Second Snow

We got another snow on the 16th which really made up for the first we got this fall.  Because the cold hit so fast, the trees' leaves are still attached in spots so it made taking picture fun for me.

 

 

 

 

Here, I risked my camera and took pictures while it snowed.

 On the 17th, I needed to get out of the house because I wasn't happy...so Dad took me to move some heifers and cattle on foot.

The sun was shining and the air was still, making it a beautiful day for walking. 

 

 
When Dad and I reached the cows, the tame ones who eat out of our hands, came up begging for a snack.  I only let them lick me, but had nothing to feed them.  But since they were close, I got some pictures.

 

 

 
The walk was short, but refreshing and needed.  The cattle we have are very gentle, thus moved without trouble.

 
When the cattle had all gone into the pasture, I took time to build a snowman.  Isn't it cute?  Yeah, well, it was only 7 inches tall...

 
Dad broke ice in the tanks and then we headed in for dinner. 

You know, sometimes when you're feeling down (or plain upset) the best thing, for me anyway, is to go outside and do something.  Sometimes I just walk around thinking, or hold a cat while sitting in the sun, and other times Dad takes me out to check cattle, like in this case.  I'm glad he makes me go, because a few times it isn't what I want to do, but I always come back happy and smiling and have stories to share.  : )

First Snow

What's this you see in the picture?  Snow? 
Yes!  Not much but a good start.

The temperature dropped tremendously on Mon. and hasn't warmed up since.  We were enjoying 80 degrees and sunny skies when in the afternoon it all changed.  We dropped to under freezing by the time it was all done and the wind had scattered dirt everywhere.

We haven't thawed, so Big J. gets to break ice and change out water (ice) every morning.  Hello, Winter!  

Last weekend, Dad and I went on a hunt in Fort Reno, Oklahoma.  I got to shoot two does and spend two days with Daddy.  It was a very enjoyable hunt and I'd do it again...I can't though, because of my age.

On the 1st, my grandpa had his 99th birthday party.  We had a nice party here at our house and got to spend it with our grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc.  We're very blessed, for Poppy (my grandpa) was the one with health issues last Nov.  The good news it that he's back to good health now.  And I, personally, have gotten to know him better through that season. 
 

Christmas is in the air at the Elliott Ranch

 
Hope all you readers are staying warm!  : )

Nov. 5th

After so many chilly days it was nice to get outside today.  I typed on my laptop some in the fall air and later Dad had us go move cattle.

When we had penned the cattle, Dad stood at two gates and Big J. and I pushed presorted cattle to him.  All the cows, calves, and older heifers went in one gate which lead to the pasture.  The yearling heifers and a bull or two went in the other pasture.  The sorting went super well! 

We 3 had finished in just a few minutes and then we walked the heifers down the fence, through a gate, and into another pasture. 

It's been a lovely evening and now I believe stew is going to be on tonight's menu.  Looking forward to a warm bowl of that stuff.   : )

I'm on a Roll

Wow, 3rd post in one day... 
Here's a post focused on what we do after purchasing new cattle.  We have to brand them.
First the cattle (in this case, heifers) are pushed into the alley running to the chute.  In the picture below two heifers are walking through the alley.

 
See the blue metal thing?  That's the chute and its job is to catch the heifers when they walk into it.

  
The first heifer to walk into the chute gets closed in when the back gate shuts.  She will have to walk forward to the front gate, and then the chute operator closes the gate right as she sticks her head out.  In this picture the heifer is caught by the neck, the proper way.  She does not choke, though, so no worries.
 

 
Then Dad--or whoever's job it is-- gets the ear notcher and puts the ear tag in the heifer's ear.
  

 
She's then branded with the very hot branding iron.

 
And turned out through the front gate.  She'll now continue her life as though nothing happened and if she happens to escape, other people will know who to contact. 

 
We only had four heifers to do this time, so it went really quick.

Big J. is preparing the ear notcher for Dad, Little J. in the back pushing up another heifer

 

This is after Dad gave the heifer her ear tag

 

And if you were a heifer, this would be your view.  Lovely, isn't it?

 When we had finished, the sun was just about to set and I got a few pictures of how lovely the evening was.

 

Stacy, the goat

So now you learned a little more about what my family does.  : )

Evening Fun

This morning's sunrise

Last evening was gorgeous!  I spent some bit of the afternoon/evening painting this cow skull and listening to music from my laptop.  Outside is the best office, you know.  

 

Little J.'s cat, Stanly

A little later, the rest of the family came out and played football or watered trees.  I let Minnie and Pearl out again and took pictures this time, while both the animals and ourselves were content enjoying the stillness of fall.  : )

Paprika and her chicks 



Minnie and Rooster Doodle

Oversize Load Coming Through

 
Here it was, up close and in person.  Maybe you've heard about it, or maybe not, so here are some pictures.
  

 
This was an massive oversized load which was the talk of the area for a while.  Radios were announcing it, Facebook had links to it, and word of mouth got the news around, too.

 
We found out this load was coming right by our drive way, so we kept track of it, via Facebook, and got to see it yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a post from Northwest Logistics Heavy Haul on Facebook, posted Oct. 21:
 

Some numbers on the load:
0 Incidents and Accidents
1 Traffic Signal Removed
2 Full time Trailer Operators
4 600 HP Trucks
4 Full time Highway Patrol Escorts
5 Full Time Civilian Escorts
6 month of planning
6 MPH Average Speed so far
8 Railroad crossings...
10 Turns Model and Analyzed by Engineers
18 feet Tall and Wide
21 MPH max speed
28 Inches of Vertical Travel on the Trailer
44 trailer axles
60 Total Axles
224 Tires
430 feet Long
5,000 lbs per trailer tire (same load per tire as regular tractor trailer load)
Trailer axles spread load out over 2 lanes wide on bridges.
1,192,000 Lbs of Weight total

Day 1: 22 Miles
Day 2: 43 Miles
Day 3: 64 Miles

Day 1 Ave Speed: 3.7 MPH
Day 2 Ave Speed: 6 MPH
Day 3 Ave Speed: 7.8 MPH

Routed Miles in each state:
OK miles: 420
KS miles: 194
CO miles:298
Total miles: 912
Distance if legal load: 719miles

...

 

I really don't know all that much about the load, so please go to https://www.facebook.com/pages/Northwest-Logistics-Heavy-Haul/163327987018786 for more information.  There are videos and more pictures on the site.

Thought you would enjoy.  : )

The Post Without a Real Name

I do believe it's time for another post. 

Yesterday evening around 6:30, I let Minnie and Pearl, the pigs, out of their pen so they could graze.  With a little container of grain in hand, I walked around our house while leading two pigs, some cats, and ten+ chickens behind me.

As we came to the elm trees, the pigs ran ahead of us and began burrowing in the damp dirt surrounding the trunks.  After some time of up turning the dirt, the chickens came behind and ate earthworms and scratched in the soil. 

Today we three kids got up around 7 and went with Dad to gather some cow/calf pairs.  It was a hair chilly this morning and everything felt good so we got to lope the horses some while trying to maintain control on the cattle.  Once the cattle were penned, we waited for a truck to come and haul them away to their new home.

Fall is really starting to show itself now as the pastures are losing what little green they had, the trees' leaves are turning to that pretty orange, and the temperatures are dropping.  And...whoa!  October is almost over?  Well, I guess you can't slow down time.

Maybe this post will tide you till the next, and I hope it does.  Thanks.  : )