Napping Gray

The wind is HOWLING today. Dirt and cow pies are circling the meadows. For protection from the madness, Gray and the herd are napping among the cottonwoods.
Happy Monday everyone!

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Deer Bed

While uploading a sweet baby portrait shoot from yesterday, I came across this image of a deer bed I saw a few days ago during a nice walk around the meadows. Deer lay down in tall grass with the hope of staying hidden from predators. I like the flow and texture of the grass in this.
Hope you are having a great day!

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Red-Winged Feathers and Frosted Fur

It was another snowy weekend but that didn’t stop birds from singing or calves from arriving.

red-winged blackbird

Will it ever end?!? I guess I can be thankful it isn’t 26 below zero. The air doesn’t hurt my face like it did last month.

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A Springtime Promise

It’s still chilly here in good ole Wyoming and we have the threat of snow for the next couple of months. *Sigh*
But out from underneath the little patches of snow laying around, sprigs of green grass are popping. Today is the first official day of Spring and while I know it takes a while for it to really take effect, I see these green blades as a promise of a new season. Really, I do. 🙂

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Snowy Tuesday

On this Tilda Tuesday, we have a very snowy Tuesday. Roads are closed and Patrick says they are a mess. So here I am as usual, home all day to watch over the girls and their babies. I just hope they don’t drop any new calves in this mess. Normally the mommas hide their babies and I have to look for them just to make sure all is well. But this morning they are all bunched together with babies in tow.

Such a cold walk across the meadow.

I don’t think this little one is thrilled with his first snow storm.
It should warm right up tomorrow and we’ll forget all about today. I hope.

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Tilda Tuesday: Shadow Play

I’m still trying to get the perfect a shadow portrait of my girl. Her head is turned too much here because she’s looking at my lap, ready to curl up. But the light that shoots in at sunset is beautiful and when she perches on the arm of the couch, it cast a neat shadow image. It’s a work in progress though.
Happy Tilda Tuesday everyone!

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Glitter and Cranes

There was frost on everything yesterday morning.

As the sun rose, it turned to glitter. It was so still and beautiful.

The Sandhill Cranes have started to migrate back but probably weren’t expecting the chill of Sunday morning. I’m glad to see them but the calves aren’t too sure what to make of them.

Happy Monday and Happy St. Patrick’s Day everyone!

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Snowmelt Overflow

Yesterday was gorgeous. The weather was perfection and an abundance of snowmelt is racing through the rivers. We have the Laramie River running through the property and the Sybille River feeds our irrigation ditch. Patrick has dammed it off as much as possible at the head gate but we still have extra water coming down the ditch. I have to watch the cattle closely because of all this water which gives me anxiety but photographically, the ponds that are created are beautiful.

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Serene Blue

I love the serene blue skies before a storm. Even though I’m anxious for spring color, I revel in the contrast of the golden winter meadow against that wide open blue sky.

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Tilda Tuesday: Nice Day for a Walk

Matilda took me for a walk yesterday. The weather was gorgeous once the wind laid down. Today hasn’t reached above freezing and there is snow on the ground. Go figure. Looks like it’s just me going out in it today. Tilly turned her nose up at me when I opened the door and has decided to stay under the covers instead.
Happy Tilda Tuesday everyone!

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Lakes, Waterfalls and Plenty of Mud

Welcome to March in Wyoming. Where the snow comes and goes creating lakes in the meadows, waterfalls in the mountains, and plenty of mud to get the ATV stuck.
Even though there are chances of snow for the next couple of months, the air is starting to warm up and our moods are slowly beginning to cheer up. I’m headed out for another round of checking cattle with the hopes of not getting stuck in the mud like Patrick did this weekend. 🙂 Hope you are having a great start to your week!

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Waiting for the Season to Change

buds on cottonwood limbs eagerly awaiting spring

I’m looking forward to seeing color again. The month of March is a study in patience dear friends.

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Boiled Over

What a relief! The snow started melting Monday afternoon and soaked right into the ground. We are grateful for the moisture and grateful that the weather warmed up for our first calf to be born. This little girl arrived yesterday afternoon. You know how you can’t watch a pot of water to boil? Well, after being home and checking on the ladies 4 or 5 times a day for the last couple of weeks, she decides to give birth while I make a quick run to town for a haircut. I came home and there she was, cow #2 came to a boil and popped out a healthy calf. While I was checking on these two, one of the heifers was ringing her tail. She had a belly ache and I knew it wouldn’t be long for her. She was simmering. Two hours later she had a successful birth, which is not always common for a first time mother cow. With the arrival of these two calves, I am able to breathe a sigh of relief.  We have a week or two until the rest of our small herd starts calving. ♥

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the Weekend of this Unlikely Cowgirl

Saturday was sooo snowy. The sun was behind the clouds and so was my mood. Ranching is tough and sometimes lonely work, especially in blinding snow and freezing temperatures; any rancher/caretaker reading this knows what I’m talking about. It is a full day of constantly checking on the well being of the cows and horses, pitching frozen hay over the fence to the heifers, and breaking ice so they all can get a drink. Where loose hay is frozen to your cheeks and tripping over frozen cow turds is the norm. Having to climb over the corral fence with a twenty pound bucket of cow cake because we forgot to make a temporary gate for us to enter and exit safely. In constant worry that a calf will be born and not make it through the freezing night because we haven’t finished building our calving barn yet. All while Patrick has to be in a snow plow for over 10 hours on the interstate making the roads safe for drivers who feel the need to be driving on the roads during a dangerous blizzard. (Yep, those folks are out there… and you may be one of them. 😉 )

And then, Sunday morning, the sun was there outside my door. Although 6 inches of snow still lay there glistening on the ground, the sky was blue and birds were singing. Patrick was home by 8am and we were able to spend the day feeding, watering and tripping over frozen cow turds together.  We even ventured across the river and hiked around our bluffs to enjoy the peaceful scenery that surrounds us.
I didn’t shoot much this weekend because the ranch work had to be done and I had to stay focused. As I’ve said before, I only pretend to be a cowgirl, I’m really just a photographer. But this weekend, I was a cowgirl first.
I’m happy to report that we are still here with all our fingers and toes and happy to see the snow dripping off the roof today.
Ahhhh, is it spring yet?

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