Rain Helps Everything

Rain is such a wonderful thing that, sadly, we don't get to see often enough out here.  But tonight was different. 

We were looking at the radar on the internet and were saddened by the news it showed.  We were again out of range of the near-by rain.  But as we continued watching, a nice sized cloud formed right over us and we looked outside just as it began to rain; not a heavy sprinkle, or a trace, but real, heavy rain!  The sight and sound of real rain was long missed and quickly welcomed to the ranch.

After a few minutes of rain, our county was put under a severe thunderstorm watch, with a chance of hail and a few rotations.  We personally did not see any hail.  When the rain had slowed down (about an hour later) we all went outside and played in the puddles and actually used an umbrella, though we really didn't need one.

The big rain had passed leaving two inches in the rain gauge and a few sprinkles still falling from a cloud above.  We three kids ran around the ranch bare-foot and had a race on our rock driveway, and yes, our feet were pink and kind of hurt.  It was barely sprinkling now and we all loaded up in the pickup to drive around and look at the water.

With we three kiddos in the back of the pickup, Dad and Mom in the cab, we drove through and around puddles made by the rain.  There was a lot of lightning around, so we got to watch a nice show while driving on the muddy dirt road heading south.  A few spots in the road were covered with water and some ditches were full.  In one low spot, the water was flowing under the road and do you know what's amazing?  Frogs are so amazing, but their Maker is even more so!

We were driving around and when we stopped to look at the water, there pretty close to the road, were what sounded like thousands of frogs croaking their joy of the rain.  We have been in a huge drought, we have not seen one frog in at least a year, but yet tonight after this big rain, there are tons of frogs alive and well!  How did God make them so well?!  He is God, he knows everything.  It is just remarkable that they can live through dry weather like this.

We came home after running bare-foot in a huge puddle which also crossed the road.  And to end this wonderful day, we lit some fireworks and watched the little display.  Such a fun life!  And we thank God for all of it.  : )

 

 

The Great Ranch Life

I hope all of you had a good 4th of July this year.  My family did.  We got to enjoy fireworks this year, and there were quite a few really nice ones. 

This week, though its just started, has been really cool--weather cool.  We went from the 100's to 60's.  Oh--it's so lovely!  The last two or three days have been cloudy and looked as though it should start raining.  But we have only gotten heavy sprinkles.

Yesterday the whole family went out to move our newly momma cows and their young calves to a new pasture south of our house.  The cows had been cooped up in a small pasture and with this cool weather, they ran about as though they were crazy.  Most of the time we were trotting behind them, trying to keep up.  We went towards a valley sort of thing and I was riding behind all of the running cows and calves.  They were kicking up so much dust, of course the wind was from the east and we were riding into it, so I got a face full of dust.  I was also trying to keep my horse from running down the hill to join in with the cows' play. 
We continued taking the cattle east and then south until we had reached the last gate.  From there the cows took off at a run with their tails up.  Right then I thought, They look just like Pumba on The Lion King!  And they did.  We held them around the water pit for a while before heading back to the house.  Feeling sprinkles on your face while riding is one wonderful feeling!

Today Dad got us older two kids up at 6:25 AM and we got dressed to ride again.  Big J. was sent out for the horses, but got lost so to speak and it started to lightly rain.  Dad and I got in a pickup and headed out to look for him.  After passing the horses and reaching the other end of the pasture, we picked up Big J. and went back to the horses.  We caught the wet horses and led them back to the house.  It was pretty to see water run down their mane.
We saddled up and Big J. had to go back to the pasture and get 3 horses which had not come to the house.  We went to a set of pens in the pasture where we had put the cows from the day before, and Dad, Big J. and I started gathering.  It had been sprinkling/slightly raining for a while and all of the saddles were wet, but then I wasn't scared of just sliding off because now I was stuck to the wet leather. 
Anyway, we trotted for a while and finally found all 32 cows, and headed back to the pens.  There, Big J., Little J., and I stood as the gate as Dad and Mom sorted off two cows which were going to the sale today.  That didn't take all that long and they were quickly loaded into the trailer.  Dad and Big J. said good bye before heading to the sale barn, and we three girls mounted the three horses to ride back to the house. (It was a short mile back home.)  It sprinkled on and off and by the time we had gotten to the house it was just dripping a little.
We unsaddled, fed the horses a little treat and sent them back to the pasture, and they will stay there until further notice. 
I had not milked yet, so around 10:30 going on 11, I headed out there with my milk bucket in hand.  I quickly milked, fed my girl some hay, got some grasshoppers for my turtle, and walked back to the house just as another light rain began to fall.
Days like today are my favorite ever.  I like days that are cloudy and snow is falling just as well, but since it's summer, I won't be seeing any snow.  But what I mean is that cloudy days or misty days are so refreshing, sometimes they are exciting, or just pretty.  But they always seem to comfort me or something like that.  So riding today, in this weather, was really pleasing to me.  Getting to milk my goat and hear rain on the metal roof, being able to look out the window and not see our pasture because it's raining, and walking up stairs where it is normally a yucky warm and feel cool fresh air is such a great thing!  Living on this ranch on this day was one of the best.  I am glad I get to live here.  
Sometimes it is hard to put into words what you're really feeling.  And sometimes I find myself having a hard time writing for this blog, but ranch life is really amazing.  Our east view is wonderful, especially now, as the west sun is shining over the damp grass, and the remains of the rain clouds are moving away, but you can still see the different colored ones.  And getting to enjoy a lot of God's critters that Dad and Mom have allowed us to keep as pets.  Pretty much everything on a ranch is worth getting to enjoy.  So, unless you have lived on a ranch/farm, you will never, truly understand the feeling of seeing and doing the daily ranch life as I have been able to do.
In closing, I will simply say: Have a great day!  Until next post.  : )