Branding Day, the storm before the storm.

Yesterday we branded 68 calves.  We did most at the South Ranch and a few of the wilder ones at the main ranch. It’s always tough to watch the babies be split away from their mommas for their shots and the 5C but it’s only for a short amount of time. When they are released back into the meadow, the mommas are able to find the babies quickly. They mother up and get as far away from the corral as possible.

Here, mommas are bawling for their baby.

Smoke fills the air while they get their 5C.

Remember Munchkin? I finally spotted him yesterday and he’s doing great! He’s too small to be branded yet but he’s nice and healthy.

Munchkin, aka # 6000

His momma doesn’t let him out of her sight. She’s taking great care of him. Unfortunately that can’t be said for all the cows out here.

Munchkin and momma.

On our way home from the South Ranch we saw lightning in the distance. It was a nasty storm over Glendo and it was headed our way.

We got home just in time before the sky fell. And I mean it poured, thundered, and hailed like I’ve never seen before.

This is our front deck covered in hail.

The yard this morning was covered in hail.

While looking over the grounds today to make sure there was no damage from the storm (there was none thankfully), we came across this horn. Deer lose their horns in December and start sprouting new ones almost as soon as they lose the old ones.

Deer Antler

April snow capped mountains across a green meadow on Rabbit Creek.

The calm after the storm.

I think this is just the beginning of a stormy spring.

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