Rising Sun, really where was the sun

Rising Sun is on his way to Tetonia, Idaho to a new set of ladies.  We really have fallen in love with his daughters they are turning into great mamma cows that are big bodied easy doing and most of all I love their neat nice little udders.
I had wanted to picture him and get a bit more up to date image of what he really looks like.  He's been with a set of cows now since the middle of May and he looks as fat as when we turned him out just a bit more toned.  We've had him in the eaten down horse pasture so he had to scrimp, dad's always afraid he's going to get to fat.  The picture pen is a swamp right now so Tawnya and I opted for the field that's been mowed, it looked pretty and plus we could walk without getting to sogggy.  Birdy had Tooele stock show and somehow managed to swipe my muck boots along with my makeup!  Rising Sun loved the field, to much, he wouldn't put his head up to save his life.  There are about a hundred pictures that would be great if he would just stick his nose in the air a bit.  Tawnya is super good help don't get me wrong but she lacks the array of sound and jumps with wild outbursts that Birdy somehow manages to make everything perk their ears to the commotion.

It's still cloudy and today almost a bit nippy here.  I am looking forward to a few more days of sunshine!  Birdy had Grand Champion steer yesterday at Tooele.  He looked really good, she's worked her little tail off with him.  He wasn't a huge fan of the people or the place and we had fits getting him to eat but he was at least drinking and looked great in the ring.  Tawnya left after pictures mid morning with Rising Sun and Brad Wetovick to head up to north, dad always seems to keep things cattle oriented lol, the girls always manage to keep them boy oriented!

Jeannie

Rain, Rain, Rain

It's amazing living in the desert how the rain can decide to come.  Through the years I've came to the realization that we like our moisture in the time and convenience when it's prayed for.  We will for sure take it whenever we can get it though:)  We moved cows from Tommy Creek to Reed Valley and up under the mountain on Monday.  Dad rode with us all day.  Tawnya and I took off and rode up through Reed Valley on a beautiful day that was really about perfect, until the rain decided to come.  You know whoever has dramatized the beauty of riding in the rain horseback hasn't ever done it for an extended period of time.  It's cold, wet, and miserable, the cows and horses dislike it as much as I do, they would much rather just be left alone.

Tawnya and I camped out under a pine tree, until lighting started popping all around us and we looked up to see the tree we where standing under had been hit some years before, you know technically lightning should never hit the same place twice but we decided to trade trees.  There was water running everywhere, and it was raining still, hard.  We were ready to tuck tail and return to the truck.  We finally got a hold of dad who was up the valley a few miles, he had yet to even get his rain coat out!  We decided we better get a little tougher and start to ride back to the cattle.
We gathered the cattle, about forty head or so where camped out in the trees including all the bulls, there is water everywhere up there and the cattle are staying in the tree's a lot better.  It rained pretty steady the rest of the day, towards the end it poured.

Brad Wetovick from Nebraska has been out here on an internship all summer.  We have really enjoyed his quick smile and happy countenance.  He get's teased unmercifully by all the girls.  Angela thinks it's her personal calling to see how bashful she can make him around Tawnya.  I think he was beginning to wonder if it ever rained in Utah, now he's wondering if it's ever going to stop.
We re-rode the bench and Tippets valley on Wednesday.  No one was super excited about going and getting wet but it was a perfect day on the forrest.  Tawnya caught three horny toads so her day was complete lol!  Beaver had a cloudburst that night and it laid down about two inches in about two hours.    There was water everywhere.  It was running down the roads and the ditches where gushing.  We turned all the ditches off.  There is a lot of hay down in the Valley, it's going to stay down for awhile it's not very good haying weather around here at the moment.
Avila's came yesterday to pick up there bulls, it sure was good to see them.  Clay came tromping into my house yesterday morning.  I heard my back door open and someone walking through, I was starting to fume quite well at whoever had the gall to walk through my house with their boots on, in pops Clay in shorts and and t-shirt holding his toothbrush!  He rode on the mountain yesterday while Jeff stayed down and caught some Z's.  The friends you make in the cattle business really are the highlight of it all.
Birdy headed up to Tooele with a steer this morning.  They just called he weighed in at 1337, he's not real happy about being there.
We're cutting thistle today, anyone who wants to help is welcome.

Jeannie

Miss Yardley R15

We have decided to sell a few of our donor cows who have embryo's in the tank, the genetic potential here is huge! R15 is a powerhouse take advantage of this one boys females like this seldom come along.  She's proven and powerful.  Ali x Y1 Prompter 5/8 Maine Anjou.

Fall is Approaching

We clipped on Birdy's steer today for Tooele,  as fairs get closer the realization comes that summer months are quickly fading.  The thoughts of winter following fall are dreary.  I still haven't realized why we have to have winter months but since we depend upon winter snow for irrigation I should perhaps stay a bit quite.  The summer rains that seemed to have skipped over us the last few months have decided they are going to hang around.  I talked to a friend today who is debating about cutting his hay, many in the valley have it down and it's now black.  As we pray for the moisture the realization comes there are a few who aren't so happy it's falling but since we do live in a dessert we know that it to will come to an end.
The girls where on the Creek Bed with dad sorting on heifers and it started to rain, in a few short minutes they where drenched to the bone.  The lightning was popping so bad they left the cattle in the hay meadow instead of pushing them through to the pasture.  Dad sure enjoys going out and working through the cattle, it just lightens his mood.  It rained on the hired men all day on the forrest while they were fencing.
Emily and Tawnya are home from college, mom's house is finally alive again.  Birdy had taken up residency with me, I sure love my girls.  It would be nice if none of us ever had to grow up!

Jeannie

Cattle on the Forrest

The last few weeks has been busy sorting, and driving cattle to their summer haven.  It seems as though we just get them sorted for breeding pastures and it's time to go to the forrest.  Yesterday we got rained on a big majority of the day and although wet and soggy it was a huge blessing.  After seeing things start to burn rainclouds bring a tear to your eye as the ground soaks up the moisture.
Tawnya forgot her raincoat so Steven gave up his, I'm not sure why because when she made it back to the truck to change her shirt she was as wet as he had been.
The cattle where just happy to be on fresh feed and didn't want to move to extra bad instead taking their sweet time to enjoy the green grass.  We fought them a big majority of the way.  The calves look great, it's amazing what a months time can do for them.  When the first calf heifers are home on hay it's almost hard to look at their babies, they just look stale but since they've been out they have really started to come on.  I think I entered a dozen numbers in my phone of possible sale candidates for this fall.  We hauled out the panels and loaded up one potential in the trailer to take back to the ranch.
It's a two day drive, the cattle go from a drier permit where the grass is good and hard to the lush mountain tops.  It's long days, Apache decided to long.  We went to count the cattle out the gate and somehow he must have snuck of to the Shade tree's when no one was looking.  Tawnya went back to look but he was no where to be found.  The country has all got to be re-rode so we'll find him in our next sweep.
Emily and Tawnya are home from school, it's amazing just how fast the time all fly's by.  It was just yesterday when they where little girls asking every twenty minutes how much farther, now they're all grown up.  Birdy had to stay home and work with her steers, she was in withdrawals not being there for all the chit chat.
It rained here and out on the dessert last night.  We really are saying prayers of thanks it was getting really dry everywhere.  It sure makes dad smile more!

Jeannie