TX Ranch

FINALLY!

It's about time gosh it's been so'oo long I'm sure you all about gave up on me!

We've been having a real good summer so far this season. It's been busy with a lot of wonderful guests that Hip & I, Dez, Christine and Poncho have had the opportunity to meet and get to know this year. It's been so great seeing many of our good guest friends from previous years too. We feel so lucky to spend and share time with all of you!

The first week of June we were also fortunate to meet Jamie Oliver with his work crew and film crew. We truly enjoyed them all. Jamie, is making a film, a six part series for his new cook book "Jamie's American Road Trip". The TX Ranch is with in his six part series and Cody, WY too. It will air in UK, BBC, etc. this Sept. through Oct. and later in the US channel 4 next spring. Jamie started his first day at our home on Crooked Creek with Hip's mother Abbie and myself. Abbie and I were making apple pies and cinnamon rolls. Jamie popped in that morning and pitched right in starting another apple pie and finishing off a batch of cinnamon rolls. What t treat everything turned out tasty and delightful. Afterwards we decided to head off to Deadman camp and bring the cinnamon and apple pies into camp for everyone there. When we found them they were holding a large herd of cattle and just started to brand calves. Jamie, was so excited he began helping everybody throw calves right away. With everyone involved and working together it turned out to be such a good time we'll always remember it. Afterwards we needed to take care of castrating a few calves. Jamie got right in there too watching squeamishly along with our eager group experience "Rocky Mountain Oysters"first hand! Hip and Jamie cooked them that same evening along with the rest of a very fine meal prepared by Jamie. The next day Hip and Jamie rode up to the Robinson Place and camped out with steaks cooked on sticks over the camp fire and on a rock that evening. Hip mentioned how fantastic it was and truly enjoyed watching Jamie do what he does best! They sleep under the stars waking to a big blue sky and cooking breakfast over the fire the next morning. It was time to get to work before the cattle moved out of the country so they saddled up, gathered cattle at the Robinson Place and drove them down to Deadman camp together. They rode, gathered and branded that day and cooked up a storm. It was quite an experience for all of us to see first hand how Jamie and his team work so well together. They have been with each other for 10/12 years which speaks for it's self. With our crew, guest friends, Jamie and his entire crew we feel so fortunate to have met and shared some exciting, excellent and fun times together with some of the finest people out there.

Spring and summer keep every one of us busy with all the cattle and horse working activities and irrigating combined both in Dryhead and back at the home place. Sam and Tim are taking care of the bum calves this spring and summer which seriously helps a great deal. Nick is taking care of the irrigation which helps a great deal and will give the cattle some good grazing when they are driven to Crooked Creek this fall during our cattle drives. Me, it's difficult to get into Dryhead like I use to with taking care of ranch business, adverts, guest referrals and bookings, gentling foals, covering mares, feeding horses, etc. it keeps life interesting all right. No complaint's I truly enjoy and love all of it. I simply wish there was a remedy for catching up! Abbie, Hip's mother is doing well. She went on a road trip this spring with Gail and her sister Doris from CA. They visited Ab and Doris's sister Donna from Missola and her daughter Margaret from CA. They had a great trip and returned home with a lot of fun artifacts, rocks, food, goodies, etc. Abbie is taking care of her garden now and her new little home that Hip, Bill Coleman, Tim and Sam helped rebuild. You may not have known this, Abbie's previous home burn down June 2007. Abbie has a very good son and some absolutely wonderful friends!

Off the beaten path Hip and I, Dez, Christine, Poncho and Kathryn, were thrilled to be invited to go boating a week ago Sunday on Damion and Annie Jordan's boat with Lyle and Debbie Procter and all of us together. We had the time of our lives, what a thrill it was for all of us. It was so good to get away and spend the day around the water on a boat. They took us tubing which every one loved, water skiing and boarding in the Big Horn Canyon. Damion was a great driver he took such good care of all of us rookies. Dez, was to funny she really went all out trying everything. She crashed quite a few times so we had plenty of good laughs. Dez no doubt took full advantage of every minute of the day. Christine did everything too and water skiing to boot also Poncho tried everything and wreaked a few times too. It was funny to see him in shorts Poncho was white as can be even more them I am! At the end of the day however both Dez and Poncho looked a bit like a couple lobsters. Kathryn was cute and quite good at tubing, etc. she is more fortunate to have a bit more practice then us rookies. We all had so much fun together with Damion, Annie, Lyle and Debbie thank you so much for July 5th!

I'll add some Jamie and July 5th shots as soon as I can.

We'll try and keep up and talk to you soon!