friendly and was going to chicken feed him.  Something about him spoke to me and I traded my bridle horse to dad for him. My brother put a handful of rides on him for me, and as soon as my summer break began I was up before 5 every morning to go and ride my colt.  Those early morning rides are when I learned to pick my battles.  If I picked at him too much, he let me know and could dump me on my tail.  I also learned that if I couldn't get the response I wanted doing things one way, I had to figure out a different way to do it.  I think he made me a better teacher.  I know he made me a better rider.

At the end of the school year I knew teaching High School wasn't for me and I resigned.  I was engaged to the Cow Boss by then and decided to work for him instead.  Cricket and I loaded up and moved to a remote cow-camp to begin our cowboy and cow horse careers.  I rode him every 3rd day because if I let him go 4 days, he would be humpy and try to buck me off.  We did that for a year. We learned to head and heel calves and how to work together.  By the time he was 4, often I was riding the youngest horse in the crew, but also the best broke, and by the time he was 5, I was letting my youngest stepdaughter ride him around the round pen.  When my dog was ready for a ride, he would put his front feet on Cricket's shoulder and I would drag him up the side of Cricket, and into the saddle.  When TR was a baby, Cricket packed us like he was carrying a basket of eggs and never took a bad step.  When the boys got a little bigger and I was riding him, all they had to do was walk up and put a hand on his shoulder and he would stand while they climbed up his side to sit in the saddle with me.  He's been my go to horse for roping bulls, packing kids, or branding contests in town.

Last week I gave Cricket away.  It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, and I almost cried after I told TR that from here on out Cricket would be his horse.  Foolish I know because he isn't leaving the place and I can see (and probably "borrow" him whenever I want to).  I think it was hard because I now have to find another horse that I can click with like I did with Cricket.  More importantly,  it means my little man is growing up.  He's graduated to a "real" horse, something that he is going to have to pay attention to and really learn how to ride, not just sit on.  Cricket will let him think for himself now.  It also means that he will be starting to rope off a horse soon, and I'm afraid if I blink he will be all grown up!

I hope that Cricket can teach him patience, to try new things, and take care of my little man as he learns how to rope and more about riding.  I hope he can be the friend to TR that he has been to me as well.  I pray that Cricket will have patience with TR when he gives him the wrong cue and is frustrated because he isn't getting the response he wants, and when TR does "dumb kid" things that kids are bound to do, he remembers that TR is just a "dumb kid" and still learning.  I hope he will take care of TR and make every ride a pleasant learning experiece so that TR continues to enjoy riding.

(Photo courtesy of Heidi Stevens)

Things That Make Me Smile

Picking up 2 feet with both Twain and the Cowboss neck calves at the same time and I'm the only other roper in the trap while the rest of the crew is trying to psych me out.

Cuddling with QT in the pickup while we wait for the Cowboss and Twain to get back from putting cattle away.

Watching Sheldon (Big Bang Theory) with my boys.

Indian Paint Brush, Wild Onions, Arrowleaf Balsam Root.

TR coming to the branding fire and saying "Ok mom, I'm ready to work," then helping give the Nasalgen vaccine during the first 30 calves.

Knowing I have blue painted toenails with little white flowers inside my cowboy boots.

TR leaving his spurs on his cowboy boots even when he isn't wearing them cause that's how mom does it.

Wearing the pink of my nylon rope.

Thoughts

I'm 95% sure that 910 isn't bluffing, and I don't want to find out for myself.  Everytime I step into a pasture or corral with her, her head comes up and she follows my every move.  I sure wish she would come up open!

I love Marie Calendar's Chicken Potpies.  Possibly it is because they are pie?  I don't know, but I love them like a fat kid loves cake!

I'm proud of the fact that my boys are morning people.  They wake up early.  Some days they wake up entirely too early.  I would rather have boys that wake up in the morning instead of kids that you have to drag out of bed at 7 a.m.!

We shipped out Cow number 111 this morning.  (She is the one that got me down and stomped all over me this winter while the Cow Boss laughed.  He PROBABLY wouldn't have laughed if I got hurt, but I was sore for a few days!)  I'm not gonna lie, I did do a happy dance when the vet pregged her open (twice just to be sure....I think the Cow  Boss liked her).  I would have celebrated today if I didn't feel so sick!

If anybody needs me, I am snuggled up on the couch with a rat terrier and a cup of tea, watching PBS cartoons, wishing I had some chicken soup!

Days

This last week has been a butt kicker for sure!  I had hoped that with school starting things would slow down and we would find a little bit of a routine.  Apparently our routine is running.  Running and waiting.  Run to the bus and wait for the bus to get here.  Run home and work frantically on college stuff, cow stuff, cinch stuff, and wait until it is time to run to the bus.  Run to the bus and wait for the bus to show up.  Lots of hurry and wait.

This past weekend we did take in the Van Norman and Friends Stock Horse Challenge, and Horse Sale. After promising the Cow Boss I WOULD NOT buy a horse.....

Meet "Pistol."

He is a 2013 Playgun baby.  If you follow horse blood lines at all, he goes back to Freckles Playboy and Doc O'Lena on the top side, and Doc Tari on the bottom with some Chex thrown in somewhere.  He's a cute little guy, and is registered as a Gray, so fingers crossed he will change.  Looking at his face I think he might.  But when you see all of him.....

I'm not so sure.  He is pretty dark.  I'm hoping he will have a little size to him.  Today we are considering keeping him a stud and breeding him, but obviously that is a long ways down the road!  These pictures aren't the best, you can expect some better ones in a week or two.  So far he is a kind, curious, friendly little guy, I hope he stays that way!

TR is finally thinking he likes school, but mom isn't sold on his teacher and has some reservations and concerns about how things are going.  I've had a few sleepless nights and a tension headache you wouldn't believe these last few days.  I'm hoping to meet with the principal in the next day or two to get things fixed.  Not sure what the out come will be, but I am trying to be optimistic we will get things fixed and he will have a good year where he is successful and enjoys it!

For today's Meat Eater Monday, I would like to share with you a great crockpot recipe that I got from my mom.  The great thing about crockpot recipes is that you can easily convert them to oven recipes if you don't have a crockpot, and the thing I like is that they are so convenient for these long fall days shipping, pregging, or processing cows!  I have had grand intentions of using my crockpot more on these days I am teaching in the evenings as well.

Work Person's Pot Roast

Ingredients:
1 Roast, can be any size as long as it fits in your pan or crockpot, and beef or lamb
1 pkg. Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 can Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Section of Fresh Garlic

Directions:
Place roast in the center of a large sheet of aluminum foil (if using the oven), or directly in the crockpot (I use crockpot liners because they make clean up so much easier!).  Cut slits into the roast and push in cloves of garlic.  Pour soup over roast and Worcestershire.  Sprinkle with dry soup mix.  Add Salt and Pepper to taste.  Seal in foil (if using oven).  Bake at 250* (for oven) or on low (if using the crockpot) from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The roast literally falls apart and has a great flavor.

Why I Don't Bake Cookies

All I wanted was to make TR cookies for his lunch for the first week of school.  I wanted them to be oatmeal chocolate chip.  I got to the part of the recipe that reads "Add 2 cups of oatmeal" to find out I only have 2 tablespoons of oatmeal.  Seriously.  Who leaves 2 tablespoons of oatmeal in the box and doesn't add oatmeal to the grocery list?  So I scrapped that plan and went to Pinterest to find a different recipe that looked easy and I had all the ingredients for.  Do you have any idea the number of recipes for cookies on Pinterest that include oatmeal?

I finally found a recipe for Brown Sugar Cookies.  Brown sugar, butter, flour, eggs, salt, vanilla, and baking powder.  Sounds easy right?  So I mix up the dough and put the first batch of cookies in the oven and move on to my next task, Baked French Toast.  One of our favorite recipes, that you refrigerate over night and bake in the morning.  I got to the part in the recipe where you slice your french bread and put it over the brown sugar/butter mixture in your 13x9 pan, and guess what?  My loaf of French bread was moldy.  Grrrr! I finally found some hamburger buns in the freezer to finish the baked French toast.

Off goes the timer.  My 16 cookies on my insulated cookie sheet have morphed into one large, flat, gooey, doughy mess.  They don't look anything like the beautiful cake like cookies in the picture.  I thought to myself when I put them in the oven that I should have done a test cookie.....

1/4 of cup of flour more and I over cooked the test cookie, but it does resemble a cookie.  The Cowboss comes into the kitchen.  He took one look at the pile of dishes in the sink, the failed nasty doughy mess on the cookie sheet and asked if he could take me to dinner.  He's a smart man!

To Recap:

1.  I hate cleaning the kitchen after I've attempted to bake cookies.
2.  We live too far away from town to run to the store to pickup oatmeal because we are out.
3.  Things like chocolate chips and peanuts mysteriously disappear in our house.
4.  For the record, I think insulated cookie sheets are the worst invention ever.
5.  Oreo's are pretty dang good!

Love

Listening to my boys play in the other room while I drink my breakfast tea and catch up on current events.

Leaves changing colors and sweaters!

TR's passion and enthusiasm.

QT's free spirit.

The fact that I have a much better handle on my Rat Terrier than I do on my kids.

My fat sorrel horse and how we click on good days and tolerate each other on our bad days.