Christmas Day

We decided to take it easy on Christmas Day. We opened presents with my family, had brunch and played. The cows didn't know it was Christmas so we had to feed them. We came back in for a hamburger BBQ and cupcakes for Jesus's birthday. We played and relaxed most of the day. The day after Christmas we had dinner with my Dad's side of the family.

Here's a few pictures from Christmas day.

We aren't done celebrating yet. We have more family coming in tomorrow and some coming back for a second round. We hope you have a Happy New Year!

Pre-Christmas Activities

We were fortunate to have both of Ben's brothers here and our nephew for the week before Christmas. We had a lot of fun while they were here.



I know this isn't very much snow but we decided we had to take advantage of it before it melted that afternoon. Hannah and her cousin had a blast sledding with their uncles. I towed Heléna around in a little sled by herself.

We had quite a few family meals throughout the week. We spent Christmas Eve day with Ben's family. In my hurry to get out the door, I forgot my camera, so I'm sorry there's no pictures of the festivities.

On Christmas Eve Hannah and I made cupcakes for a birthday party that we had for Jesus on Christmas Day.

Here's Heléna enjoying herself while Hannah and I bake.

Here's the tree on Christmas Eve. I should have been in bed but instead I was playing with my camera, trying to get a picture of the tree.

Feeding the Cows Today

I've been falling down on the job of taking pictures of the girls. I attribute it to the challenge of carrying one and chasing another. I just need another arm to carry the camera. I was feeling particularly adventurous today so I took the camera when we went to feed the cows.

Here's Heléna enjoying hanging out while I feed the cattle in the corrals.

The girls in their Carhartts today. They both have bibs on but Hannah is finally just big enough for a jacket, and she loves it. These are a couple of my favorite pictures that I have of the girls. I just can't stop smiling.

Here are the ladies waiting for their dinner. Just so you don't think we have more cattle than we do, it's just the gals nearest in the picture. The ones in the background belong to our neighbors.

Mmmm...dinner.

If you're low woman on the totem pole you get to eat at the second feeder. All of the big wigs eat at the first feeder. We have one cow that goes straight for the second feeder. I think she's just smart and has figured out that you have to put up less of a fight at the second feeder.

Oh, she beat us to the feeder.

Heléna is checking on Mommy through the side mirror of the pickup.

On our way back to the gate we feed a bale of junky hay for the cows to pick through later. Here's Hannah ready to throw a flake of it off the feed wagon.

And there it goes....

Heléna and Daddy waiting while we close the gate.

Heléna isn't happy in the pickup unless she's "driving."

Merry Christmas

Making a Statement

Hannah has reached the point where she would like to pick out her clothes and then dress herself. Tonight at 7:00 she has decided that it's time to go to the library. Let's see what she picked for the big outing. And, no we didn't actually go.

Hannah is sporting the layered look tonight. She's wearing a John Deere t-shirt, topped by a red and pink butterfly sweater, daringly layered again by a turquoise winter coat. To compliment these pieces she's wearing lavender leggings with white socks, layered by a set of blue, white and green leg warmers. To round out the outfit she's got on a pair brown cowboy boots. This is a one-of-a-kind outfit and can't be duplicated. It is being shown for your viewing pleasure only.


After taking herself to the bathroom Hannah insisted upon getting herself dressed. Here she's wearing a pair of green and pink underwear. Both legs went down the same leg hole so now she's wearing them as a belt. The pink fleece pants made it on inside out, but at least they aren't backwards. She's trying to bring the exposed seams look to the fashion forefront.

First Sled Ride of the Season

Evidence that good times were had by all.

Some of What Happened in October

We helped with the grain planting on the little place next door. It's just a few acres and we raise grain hay for cattle feed.

Fourth cutting off of the alfalfa field got baled...and sold...such a blessing in a tough hay market.

Hannah got a trim and I think she's about due for another. I had better go shorter next time.

Helena has become quite proficient at crawling. In the last week or so she has begun to pull herself up and try to stand in the middle of the floor. I hope I'm ready for this!

Fall Colors Tour

The girls and I went with my Mom today on a fall colors tour. I wouldn't say the colors here are spectacular but they are nice. We headed north and ended up around Ft. Klamath.

Here we are at Reservation Spring. This is the head waters of Ft. Creek. I was impressed with how much water was coming out of the hill side. It's possible that it's coming from Crater Lake.


Only one of them is teething but I guess they both need their fingers in their mouth.

Here's a shot of Ft. Klamath with the beginning of the Wood River. Someday when I have more money than I know what to do with I will have a cattle ranch here with purebred Black Angus and Polled Hereford. We will spend spring, summer and fall here and the winter in Tulelake. But until then I will enjoy it's beauty a couple of times a year when we drive through. This picture doesn't really do it justice as I was too lazy to put a wide angle lens on my camera.

This is a picture of the lagoon at Kimball Park. There is a spring that is the head waters of the Wood River that forms this lagoon. That's not Photo Shop folks, it's that blue. Again I was too lazy to change lenses.

It was a beautiful drive. We'll have to go a couple of weeks earlier next year. Many of the Aspen trees had already lost their leaves or had been toasted by the frost.

Happy Fall Day in the Park

Holy Sow!

OK, I don't really know if it was a sow or a boar, or just a yearling but there was a BEAR in our alfalfa field this morning. I'm not here to give you details I'm not sure of but just to show you the pictures. Yesterday my father-in-law and the deputy sheriff chased a bear away from Newell up to Horse Mountain. His hired man went out to start the tractor in the morning and up jumped a bear. It gave him quite a startle. He ran to get my father-in-law and that's when the chase began.



This morning, what is assumed to be the same bear, was running across the hay field. For those of you not familiar with the area this is an unlikely site. Deer, antelope, coyotes? Yes. Definitely not bear.



For the locals that might think I'm crazy here's a shot looking south to give you some perspective. The bear is the black dot on the right side of the photo.


Here's a couple of shots closer up to show you that it's the real thing. Sorry they aren't of great quality. My camera lens doesn't like to take pictures almost 1/2 mile away of running animals. This bear was beating cheeks for the hills!

That was our excitement for the morning. How's yours going?

If I Ever Get to Build a New House

...all pastures and corrals will be more than 15 feet from my bedroom window. I have posted before about the joys of having cows right next to my bedroom. Last night it was the bull that was the trouble.

As we are using up the last bit of grass in the pastures, we are playing musical pastures with the animals. The bull has been placed in isolation because his "job" is done for the year. Right now there's just a fence separating the bull from his coveted herd of cows. Last night he was vying for their attention and showing off his brute strength. To demonstrate it, he pushed and tossed an empty water trough around the pasture and into the fence. This wouldn't have been much of a bother anywhere else on the place but it just so happened to be next to our bedroom window.

About 11:30 last night I was sleeping peacefully, for once. Ben was up jumping around on the bed, looking out the window and mumbling something about the bull. I was aroused from what was a very deep sleep and was headed out of the bedroom before I fully realized what was going on. Ben apparently wasn't going to be able sleep with the bull trying to impress the ladies with his trough tossing skills. The possibility of the bull wrecking the fence was a motivating factor too.

Since I was dressed and already out of the bedroom I decided to go deal with the situation. I'm admittedly a wimp when it comes to going into a pasture on foot with the cows after the sun goes down. Because I can't see them very well, I'm sure they can't see me very well, and will take it upon themselves to toss me over the fence. This never happens. It's just an unfounded fear I have. I quickly over came my fear of cows in the dark when it meant I either had to be in their pasture or the bull's.

We were spoiled by our last bull. He wanted to be petted and would eat grain out of our hand. The bull we have now is a little less loving but is of higher quality. Oh the trade offs. The fact that he is halter broke doesn't always make up for his macho attitude.

So, now the dilemma was how to get the trough out without tangling with the showoff bull. I thought the cows looked a little more docile and decided to work from their pasture. I reached through the fence and drug the trough along until I reached the gate. This was going well until my pajama pant clad legs touched the electric fence. For a split second I panicked. Then reality set in. The bull had grounded the fence out somewhere so that it no longer worked. Boy was I thankful!

Ben suggested I take the trough as far as the little concrete ditch right next to the gate. "Not in a million years," I thought. If I'm going to get it within three feet of the gate I'm going to haul it all the way out. I wanted to be sure I didn't have to return to the pasture any time soon. I'm sure the bull would see the trough in the ditch as just a little added interest in his show. I did manage to get the trough out with out any physical contact with a bovine animal. It's possible that being awakened from a deep sleep could cause me to be a bit more dramatic about my fear of cows.

We have no plans to build a house, but should we ever, I think I have it figured out how much personal space I need when it comes to the cows! Stay tuned for the weaning of the calves. I'm sure it could prove to be interesting as well.

Six Month Check-Up

Helena had her six month check-up last Monday. Everything went well. She weighs 16 pounds and is 27.5 inches long. She's right on track to be tall and thin.