Karbon Kounty Moos

encountered on the road home from Powell, Wyoming.

I went out to check on the cattle in the hills and bring them some salt.
I left the pickup and started walking.

To the east are the Pryor Mountains.

To the west are irrigated fields of the Clark’s Fork Valley.

Here’s the road - that I didn’t take.

Now that I know Randy is alive - I thought it was safe to post this.

The explanation:

Kim was going to be in the neighborhood and hoped to have a gathering like we had last year. We met at Pug Mahon’s for a good meal and good company. In attendance were: Amber, who entertained us with funny dog stories and tales of woe and Verizon. Neighbors to the east Sarpy Sam and his Darling Wife made the long trek - and brought farm fresh eggs. Kim introduced us to the Irish Boy - who really isn’t - but looks it. Serial commenter - and good friend, Linn finally got to meet everyone, too. There were several digital cameras at the table. The photos that I took were consistently awful. One picture proved that I had eaten black beans with my typical Irish pub meal of chicken enchiladas. We all wondered what had happened to the bloggers who hadn’t showed. Randy, at least - was with us in spirit.

REA came out yesterday to install new power and poles. The heifers were interested in the proceedings. I noticed the herd watching the crew. They decided to watch me when I came by with the camera.

I had to go to Red Lodge in the afternoon to buy some cement. This gave me an excuse to visit friends who ranch a few miles down the road. Enjoy some of their flowers:

Things here have been okay. Busy, but not quite as manic. I discovered a mouse residing in the desk last week. She found it so inviting she had her babies there. I was not spending much time in the house or doing paperwork, obviously. The mouse mama was. Just in case I didn’t have enough to do - I demolished her home and evicted her and the family. That was only the beginning. I dread hanta virus. It’s surprising that I don’t have more mice problems on this place. That was the first one I’d seen in the house in ages. Rocky (the cat) lives on the porch these days, but he and the dogs keep the rodent population in check.

We had a strange downpour on Friday. I was pleased to find that the storm did not destroy the creek crossing. That was a first. Instead of fixing the fence, I spent the weekend tossing things out of the flooded basement.

The pairs are in the hills.

The heifers are at home in the pasture.

All the cattle seem content.

I called the dentist’s office first thing Monday morning. They gave me an appointment for that afternoon. Wow! As I was getting ready to go out the door, my doctor’s office called. They had a cancellation - if I could make it on Tuesday, they’d fit me in. Wow again! That moved my appointment up two months. Both visits went well. And lunch out is always a treat - as is good company.

My lawnmower seems to have decided that it’s no longer a self propelled model, so now I’m pushing. I have half the meadow ( I mean lawn) done. I may develop upper body strength after all. Or maybe buy a new mower. Well, so much for mowing - it’s raining again. Oh no, make that

hail . . . how’s that for instant gratification. Digital cameras are great. Yes, I know, I should turn the computer off during a storm.

I found a couple more photos. Here’s Gina, I don’t know if she was taking my picture as I was taking hers.

Here she is without the camera in her face.

Much better.

That looks dangerously close to a mullet - and blonde, no less.
What’s up with the Evian commercial? Where is the motorcycle? Did this woman actually do all that shopping?

Six years ago, I was sitting in the doctor’s office. He kept repeating a phrase. After the fourth or fifth time he said “middle aged woman”, I interrupted him. “Whoa, hold on right there. I’m planning on living ’til at least a hundred, so I’m not middle aged yet”. I am getting closer, though. This was the same doctor who told me that I needed to get more exercise. “Wait a minute,” I said, “I’d like to see you follow me around for a couple of hours and not get tired from watching me”. “I know,” he said, “but your body gets accustomed to the amount of exercise you get, so you need to do more”. Sure. If anyone had told me twenty years ago, that I would be learning how to irrigate at my advanced age - I’d have told them that they were joking. Seems the joke’s on me.

Monday night while feeding, I noticed that the bale wasn’t spinning. I looked behind me to see if the chain had broken. No, it was intact. Uh - oh, hydraulics! After taking a shower in hydraulic oil, I got the hose connected. I washed the oil off my arms in the ditch. I dried off with my shirt, which is now a rag. I still felt like I had applied tanning oil, but without that pleasant coconut smell. I came home and scrubbed with some Dawn. That was an improvement. I decided to harrow the pasture.

As soon as I started, the chain link on the harrow broke. I called it a night and went home.

The cattle have been keeping me busy too. We branded a week ago. I told my father-in-law that I didn’t want to move any cows to the dryland until I had checked the fences. On Tuesday morning, he took off back there while I was preparing our lunch. Except he didn’t tell me. I wasted time looking for him here. I finally gave up and went out to the hills with the Mule. Sure enough, my father-in-law was already there.

The fence had some bad spots, but fortunately nothing major. We were going to have to come back and work on the water gap, though.

After stopping for lunch, we headed for home. The four wheeler is slower than the pickup, so I stay behind to eat more dust. As I came off Cottonwood Road, I realized that I was coasting. Hmmmmm. . . I watched the pickup ahead of me turn and keep on going. I was stranded six miles out. The Mule would start. I could shift into forward and reverse - but it wasn’t going either way. It was making a hellish noise when I’d put it in gear. I turned it off, put it in neutral and started pushing.

By some miracle I had cell phone service. I called Beartooth Kawasaki and explained my situation. Jim said, “Quit pushing and stay right there - we’ll be out in twenty minutes.” How’s that for service? That was better than AAA. The friendly tech came out with a trailer, dropped me off at home with my fencing supplies and brought the tired Mule back to Red Lodge. My father-in-law never wondered where I was.

On Wednesday, we brought a telephone pole out to the water gap with a pipe trailer. We got the pole across the canal and fixed the wires above it. Now the place was ready.

Yesterday, we sorted the cattle and hauled them back there. Last night, I went out with the dogs to check them and bring them some salt. I let the dogs out for a while for some exercise. They need it too. Not near the cattle though. The cows get enough exercise.