Just keep Swimming, Swimming, Swimming..

Monday- Daniel was up at 3 to be ready to leave at 4 for a branding on the Rex Unit of the Ranch, Branded 750+ head before 11:30am- that's what you call efficiency. He has pretty much met everyone on the ranch now- and has been welcomed by most. Some are teasing him and just call him "You", if he lasts a year- he'll get a name.

Cinch and I were out on the 4 wheeler doing work- we pushed pairs out of some pastures- opened gates for some to gradually move on their own. We got the 4 wheeler stuck--- really stuck. Luckily prayers were answered and we weren't stranded because it would have been a 10+ mile hike back to the house. As Daniel says- if you don't believe in God or prayers come hang out with us for the day- you will then.

Tuesday- Daniel was down on the heifer units helping the intern- it's that branding Friday and it was going to be a long week trying to get the unit ready. He missed a branding today to help the intern. When we got home we all were out horse back pushing our "heavy cows" (ones that haven't had a baby yet) across the road close to the shipping corrals as they should ship Thursday morning to another unit. Got a phone call about Daniel's moms health that was a bummer for the day- but I'll post about that later when I have more info.

Wednesday- Daniel was back down at the Heifers unit at 5:30. Cinch & I got up and were out horseback by 9 to move our yearling heifers into a new pasture- should have been an easy move but of course it wasn't. I could only really sum it up to Daniel that I hate the yearling heifers and that we were never selling our horse Santiago/San Man. The heifers just bunched up and wouldn't move I finally left Cinch on his horse holding one of the side of heifers while I trotted and ran back and forth trying to get the dang things to turn their heads and go the right way! After about 30 minutes of no success I rode back over to Cinch who was just fine sitting on his horse without supervision and started to ride back to the house and figured I'd wait til nap time or Daniel to get home and help me. Well the dangest thing happened I looked back and found 1000 head of heifers following us through the gate- don't ask me how that works but we got them moved.

That night Daniel got home and went to check some pairs. He got back to the house and there was one trying to die. He needed to go to another part of the ranch to get medicine but the Heavy's had gotten out- so Cinch & Daniel went to get medicine and me & the dogs went to get the heavy's back in. Luckily 60 mins later I had the Heavy's back in the corrals and the boys had just gotten the medicine. We jumped on the 4 wheeler and went out to try and save the calf. It wasn't doing good by the time we got there- Daniel tried to tube it with electrolytes and gave it half of the medicine intramuscular- I jumped off the 4-wheeler and gave it to other half in the vein- unfortunately no improvement was coming. It was bloated bad so the last option was to poke a hole into the stomach to release the gas and give it relief. Despite all our efforts the calf still died. After that is was a race back to the house as rain was pouring and lightning cracking all around us. What a day.

Thursday- Daniel was back down at the heifer unit at 5- hoping to get everything in the right pasture and the branding trap set up. Luckily everything went wonderful- maybe too good. So he was recruited to go help with our foreman's cows. Luckily we had worked hard at the beginning of the week and ours were all doing good. Well the phone started ringing at 6:20 to tell me the heavy's weren't shipping and didn't stop all day I swear. Cinch & I were recruited to set up/clean the tables and chairs for the branding dinner and make a dessert. Since the main guy over the heifers is still in the hospital his wife wasn't able to cook the meal so we were scrabbling to get the meal for 30-50 cowboys together.

Friday- Finally the heifer branding was here. Daniel was gone at 5 again. Cinch & I went down to the branding around 9 to take pictures and help with the lunch. Things were going pretty good when we got there. It was a pretty small branding crew only about 35. But the job was getting done. Cinch liked playing with the other kids but frustrated he wasn't big enough to rope and ride.

This is Dallin, the intern on the heifer unit. While Daniel has to spend alot of time down there helping - Dallin is really saving our lives. He at least knows about cattle and is doing more than most interns- if he wasn't there I wouldn't see Daniel at all.

Branding season brings everyone out of the office- this is Chip the General Ranch manager- can rope and ride- even with 2 fingers missing.

The branding pot here is huge- it's mounted on a trailer with 2 propane tanks-serious business.

This is a prime example why we love Nebraska more than Florida- If you can get the job done with two kids hanging on you- no problem- in Florida these kids wouldn't be anywhere near.

The kid on the right is Jake- the intern that is here for a year. Hasn't had any previous experience with cattle but is learning lots.

Girl power- Everywhere you go Branding is done different. Here you heel the calves and drag them out and then 2 people hold them while they are branded- the best part is that 90% of the ground crew holding and giving shots are the teenage daughters, tough girls.

Look at the good lookin' horse- and cowboy... their mine.

Lunch turned out okay- and well after having a crazy week it was nice to know that the heifers are done.

Saturday- we actually didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn! Hallelujah! It was raining like crazy all day. Luckily we didn't have too much to accomplish. We went out on the 4-wheeler to check some pairs we hadn't seen for a week and then we had a Semi dropping of some dry heifers.

The last week we have had quite a few semis coming in and out moving cattle to different parts of the ranch. Since the ranch is over 2.5 hours in each directions we really can't move them without the semis. Cinch LOVES it when the big trucks come in and to watch the cattle go on and off.

 

Saturday evening we had the Elders from our Branch out for dinner. We had the 2 intern couples that go to our ward up for dinner as well. Another meal to cook- but we had a nice evening together. We played this hilarious game about scripture stories that these elders had made- I got a copy of it to try at our family reunion if time permits. I don't think any of us stopped laughing for the whole game.

Really neat Elders the one of the left has only been a member for 2 yrs- the only one in his family. The one on the right goes home in a month. I think they both filled up their memory cards on their cameras from pictures of the middle of no where- a cell phone with no service- cows and many other things. They are coming out to our branding in 2 weeks for their "service" hours for the week. Should be a good time.

Also a big thing happened Saturday- we heard our door bell for the 1st time!!! We both didn't even know if we had one :).

Sunday- up and cooking yet again- second Sunday of the month which means Potluck. Had to take lots of food because it was Branch Conference so we had all the Stake Aux. there to feed as well. The stake leaders had to travel 3 hours from the stake house to our Branch building. Branch Conference was really nice- and the pot luck was better than last time- just needs help on assigning things or having a theme- but there was enough food to at least get your belly full enough to get home.

Don't know about Utah and Idaho but we have gotten 3.35" of rain so far this week. What a weird spring but we can't complain about it because it gives us good grass which = heavy healthy calves.

So another week here we come--- if we can just keep swimming and staying on top we might make it through June.