December

December 4 - December 14, 2003 No Guests

Thursday, December 4, 2003
Up until Monday the last week was spent in the studio helping Maggie. We finally got the last of her jewelry finished and boxed up and off to Albequerque for a flight to Dallas. She will be gone two weeks, doing a show in San Antonio and another in Dallas.

Lyndsey got back from a week in California with Vic on Tuesday, it was her first time to Calafornia and she came back all smiles.

Late in the day on Monday I was washing some dishes before chores and heard Jack start up a strange bark. I listened for a minute and decided it was something serious by the way that he was carrying on. I went to the back door and spotted him along the west H.Q. fence about 250 yards from the house. He was squared off with a wolf. They were about 30 yards from each other and Jack was telling him he was going to kick his ass if he didn't get moving fast. Jack's hair was all up and he was flashing his huge two-inch canines. The wolf was haired up and growling. I grabbed my rifle out of the truck as I passed by to back Jack up. As I got closer Jack took confidence in my backing his play and advanced on the wolf. Now Jack has been head of ranch security here for ten years and has been in some pretty rough scrapes. We've never had a successful raid on the H.Q. since he's been on the job and I knew he was going to take this wolf on. It was the biggest wolf I had ever seen and though Jack runs a hundred pounds and is all muscle and teeth I didn't want him to start it up. I have no doubt Jack could have followed up on his threats but it wasn't going to go easy on him. I levered a shell in the 30/30 and plowed dirt around the wolfs feet with it. The wolf took off with Jack right on his heels. Jack ran him over the hill and stopped, watching him disappear. I whistled to him and he came back all smarls. That's a funny thing he does, a smiling snarl. It's kinda cute if you don't take it wrong.

I went to do chores and Jack stayed at the fence til after dark making sure the varmint didn't try another run at one of his cats or chickens.

On Tuesday I put out all the feeders I had picked up from Don and Jeannie's last week. It took all day to get around and get them all set where I wanted them.

Wednesday and today I spent the entire days driving around filling feeders. It takes a long time to get them filled but this filling was perhaps the fastest since the weather was so dang nice. Bright sunny day about 50, makes the molasses feed flow pretty well.

Driving around was like being on a safari. Hunting seasons are over and the wildlife is back in the open country. Each day I saw at least 150 elk and 25 antelope. Also saw a few deer, lots of hawks, a badger, a porcupine and too many coyotes. Today there was not a breath of wind, a cloudless sky and a 3/4 moon was up at 3pm. It was so still and so quiet out there. I thought how I knew a lot of folks who would have enjoyed the day, even if we weren't horse back. Just to get out and see all that country and all the animals, heck maybe I should start Feed truck tours in the winter.

Lyndsey rode the south trap on Gambler yesterday, getting in three bulls, which had slipped back in there. Today she took Chico out to check Nedra and Elladeane. She found Nedra dry and when she got to Elladeane she found 60 head in the mud that's left of the tank. She and Chico went to work gathering them all up and pushing them over to T Bar Tank. They had a rough time getting them up the steep ridge but finally got it done and were home about 4pm. She said Chico worked great and it was a fine, fine day to be a cowgirl.

Friday, December 5, 2003
What a lousy day I had. I drove the three hours to Silver City and spent the next three hours getting a bridge fitted. What got dang misery that was. It was a long drive home, got in about 7pm and went to bed. Lyndsey spent the day in Reserve doing laundry.

Sunny hi 55 light breeze.

Saturday, December 6, 2003
We were out early under partly cloudy skies headed into 7HL to work the Elladeane and Nedra area. I was on Doc and Lyndsey rode Gambler, both of whom were fresh and stepping out. The day got better as it went along getting pretty warm really. We split up at the Nedra feeder and I went south along the fence while she went up and worked the Feathery Valley area. Doc was into it and and we walk/ trotted all over that country finally finding 11 head along the rim of Ten Dead Canyon. We pushed these to Elladeane and picked up 4 more cows. Lyndsey radioed and told me she had 16 and was going to take them over Zebra Bull Pass. So I gathered up what I had after giving them a break for a while and pushed them up over T Bar Saddle. Man it's tough getting them up that steep ridge by yourself. Doc worked his ass off, back and forth up twenty feet and back down and around a few stubborn ones. Then back to get the front going again. He was great and loved every moment. Finally we got them to the top of the ridge and I let them drift down on their own. I looked back and could see four head in a little draw back from where I'd come, I could also see Lyndsey way up Feathery valley with her cattle lined out well headed to the pass trail. I rode back to get the four, as I got closer I saw I a brown spot way up on the ridge. I pulled my glasses out and saw it was a calf curled up in the tall grass. It was a quarter mile from the cows. I rode to the cows and got them up from where they were sunning and spotted the mom as a big red cow with afterbirth still hanging. Stupid ass cow leaving her newborn like that! I pushed the bunch up the draw and towards the calf. There were two heifers and of course they took off running and bucking, I backed off and fortunately they ran right near the calf. The mother then remembered it and joined up. I just let them be, we'll come back in a week or so and try to get her in when the calf has energy to travel.

Lyndsey was getting closer and having a hard time getting her cattle up the trail so I loped over and gave her a hand. We got them on the trail and up over the pass headed to T Bar tank. It was 3pm so we headed home from there at a nice jog all the way.

Sunny hi 50 lo 19

Sunday, December 7, 2003
We headed out again early, Lyndsey on Kitten and I took Doc again. We split up at the T gates Lyndsey went back to Elladeane to work that area again. I rode the fence to Ten Dead Canyon then took the Red Cliff trail down and ended up in Canyon Creek pasture where I started looking for cattle. It was a hell of a seven-mile commute to work but I saw deer and elk all the way.

I rode all over that country and finally spotted three cows way down along the T Bar Canyon rim. It was some nasty, rough going through the rocks to get to them. It was an hour from the time I saw them before I got there. They were so slow and pokey, making the push back to the Twin Tanks Gate arduous. We finally got there and I couldn't believe that it was almost 4pm. I put them through the gate and headed back the same way I had come this morning. The wind had picked up all day so by this time I was head first into a steady cold wind with the smell of snow on it's breath. It was cold, but I rode west into one of the best winter sunsets ever. There was a light layer of clouds moving in from the west that reflected the red and purple glow. It stretched from horizon to horizon.

I hadn't talked to Lyndsey all day, we were to far away with T Bar Ridge between us. I got in after dark and she was there worried and waiting thinking I had passed out from tooth pain. She had found 22 head at Elladeane and pushed them the same way I had yesterday. And she had the same problems I had getting them up over the saddle. She said Kitten worked great and she couldn't have had a better horse under her. They wind drove her home about 3pm.

Hi 38 cloudy afternoon wind-chill about 15.

Monday, December 8, 2003
The wind howled all night and at dawn a milky light was all of the sunrise. Snow swirled and the wind blew when I headed out for chores. The horses where huddled up in the trees coated white. There was only about two inches but it was coming down hard. I gave Lyndsey the day off and hurried back in to spend the day giving the office a good reorganization.

All day the snow fell but it was driven by a hard wind so some areas only had a dusting on the ground while in others there was eight inches.

We fed early having to put out extra hay for the cattle in the south trap that all came wandering in about 3pm for a handout. I was expecting to see the 32 horses in the north trap come in but they never showed up.

Hi 35 at 8am lo 19 at 3pm.

Tuesday, December 9, 2003
It cleared and turned really cold over night, got down to –2. The dawn was sunny and bright off the new snow, I usually don't wear sunglasses but today I couldn't open my eyes without them.

As I suspected I looked to the lower corrals and saw 32 horses waiting for something. After feeding the working horses I took hay to the layed off crew and made them all pretty damn happy. I gave Lyndsey the day off.

I saddled up Doc and headed out about midmorning, I had been waiting for it to warm up but it never did. I rode out to the “Y” feed station in 7HL Valley hoping to find the little pair I had seen last week. I rode past over a hundred head on my way there but saw no sign of them. I swung by 7HL cowcamp and stopped to warm up inside and make some coffee, we keep both camps stocked all winter. The thermometer inside said is was 17 at 2pm, not much of a spot to warm up. But I got the cook stove going and it heated up pretty fast. Just as I was feeling the heat Doc let me know I had been too long. He was dorking around the door and poked his nose through a broken window and was sticking his tongue out, I think he was smelling the warm air and coffee and wanted in. The light was getting weak as I headed home; though the sun had been bright all day no melting took place. It was still and cold, the crunch of Docs hooves in the snow was all I could hear. Crunch, crunch, crunch, crunch all the way home. I had on long johns, jeans, leather chaps, wool shirt, down vest and a coat with a silk scarf. I even had on my winter hat and I was still frozen to the bone. Winter cowboyin' is for youngsters I decided.

I got in just as Lyndsey was feeding; the sun was long past set. She took pity on me and let me go in to thaw out while she took care of Doc for me. I checked the temperature as I went in; at 6pm it was 4 degrees. I must admit I was soon in a hot bathtub and feeling a whole lot better.

Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Another cold night, down to –3. Bright and sunny again. After chores and a hot breakfast we were back out again. Lyndsey took Gambler and rode the South Trap, checking the spring, which was frozen, then to Dog Spring finding 9 bulls there, just where they should be. She then rode out to Little Fence spring where she found no tracks of anything, just as it should be. She got home about 2pm.

Doc and I went back out in 7HL hunting the elusive pair. I rode all of Feathery valley and Telegraph Mesa. Back to Ten Dead canyon and up to Elladeane. There I found a couple cattle staring at the frozen tank so I pushed them up over to T Bar Tank where the water flows and doesn't freeze, they drank like that hadn't had water in days. From there I headed on home. The sun was melting a bit of snow, just enough to get the ground kinda slick. I got in about 4:30pm frustrated and cold. It was a bit warmer today, got up to 28.

The layed off horses are getting hay now, as well as the pairs in the south trap; we are feeding 15 bales a day. The working horses, Kitten, Doc, Gambler, Chico, Creek and Moses we keep at the barn and they get grain as well. Moses isn't exactly a working horse, but at his age we don't want to just turn him out, he wouldn't do well. He is also Docs best friend so that's his ticket to stay at the barn. Creek has recovered completely from his injuries after being run through the fence by the wolves back in August. Just in time, Cassady will be here in two weeks and will want to ride his buddy Creek.

Thursday, December 11, 2003
Another sunny cold day with plenty of wind, I think it may have plans of sending some more snow our way. Lyndsey had to go to town for some errands and mail. She was gone all day as most town trips take that long, hers are always a bit longer as she has to stop by the saloon and have a beer with her buddies.

I just took it easy, I had plenty of frozen saddle time for the week. I worked in the office, stuffing brochures, doing some printing and then grabbed a book I had been meaning to get to for a while. It was “Boones Lick” by Larry McMurtry. I settled down to read a couple pages and got sucked into it. The only time I put it down was to put more wood on the fire and stir the pot of green chille/ chicken stew I had cooking on the woodstove. Before I knew it I finished the last page and it was time to feed. It was a fun read, I recommend it to everyone.

Hi 25, windy and sunny, overnight low was 9.

Friday, December 12, 2003
Woke to a snowy morning, the wind buffeted the house all night and a few hours before dawn I heard the snow hitting the windows. When I headed out for chores there were five new inches and it was coming down hard. The flakes were itty- bitty things about the size of a pencil head. Just as I got done feeding the cattle it stopped, but the wind sure didn't. The snow swirled and sifted through the pines in flowing sheets. You could hear it mixing with the swish of the branches and needles. It was a beautiful sight.

It continued to snow off and on for most of the day. We got a total of about 7 new inches. Maggie is headed home from the airport tonight, I'm glad I got new tires on her truck. It kinda worked out well really, the weather I mean. It forced me to clean up the house after my bachin' it.

It was sunny but a cold day, high was only about 20 and the wind just sucked the heat right out of the house. The temperature quickly dropped 15 degrees within an hour of the sun going down.

Maggie finally got home about 8pm, it was then a crisp 1 degree. She had done a big supply buy while in the city and there was more than she could fit in the cab of the truck. Everything in the bed was frozen pretty solid. No telling what the wind chill was in the back there had been.

Saturday, December 13, 2003
Man it was cold last night! Down to –7, but at least there was no wind.

Maggie was right back up in her studio bright and early after her working vacation.

I took her truck over to Don and Jeannies to pick up the last two feeders there. For the last week the Dodge was the only one of six trucks that would start and it stopped starting four days ago. This is the time of year you hate a diesel.

I met up with them as they were headed over our way checking their cattle. We always chat a long time when we see neighbors out here. They told me a cow of theirs had walked out on a frozen tank and fallen through the other day. Sent a chill up my spine it's what I dread the most this time of year. I had a horse fall in and drown about 12 years ago, never was able to get him out. So no matter the weather you can always find me out cutting the ice. When I mention in these logs of doing chores ice cutting is just part of them. I spend about two hours a day cutting ice right now and it will increase as I add more tanks to my list to cut. I started cutting Dog Spring tank this morning for the bulls out there.

We are back to our hard winter clothing as well, the insulated coveralls. You can no longer spot us as cowboys. We look no different than an Alaskan oil line worker. And if you knock on my door and find me home you will find me in nothing more than my red union suit. That's what I wear under my coveralls, anything else you just get to bulked up to move. Riding in coveralls is nothing I do yet. Lyndsey does it all the time but I don't think I'd be able to get on the horse. But I must say after that day last week when it was so damn cold while I was riding I think I might end up trying it. Denim and leather is just so warm, there is something to technology, like Thinsulate.

We are also back to slick, snow packed roads.

After lunch I went to drop off the feeders, I put one at Dog Spring and the other at Snow Lake. We have bulls spending the winter in both areas. There is another short elk hunt going on so there has been a lot of traffic and they sure packed the roads hard. There were a few camps around, most are travel trailers but I did see two tent camps. One didn't have a stovepipe coming out, I bet they were a bit cold last night. When it's cold as early as it has been lately it really makes for a long, long night if you're waiting it out with nothing more than a sleeping bag.

The eagles are back, I saw a really big Bald at the lake.

It was sunny but cold again, about 25 for a high, but calm.

Sunday, December 14, 2003
What great news! What a great day! Of course I think a large cage should be put up in a square in Bagdad next to a big pile of stones. That's just me of course, and probably a million Iraqis too.

It was a fine, fine day all around. I filled a couple feeders and the weather couldn't have been better, sunny with a hi of 40 and no wind till late in the day. The road to Snow Lake runs along Gilita ridge about 7 miles, it's kind of a tunnel through a thick forest of hundred foot Ponderosas so it gets no sun or wind in there. The snow was pretty deep, about 14 inches but that old feedtruck blew on through it running about 35 with 8,000 lbs on board. I love that truck!

Speaking of trucks with the warm day I got all four diesels started today, I put fuel treatment in so maybe they wont be so hard to get going in the future. They all have over 100,000 miles on them and they're a bit cranky when it gets cold.