December 2002

Dec 15-Dec 31, 2002:No Guests
Tuesday, December 17, 2002

The last couple days have been spent getting the liquid feed set. The first order of business was getting the feeders out. They are 4 foot square and weigh about 100 pounds. I was up early to get out while the ground was still frozen. I had to stop at about 11 when t it got muddy. I got three out yesterday and the last four today. Now just have to get them filled, so I will be out before light to get it done. We have some weather coming in tomorrow that I need to beat.

Frank made it up from the farm where he spent the last few days pulling shoes off the horses we took down. He is now working for Maggie in the studio. He’s a handy guy and she enjoys working with him. It saves him a winter of unemployment and allows me to be out doing the things I should be doing.

Lyndsey got in a bunch of horses we haven’t seen in months, my old mustang and his crew of loafers. She cut off the young horses, G Man, Cowboy, and W.C. Her winter job is to make packhorses out of them. Cowboy is the one who a year ago today bucked me off and broke my pelvis among other things.

Tuesday, December 17, 2002

I woke about 3am and saw it was starting to snow. I started worrying about getting the feed out. Tossed and turned and finally got up at 4am. I loaded the truck as a light snow fell in front of the headlights. It was so quiet and so cold. When the thick stuff finally filled the tank I went in for a second cup of coffee and a bit of a warm up. At first dim light of dawn I headed out, it was a long morning. The heat and wipers on the truck don’t work but it wasn’t too bad as the snow was light and I was running with the wind. There were only about 2 in of snow and the ground was frozen hard so it was good traction. It took about an hour to fill each of the three tanks. I carried some hay with me to put around and on the feeders so the cattle would notice them. As I finished up the last tank it really started snowing. The trip home was tough, running into the wind smeared snow over the windshield forcing me spend most of the trip with my head hanging out the window like a hound dog on a Sunday ride. Snow in the eyes, frozen ears, numb face.

I spent the rest of the day till chores in the house watching it pile up. It stopped snowing just as the sun went down making for one the best sunsets I have ever seen. Three layers of fast moving low clouds, each layer a different color from pink to green. I had to stop and lean on a truck to watch for a while.

Thursday, December 19, 2002

It snowed all day and blew like crazy drifting the snow pretty deep in some spots. Today was the last day for Margaret to get her orders shipped so we had to head to town no matter the weather. We left in the middle of the afternoon but had no problems getting off the mountain. When we got to Silver City it was another story. There was little snow but lots of ice and the streets were slick as the sun went down. We decided to stay over night and not drive the icy three hours home in the dark. I picked up my truck on the way down, the transmission finally getting fixed. It sure is nice having my old truck back. And it is my old truck! It pulls and runs like new. Now that it’s back to its old self it makes me realize just how long the tranny had been a problem.

The next morning the roads were slick and empty so we did a few errands and headed home. We stopped off at the farm and checked on all the cattle and horses there. They sure are living the good life. We hooked up to a trailer and loaded some hay, stopped for dinner then headed up the mountain after dark. I chained up on top and a good thing. A lot more snow had fallen since yesterday. The usual spots were deepest, Sign Camp, Potato Patch, Negrito Canyon. We got home about 9pm and it was cold. As we were unloading the hay I mentioned to Maggie that it must be around 10 degrees. When we got done and in the house I checked the temp. and it was –5 brrr!
Friday, December 20, 2002

We were out early feeding hay in 7HL pasture. It’s about a 7 mile drive out there but with the deep snow it took a long time. All the cattle looked good and are getting pretty well truck trained. They came running off a slope a half mile away when we stopped and started honking. I have only seen about half of the cattle that are out there, the same bunch all the time. So I have to get out and ride the west side and push what I find there over to the feed area. I tried to get to the Ewe Canyon tank to fill that one but got stuck in a two-foot drift with the truck high centered. Took about an hour to dig it out but did get it out at least. I went back home and made a set of chains for the dualies out of some old ones we had kicking around the barn. That took up a lot of the afternoon running into chore time. Lyndsey fed the horses and I fed the heifers, bulls and the pairs. Sunset was cold in a slate blue sky. Hi 26 lo 2.

Wednesday, December 25, 2002

Merry Christmas

I am spending mine in the not so Christmassy state of Florida. I flew here a couple days ago. Had the trip from hell getting here. When I got to the ticket counter I found out my drivers license was 5 months expired. Well from then on I was treated as a potential bomb. Separated from the rest of the traveling public while I was searched, my bags were searched; my wrapped gifts were UN-wrapped. Then I was escorted to the gate where I was made to sit in a certain area and was guarded. I went to get a sandwich to take on the flight and had to be searched again when I got back to the gate and the sandwich was probed. Finally I got on the plane. Lucky for me it was a nonstop flight so I didn’t have to go through that again. When I got to Fla. Of course the rental car folks would not rent me a car with an expired license so I had to get Cassady's mom to rent one for me. She had flown down with him from Massachusetts. We finally got on the road about 7pm after getting everything all set. Of course I got lost, seems no one around that area spoke English or if they did they didn’t know how to get anywhere beyond the next corner. I was in Tampa before I knew it driving along with a 70 mph parking lot. I gave up on the interstate and turnpikes and hit the back roads. As soon as I had gravel under my wheels I felt much more relaxed. I headed cross-state with no map, just the moon and stars. An hour later, too soon, I came out on a road I recognized and was forced to enter the fray once again. Another hour I was at my moms and glad to be parked. I don’t know how you people that do it, deal with it.

The day I left a big storm was coming through. I headed to Albq. The day before my flight and a good thing too. By noon the next day there was another 16 inches on the ground. Being the nice gal she is Maggie gave FRANK AND LYNDSEY THE HOLIDAY OFF. Each heading to their families’ houses. Leaving Maggie to do the feeding. It is now an 8-hour day just feeding and breaking ice. I worry with her up there driving alone into those far pastures to feed. If she gets stuck it’s miles home through deep snow. And no chance that anyone will ever come along to help. I make her call and leave a message when she takes the hour break between morning and evening chores. I count down the days till I head home. Cassady is about as bored here as I. He asked today if we could just leave early so he could get to his horse. Two more days. I just don’t look forward to traveling again and being treated like a terrorist.

Saturday, December 28, 2002

Made it home ok. Got the right ticket agent and seeing as I had already flown to Fla. And not blown anything up she figured I was ok and let me go along like a regular person.

Cassady and I got into Albq. About 7pm after a long day of traveling. I had planned to stay overnight but Cassady talked me into driving on to the ranch. We had to stop and chain up sooner than usual but we made pretty good time getting home about midnight. Got to bed about 2am. It was cold when we got there you bet.

Sunday, December 29, 2002

I was surprised at how much snow was on the ground. About 2 feet and it was the worst kind. It had come down in small pellets and then the sun had shone brightly the next day glazing it and a sub zero night following that set it up like concrete. Normally our snow is light and fluffy and melts fast. This stuff is here for a while.

Frank had gotten back yesterday as well so we headed out to top off feeders and check things over. I had to plow with the tractor as he followed in the feed truck. It took all day to check three feeders and put out 15 bales of hay.

Tuesday, December 31, 2002

There is nothing to do but feed and break ice and it takes all day to do it. Breakfast at 6am, outside when it’s light enough to see. We have five tanks we have to go to and chop muzzle holes in the ice. Takes about 4 hours just to do that. We have cattle to feed in Rocker canyon, Ewe canyon, 7HL valley, and at the Y below Fence tank. When I get done there is about an hour for a quick coffee and to split some wood and fill the wood box then it’s time to start the evening chores.

Doc is home and doing fine, back to his old goofy self. Moses is doing better too.

The sunsets in the winter are the best here, and the one ending this year was one of the grandest. Colors in there that I had never seen.

As far as business this year was the worst. Everything else was pretty good; rains came when they had to. Grass grew like it should. Calves got fat. We are all in good health, only one broken bone for the year, about average.

So I can’t complain tho I do. I hope everyone has a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year. Hi 34 lo 17