Shadows on the Snow
I like the gnarly shadows. Happy Friday!
Where’s your leg, turkey?
You know it’s cold when you spot a one-legged gobbler perched high on a cottonwood limb.
It snowed all day yesterday and the 6 or so inches already on the ground soaked in. We needed that. It doesn’t bring us out of the brutal drought we are in, but anything helps at this point. We still have some snow on the ground and apparently more wet weather is on the way. It’s a little inconvenient but we aren’t complaining. 
Beds of Hay
We drove off the ranch yesterday to head to the bluffs to check on Patrick’s cows. We branded them this weekend and took them to new pasture and then bam, a blizzard hits when we least expect it. And that’s just tough on the sweet baby calves.
Snow was still falling by evening and blowing across the road.
When we got there, they seemed very spry and excited to see us.
We got out and looked everybody over. They were a little frosty but everyone looked good and healthy.
But looking over the pasture, there wasn’t much grass peeking through and nowhere for them to lay down to be protected from the cold ground. That’s where we come in. Patrick attached 2 chains to the pickup and the hooks on the other end locked into the hay bale so I could pull it off the stack.
We dragged it over to the cows and Patrick got out to cut the strings.
The girls were a little impatient! I backed the truck up unrolling the bale while Patrick helped to pitch off the hay to them. When the bale got smaller, I stopped the pickup and jumped out to help. We pushed the bale and rolled it into the trees so they had something warm to lay on and be protected from the wind.
By the time we were leaving, the calves made their bed on the fresh hay while their mothers were chowing down.
Warm and toasty. Well, not really. But at least they are covered in leather!
We checked on them at about 5 this morning and they still had a lot of hay left and the entire herd was bedded down on the hay. They looked good, just a little cold. We’ll roll out another bale this evening for them to help them get through this crazy weather. At least the sun has finally come out. That should warm them up a bit.
Just another day in paradise y’all!
Snowblind
Well, the weatherman was right and we are buried in it. It hasn’t let up ALL day. Snow still coming down and blowing all around. I’m used to snowfall in April, but not a blizzard. We’ve been waiting for this all winter!
Every Kind of Weather
Tis the season where Wyoming cannot decide what she wants to do. Yesterday she rained with a little snow mixed in. She blew, she stood still, she grew warm and then she howled for most of the night.
Now the weatherman says she will dump about 10 inches of snow on us tonight through tomorrow. But I’ll believe it when I see it. All winter we’ve been teased by the weatherman that we would get some great moisture from storms and all she does is sprinkle on us… and sometimes not even that. At least my camera and I get to capture the confusion in her skies and bring them right to you.
a Friday Chuckle
Sometimes getting a proper portrait of a colt is simply out of the question. You’ve just got to go with what they give you and have a nice chuckle. Happy Friday everyone!
Hindered by Spring
I am so excited that the winter ground is transitioning from this…
…to this.
Winter has been interrupted by the green grass springing up everywhere. This makes me giddy and I’m looking forward to change. Change is good.
Sometimes We Fly
I enjoy waking up to the gobble gobble of turkey mating season. In fact, the gobblers have been my alarm clock lately. They are pretty reliable believe it or not.
They didn’t want to walk across the bridge. Flying seemed like a better idea.
I guess there are times in life when walking just isn’t good enough. You’ve got to spread your wings, fluff your feathers and fly on over to that greener pasture. I can relate. 
Barn Tour
Over the weekend our local art guild, in which I am a member of, went on a barn tour through our small town. We visited barns built in the 1930′s or earlier. It was such a cold and windy day but we powered through and really enjoyed it. I can’t wait to see the paintings that the artists will create from their snapshots. Below are a few of my favorites and you can see the whole tour and descriptions of the barns on my website by clicking HERE.
Geringer Barn and log cabin built in 1912 or before.
Mule Shoe Ranch Rock Barn, built in 1882 by Erasmus Nagel.
inside the Mule Shoe Ranch Rock Barn, a curious gelding
Remember the big brown eye on the last post? Well, this is his big nose sniffing through!
old coke bottles in the window of the Goodrich Barn built in 1915
a sweet kitty cat visited us at the Baker Barn that was built in the early 1930′s.
the color in the wood of the Birkle Barn built in the early 1930′s was a favorite among all the artists
He Spies with a Big Brown Eye
In a barn built in 1881 made of limestone and mule shoes, a peeping pony asked to be petted.
(I had title block so today’s title credit goes to my dear friend Jessica W in my hometown of Macon,GA. Thank you friend. Your print is in the mail. xoxo)
T-R-O-U-B-L-E
This little trio has been running wild around the pasture. They are the oldest of all the calves so while the younger ones stick close to momma, these three are gaining some independence. Pretty fun watching them grow up.
Frosty and Stormy Blue
The title may sound like names of pets but really I’m describing the month of March in Wyoming.
This might be the most unpredictable month for weather in Wyoming.
Wednesday was the first official day of spring and we started out with a sparkly layer of frost on the deck.
The sky dramatically changed midday and stayed deep blue until sunset.
We never got any moisture from all of those storm clouds. So very disappointing.
But the river is always a beautiful view any time of the year. Drought or no drought.
Evening Stroll
The weather is sweetening up and an evening stroll with the hounds-man and his hounds was just what the doctor ordered. I have to hang back as to keep from tripping over their happy feet and the multitude of rocks.
Dropped on his Head
This is the first of our cows to calve. The calf I showed you last month was born to a heifer (a first time mother cow).
Yesterday I got back from doing chores and could tell that this experienced cow-momma had a belly ache. She had separated herself from the herd and nested by the fence. She was up and down, ringing her tail, arching her back and pushing hard. This lasted for two solid hours. Poor lady. The whole time I kept my eye on her I was cheering her on quietly but thanking the heavens this wasn’t me. It was a struggle but she finally dropped him on his head, stimulated him with licks and when I left her, she was helping him get to his feet to suckle.
I love this time of year.
Snowglow
The weatherman threatened a massive blizzard this past weekend and nothing happened. Zilch. Nada. But two nights ago it finally snowed and we had about an inch on the ground yesterday morning. It melted by mid-morning down low but yesterday evening, Squaw Mountain still beamed with a bright snow glow.
Western Screech Owl
I love this view of the Laramie River. Water flows rapidly around the bend into a pool of glass and then flows wildly over more rocks. She could use more water these days but that’s a story for another time.
Back in those woods is a little creature I’ve tried to photograph for some time now. Whenever I’ve come upon on it, it spooks itself and me and all I get is the blur of it’s rear-end flying away.
But this time, the elusive screech owl gave me a couple seconds to photograph him before taking off to the other side of the ranch.
Now if you’ve ever heard a screech owl, you most likely have had the ever living daylights scared straight out of you. On my first encounter, I had my arms full of groceries and while walking up to the door, a blood curdling scream pierced the dark and silent air. I couldn’t get in the house fast enough and was yelling to Patrick that someone was being murdered right there at the irrigation ditch. I just knew someone or something was dying a horrible death. He grabbed his spotlight and there it was, a screech owl perched on a cottonwood waiting for the next victim to give bad dreams.
This one in the woods didn’t screech though. I think because he wanted to be unseen in the daylight. I was glad to get these couple of images before he took off.
Birds of Happiness
It’s been a tough winter and when the “blizzard” passed us over this weekend, I had a feeling a spring day may peek through. That day was yesterday. Bluebirds were chirping all over the ranch so I hung out with them most of the afternoon. It was such a pretty sight to see these bursts of bright blue amid the grey and brown.
It’s still a little early but springtime is knocking on our door. Still hoping for a few bouts of winter moisture but I’ll take the song of the bluebird anytime.
Happy Monday my friends, I hope you are staying warm and feeling happy. I’m certainly getting there!
With Eyes on His Feathers
Even though it’s cold and the ground is still frozen, this guy sees spring in his future.
He pranced and stomped and squealed.
With eyes on his feathers, I admit I almost fell for him.
He swayed to the right and to the left, just waiting for the right girl to come along.
The wind caught his feathers but it didn’t seem to bother him one bit. He just kept right on going, standing tall and beautiful.
I hope this first day of March gets you frisky and excited about spring approaching. It excites me to no end at the thought of daily sunshine and short-sleeve shirts. I know we still have more cold in our future but today I’m going to wear bright feathers in my hair in anticipation for the warmth of spring.
Happy Friday everyone!
Morning Twinkle
The air was heavy with fog but the ground and fence posts sparkled yesterday morning.
ice crystals on a fence post
a single snowflake on a red stem
another single snowflake on a red stem
Old man winter is taking his sweet time to exit. But these frosty, glittery mornings do make me cheerful.
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