In the Branding Pen

It's taken a while, but I'm finally getting my 2nd batch of branding photos into a post. With 24 hours in each day, you would think I would accomplish more, but I never seem to get as much done as I think I ought to. And in the big scheme of things, my little posts aren't important, but I enjoy documenting the things that make up my days and sneaking out of the kitchen to spend some time behind my camera when branding season is at hand, is one of my favorite things:

                           

We sure do appreciate the help:

And I have yet to see a cowboy turn down the chance to throw a few loops

And drag a few to the fire:

                               

                         

                      

I know many of you have had more rain than you need, but around here, a little rain would sure be a blessing...it'd settle the dirt and grow grass for our livestock:

Sometimes branding and shipping season are about the only times we get to see friends and neighbors: 

The smell of branding smoke means that spring has arrived on our neck of the woods:

A good hand on a good horse:

Working up an appetite:

                               
The mamas didn't seem too concerned and were enjoying a short break from the their babies

But they were curious about my intentions

No worries girls - just enjoying my time behind the lens and capturing a bit of the action before I head back to dish up grub for the boys. Well maybe just one more shot:

Escape From the Kitchen

One day last week I was able to break out of the kitchen. Dessert was made and I made barbecue sandwiches, coleslaw,  Cajun potatoes, jalapeno poppers, chips and homemade salsa for dinner. They were working at Adobe Pens

and it takes me 40 minutes to get there, but I had everything ready by 9 (just needed to pop the poppers in the oven when I returned), so I grabbed my camera, and headed out. It's been too long since I was able to spend time behind the lens and I was tickled.

Sometimes I see photos...beautiful photos...of crews branding and cowboys working cattle that I admire. My first thought is always: That's a great shot! My second thought: I would be in so much trouble if I had taken that because from the angle, I would have been in the way. And the first rule of a photographer is Don't Get in the Way.

Or maybe that's just a special rule that applies to me. LOL. Don't spook the cattle...or the horses...or the men. Don't ride in front of the herd. Don't move. Pay attention. So, I have to choose a spot and park it. In this case, it was outside of the corrals, behind a fence, which was a good spot because I tend to get lost behind the camera and not pay attention to what's going on around me and the fence was a trusty barrier and kept me from getting run over:

It's pretty sandy here, thus there's lots of dirt that gets kicked up

But DH likes to work cattle easy and not get them stirred up:

But the sand here is like powder and it's impossible to not kick it up:

The feisty calves churn up clouds of dirt:

And it can make for a cool shot, but the calf's fine.

These animals are our livelihood and we do everything we can to take good care of them.

The crew works quickly and efficiently, but easy:

Usually someone is at the head, one on the tail end, one wields the branding irons, another is assigned to ear mark the calf, one vaccinates, and yet another cuts the bull calves. It all takes less than a minute and the calf is released back into the herd and quickly reunited with it's Mama.

It's hard work, but these boys love what they do:

And they're good at it:

We run a pretty small crew, but try to work two calves at a time in the pen:

That's probably a long enough post for today. Anyone that knows me knows I've got more photos to share, but I'll share more in a day or two. I was only out there for about 45 minutes and ended up with over 500 pictures. It takes a long time to sort through 500 photos and no, I won't make you sit through that many. I'm deleting as fast as I can. 😉

Under the Needle: April

I had a difficult time staying focused this month. Much of it was spent in the kitchen, thus, this post is a mixed bag of simple quilts and fabrics that have found their way under the needle throughout April.

I bound this little baby quilt

And that's my one and only finish for April. I made the blocks and pieced this top using the last of my Farmers Market FQs

I've had the piece on the right for a long time and I was tickled when I unearthed it because it's perfect for the backing. However. it's not big enough so I'm working on a plan that will somehow incorporate these fabrics:

I cut and pieced this  simple little gingham quilt one afternoon:

I'm not sure the fabrics work together, but I tried several and this was the best of the lot so I just went with it. I really like the sweet simplicity of gingham so I pieced 3 others with fabric in my stash:

I also pieced my little farmhouse patchwork quilt:

Lots of quick, simple stitching in 10 and 15 minute increments. Sometimes, when life gets busy, I just need to feed fabric under the needle.

Donning That Apron and Wielding the Rolling Pin

Last week I only had 2 days that I needed to cook for a crew. This week, I'm back in the kitchen for 5 days. It's branding season. Our sale was on Tuesday, due to Easter, so I spent Monday planning my menu and making my list. Our boy wasn't able to be home for the weekend, but our girl and her 2 hooligans made it. Here she is introducing Harvey to the new kittens:

 We cooked yummy food

and enjoyed catching up before diving into branding mode.

DH and I put out hay for bulls last week:

The chicken coop got a good cleaning in preparation for the new tenants as I moved them from their brooder:

And DH enjoyed the company of our girl on his feed runs - she posted this:

I fed the crew breakfast on Tuesday morning and left dinner in the Crock-Pot along with fresh cornbread and dessert before I headed to the sale barn and then hit the grocery store with a long list. One of my errands was to have something laminated and I was shocked when I was asked to sign a waiver. A WAIVER? Yes:

You know, just on case I decide I want them to UN-laminate the item I had asked them to laminate. Alrighty then. I'm pretty sure I snorted with astonished laughter at the very kind attendant when he explained the need for my signature  for that reason. When I actually read the waiver, I saw it was more of release of liability should your document be damaged. Oh, for heaven's sake! I just wanted a pattern laminated.

Yesterday I made biscuits, gravy, eggs, sausage, and put out some fruit. Cleaned that up and made Salisbury steak with gravy, rolls, mashed potatoes, a corn casserole, salad, and caramel fudge brownies with ice cream for dessert. I even had time to mow the yard before the crew pulled in at 1. And before you think that was a lot, I'll tell you that I was in bed at 7 that night. My co-worker and I were talking about how we used to do all of that on a daily basis (and then some!) when we were raising our families and not even blink, but now...in our 50's...it's just a lot of work. 😀

I shouldn't have set down to tap out a post this morning because it's going to take some effort to trot back into the kitchen, however, duty calls: