TX Ranch

• Hi all!
• February already, we're that much closer to spring and a busy birthday month for both of our daughters Desiree and Sheena. If I'm not mistaken I believe I heard them say they didn't want anything this year, only a job! : - ) is that right???
• We rode last month for all the ranch saddle horses and mares that were still in Dryhead. Mostly Desiree and Poncho rode in Dryhead to find them where they were left on Deadman and down by the Big Horn River. It turned out they were pretty well spread out due to some kind stray folks with gate issues. Desiree has found most of them now except seven young registered mares. We drove the horses slowly home to the winter home feed grounds on Crooked Creek. We'll now be able to keep an eye on them, feed them and some TLC when necessary. Dez,
• Poncho and I drove all the horses in the corral and cut and weaned all the colts. The colts are now in a small set of corrals up where Hip and I live. Normally you hear a lot of noise after weaning colts but these little guys with all the instant feed and water setting right in front of them, well they sure dug in. Since the colts have been a our home for over a week now I have been out to talk and walk around them
• everyday to let them get use to me. Today they didn't leave when I walked around them. Its amazing how quickly they can come around.
• It was nice to go into Dryhead in January even in the snow and cold. If the days aren't windy its not that hard to keep warm. One more little item when riding Dryhead we also found a few more cows, calves and a bull our numbers are getting closer. Today Hip drove over by the Lone Wolf to one of our neighbors to pick up a heifer and a bull over there. Of course this time of year Hip drove around to Bridger, Edgar, Pryor and Randal Braten's place. Its funny how long it really takes to find everything in Dryhead, pretty big country out there!
• Feeding is taking up quite a bit of the day although we have several hundred cows out on winter pasture which helps a great deal. They will all come back to Crooked Creek in March because that's when we begin calving. Once that happens it will take up every day light hour and then some. We'll get everything feasibly ready and set up. Everybody will be helping each other out, I'm pretty much on call at that time.
• We are going to miss Desiree because she is leaving in two days to help Ken McNabb. Ken expected Dez to be there sooner however
• it took a month longer to finish their facility. Dez will be helping Ken for a couple months to get horses ready for his horse sale next June. It sounds like there will be some nice bomb proof horses also horses that are comfortable with picking a path in open country, water gaps, roping, working cattle, etc., all round good horses. Dez plans to sell a couple of her own horses in the sale too. Hip and I plan to attend the sale next June.
• We are all enjoying the winter season. Its nice to have some home family time although we are all truly looking forward to our "2009"
• guest season along with warm sunny weather, riding, working cattle and cattle drives once again, can't wait.

We'll see you soon! Hip & Loretta