We went to help our friends brand calves yesterday. Cliff loaded up the horses and older kids and left by 5:30 am. I woke the little ones and fed & dressed them and followed in the suburban by 6 am. (We can’t all fit in the truck, so I had to drive separate.) It was a gorgeous morning, sun rising through a bit of clouds and into a clear sky.
By the time I reached the ranch, the cowboys were almost done gathering the cattle. The lane runs through the pasture, so I was surrounded by cowhands at one point. It always feels a bit like I’m living in a western movie set, when I see cowboys riding down the hills on either side of me. 🙂 Never gets old.
Looking for strays.
The wind wasn’t too bad, thankfully, so the baby didn’t have to gasp for breath. 😉 Babies just don’t appreciate this Wyoming wind much. I strapped him in the stroller, and assigned an older kid to keep track of Reata while I ducked around horses and cowboys to take as many pictures as I could. I knelt in some questionable damp stuff with my new jeans – yuck. And I was awash in branding smoke most of the time, but I did get a couple of nice ones, in between feeding and changing the baby, and getting him to sleep.
My 3 older kids.
Brandings are a favorite time of year for most ranchers. We reconnect with friends and neighbors – some we haven’t seen since last year’s branding! We share jokes and tips and stories of the past year. We gather for a huge feast afterwards, always a highlight! Yesterday they served prime rib, which is a very delicious cut of meat. Most of the time if a fellow ranch wife comes to a branding, she will bring a dish to add to the table… a pie or salad or some rolls. It is not required, but always appreciated.
Cowboygirl.
Dragging to the fire.
Cliff and Jenni wrestled calves a while.
And remember, calves hide (skin) is ‘way thicker than yours, so branding them is not nearly as painful as it would be for you. 😉 And besides that, it is required by law.
Jane Grove branding.
I love your photography and words seem to be right out of a novel of time gone by. Thanks for sharing your world! I am a city slicker with a country heart and I long to get back to my basic roots. Born and raised in Florida, but truthfully I have seen another part of this state that most will never see. We still have Cowboys, rodeos, and cattle drives in remote places and I look forward to reconnecting with these places of my youth. The virtues of hard work, real faith, and kind people still exist in these small circles. I look forward to your blog posts for inspiration. Thank you.
Thank you Michelle! Yes, I have been in central Florida, and seen the cowboys. 🙂 Florida produces more beef than any other state!