Weekend branding....

It was a busy, busy weekend.

It began at 5:00 AM with riders gathering up cows and calves.  The picture above was taken later in the morning.  

Our daughter and her hubby came out to help us with branding the last 150 head of calves.  Since there weren't enough saddles for everybody to ride, I stayed home and got the noon meal together so I could go out and help at the barn once everyone was back to the corrals with the cows and calves.

There was lots of riding to do...

bringing cows in...

and taking them back out.

There was sorting to do and insect control to apply to the cows and calves, so not only did we brand the last of the calves, but we also worked every cow and calf on the ranch.  They all needed their dose of insecticide and we also sorted them into breeding bunches.

When we brand, everyone has a specific job.

There are calves to push up into the alley.

There are vaccinations to be given.

There is the actual branding, castrating (some of the bulls), and tattooing.

We tattoo all our calves in the inside of their ears so they will always carry with them their specific ID number.  We use this when we register cows/bulls with the Hereford Association

and sometimes they are used when the source-verified steers go to the feedlot.

My job is to keep track of all those numbers as each calf comes through the chute, so I'm at the table with the book of records.  I also get the tattoo-er ready with the correct number so my son can press it into the ear.

Yes, there are little needles that are arranged in the shapes of numbers.  Once the number is pressed in, he takes a toothbrush dipped in tattoo ink (green) and scrubs it down into the holes of the number so later on it will be readable.

Hubs is applying the branding iron here as the calf is caught in the chute.  Usually he and Grandpa do the branding and sometimes one of the sons does it.

I'm taking my turn at branding a couple of calves.  As I said before, this is not my usual Branding Day job, but I like to say I branded a few too!

Shrimp Dinner ~ Effortlessly

This recipe is so effortless and so delicious, you'll want to have company over just to show off!  Hats off to my friend, Clarice at Storybook Woods for the recipe, Parmesan-Crusted Baked Shrimp.  Believe me, this lady really knows how to put a meal across the table.

Last night it was just the two of us, and when the sons are gone, Hubs and I like to eat foods that they often don't like.  Shrimp is one of those foods.  I have made a very good coconut shrimp recipe that we have enjoyed, but tonight I wanted to try Clarice's recipe.  I added in about 1/3 cup of shredded coconut to the bread crumb mixture, instead of the Parmesan cheese,  to see if it would be every bit as good as the deep-fried coconut shrimp I've made in the past.  

Oh.

my.

Goodness!

It was scrumptious, scrumptious, scrumptious!!!

And I am sure that the original recipe is every bit as good as our shrimp dinner was tonight.

My alterations were as follows:

I didn't have Panko bread crumbs so just used plain bread crumbs.

I baked mine in a cast iron skillet that I started heating on the cook top with a little bit of olive oil before I put the shrimp in it to bake in the oven.

I also sprinkled a little sea salt and red pepper over the shrimp before adding the bread crumbs mixture over top.

Added coconut, deleted Parmesan cheese.

Otherwise, it was the same basic recipe.

I'm thinking what a terrific appetizer this would be, but it's a superb supper with a large, green salad served on the side.  Serve it hot right in the skillet.

Try it!

You'll like it!

Crispy yet tender.  

Mmm Mmm

Bike Bucket-Basket

I took the bike to the bike repair guy and got it all tuned up as well as a new tube for my back tire.  It rides so smoothly even over our bumpy gravel roads.  I had looked for a new basket here and there and just didn't find what I was looking for so I concluded that I would try to make my own basket -- maybe with fabric.  I was surfing around for ideas and came upon a Bike Basket idea at Noodlehead.  This tutorial is for a child's bike, but I knew I could apply the same principles and make a larger basket for my bike.  I traced the bottom, back and sides of my old wicker basket to make a pattern and went to stitching.

This is what I came up with.  A sturdy denim basket with a groovy 70's style fabric liner.  I like it.  I skipped the instruction to add heavy interfacing to it, but I am going to insert some sewable boning in the top edge so it is stiff and stands open more like it should.   I also want to make a fabric flower for it, but haven't decided on how I'll do that yet.  There are some fun ideas here, here, and here.

I sewed the old leather straps from my wicker bike basket right to the back of my denim bucket-basket and it is good and secure.  I didn't think velcro would hold as well for the amount of stuff I generally put in my bike-basket.   Things like mail, water bottles and snacks to take to the hayfield.

More beautiful blooms are popping up in my gardens.  I love summer!  And flowers!

Star-gazer lilies in shades of pink and burgundy. 

Can you see my grandangel in the background?

Wildflowers -- poppies, coneflowers, bachelor buttons...

...and out on the prairie the prickly pear cactus are still blossoming.

"I expect some new phase of life

this summer,

and shall try to get the honey

from each moment."

~Lucy Stone

Poppy pods for printing...

I'm scheduling this post today because I intend to be horseback starting at about 5:30 a.m. and I don't know when I'll be back.  This way you'll have time to start making your own poppy pod prints or other natural prints so I can come see what cool things you've been making by the time I get back!
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Sunday afternoon, I went out to the flower beds to nip off the big poppy seed pods so the other flowering plants could have a chance to shine.  After I cut them off, I noticed the amazing pattern at the top of the seed pod. "Ding, ding, ding!"  A natural stamp is born!

I took the pods in to the kitchen table and dragged out my stamp pads, blank note cards, some card stock and went to printing.  I used black ink and a multi-colored pad to see what I liked.  I liked both!  These are really easy to do and leave a very symmetrical print that I love.  Now I'll be looking at all the seed pods in my garden to see if any of them might make nice stamping prints.

Book marks and note cards!

A duck tale...

These poor little ducklings lost their momma to the swather.  Eldest son, A.,  was out swathing hay and accidentally killed their mother, but noticed that the ducklings were alive so he called for his wife, J. to come get them.  She in turn came to get me.  We decided that we ought to be able to do something to save these nine little ducklings so we went up to the hayfield and gathered them into a box to take home.

At first we thought we might put them in with the chicks.  We tried it and the ducklings immediately wanted to follow them around, instantly imprinting with the sound of the chicks' voices.  The chicks didn't appreciate having cousins around that wanted to tag along bothering them so they pecked at them to try keep the duckies away.  We realized this idea would not work.

So we decided to drive them out to one of the close-by stock ponds to see if we could find some duck families there that might adopt these fuzzy peepers.  Yes, there were.  We saw one pair swimming peacefully on the pond and so we decided to put the duckies near the water, but not too near, to see if they might hear the other ducks and go to them.

Here is where we left them, all huddled together.  I put my hands over them and blessed them and said a little prayer that God would watch over them and give them a new mama and daddy duck to take care of them.  Then we left.

After our lunch, about an hour and a half later, I just couldn't resist going back to the spot where we left the ducklings to see if they might still be there or if they may have joined a duck family.

As I drove up, I saw two pair of mature ducks swimming. 
"Good," I thought.

I walked down to the spot and the nine little ducklings were gone.

"Thank you, God," I whispered.

I don't know if they found a duck couple to take them in, but I trust that they did.

I trust God that they will have ducky happiness.

Happy Independence Day, Americans!

Where liberty dwells, there is my country. 

~Benjamin Franklin

Birthdays, birthdays....

July is a big birthday month for my family so cupcakes are the order of the day. I finally found a wonderful little recipe for the best frosting to pipe onto cupcakes.  It's called Magnolia's Vanilla Buttercream Frosting and it's not only pretty and sets up beautifully, but it tastes good too.  Thank you, Thimbleanna, for sharing this recipe with me.  As you can see, I added a half cup of cocoa to my frosting to make chocolate, as requested by the sons. This weekend our youngest two are 20 and 18.  Love on your kids like crazy because before you know it, they are all grown up and living their own lives. Smooches to my boys!

Addendum:  Thimbleanna told me that when she makes this frosting, she only uses 1/3 cup of milk rather than the full 1/2 cup.  She says she thinks it works better especially when the temperature and humidity are high.

Thunderstorms and other things....

As I was driving home yesterday from town, a thunderstorm was brewing.  The temp had hit 98 degrees and since the humidity  has been good and high lately, it was perfect weather for thunderstorms to pop up in the evening.  I felt like one of those storm chasers who drives madly, seeking The Big One, watching storms materialize right before his eyes.  This one kept gaining in strength and width as I drove along.  I just happened to have my camera in my purse so I stopped alongside the rode a few times to try to capture the immense beauty and intensity that prairie thunderstorms hold.

As I was driving along, I remembered the old homestead that has long been abandoned and I snapped a shot of it from the road.  I've always wanted a picture of it, but never seemed to have a camera handy when I thought about it.  This photo looks like someone painted it due to the distance I was away from it and because of the dark skies above me.

I was told by Velma, a good ten years ago before she passed on, that back in the day, this house was once a road house which often took in travelers passing through.  It was a family ranch, but because of the size of the home and the distance between small towns, this was always a good stopping place.  Perhaps the lady of the house was a good cook too?  Word does get around, you know.

I was so excited to have caught the lightning striking at just the right moment.  There was quite a lot of it, but it's really just good, old-fashioned luck if you happen to capture it on the camera. 

After taking these, I decided that I really needed to try to drive ahead of the storm and get my fanny back home where I would be safe.  I could see to the east that there was sunshine and just a few clouds where our ranch was located from here.  The storm might miss us.  But as I drove on, I came to some farm ground where the farmers had cultivated, and when the wind suddenly hit the field, it was crazy!  Dirt was flying and there were deer running across the road, trying to escape the harsh winds and debris flying everywhere.  It was nearly like being in a blizzard except it was dirt that was blowing instead of snow.  I later learned that there were 60 mph winds in that storm and I believe it. 

As I drove in at home, I noticed that my thoughtful sons had brought in the laundry from the clothesline and were busy driving the pick-up trucks and cars into the sheds and garages.  They were preparing for hail.  We never had any hail or bad weather out of this cloud.  It tracked due north, but later on at about 10:00 pm we had a lightning storm that knocked out our power.  There was one good crack of lightning near our homes and my son A, next door, said that he was quite sure it hit the generator that was plugged into their house.  He saw orange light arcing from a outlet inside his house.  This morning he found that his computer was having "repair issues" and his modem had quit.  So far, nothing else, but our electrician friend said that often appliances will gradually fail and peter out over 9 months after a lightning strike. 

We did wind up with a generous 3/4 inch of rain out of the last storm and a fireworks show like you've never seen on the Fourth of July!  Today temperatures are reaching into the upper 90's again so I have clothes drying on the line while Hubs is out in the hayfield turning the hay with the rake.  He's hoping to bale it yet this evening before the next expected thunderstorm hits.

The work clothes hang on the line today --work shirts and jeans hang along with some socks in he background.  I really do love hanging out my family's laundry.  It makes me thankful that they are here and still a part of my everyday life.

I wanted to throw this picture in the mix just because I think its cool.  I was looking for my sprinkler a couple of days ago and couldn't find it.  But here, in the crook of the willow tree, it sat, waiting for me to remember where I put it.  Do you ever put things in places so you can "find them" and then realize you can't remember where you put them?  Ugh.

 Now for my afternoon treat, iced coffee.  I love afternoon coffee, either hot or cold, but when it's in the 90's, give it to me cold, over ice, with a tipple of half 'n' half please!  I remember Grandpa Schumacher drinking iced coffee on hot summer afternoons.  Back then I thought it sounded disgusting, but now I love it and anticipate drinking it every day.  Lil Hazel Peach is sitting on my lap right now, slugging down my iced coffee with me.  She's got good taste.  Grandpa wold have been proud!

He thinks my tractor's sexy....

It's official.  I put in my first hour of raking hay today.  I know.  Just one hour.  It's really no big deal, but I love doing it.  My job in haying is to spell the others when needed or fill in when someone is gone.  This is the tractor we use to rake hay.  It's a John Deere 2520 and I think it was purchased brand new back in 1972.  It has really been a terrific little iron mule for us.  I like it that there is no cab on it so when you drive it, you are totally open to the elements -- the sun and wind and bugs --  and you feel the heat of the engine blow back in your face as you drive along.  I like the heat so it doesn't bother me much as long as I have lots of water on board.

Looking out over the raked hay to the bales that are already made.

On the other side of me, you can see one bale way over to the left and then there's a tiny speck that is the swather cutting more hay.   (click pic to enlarge for a closer look)   All this hay needs to be raked before it is baled up and....."we've only just begun..." (Do you hear Karen Carpenter singing in the background?) 

 Here's my front view from the tractor seat.  A. just put a new muffler on the tractor and it makes such a big difference in the amount of noise it makes and now the pipe is taller so the exhaust doesn't hit me in the face, even when I stand up while driving.

Here's the rear view as I watch the wheels spin the hay into the middle to make one big windrow.  Sorry this picture is a little crooked, I was in motion while taking it.

Just me and my shadow...and the lark buntings and the hawks and the deer flies.  The boys wear their iPods while raking since this is a mindless job, but I don't.  I'd rather listen to my GodPod or pray or sing or think my own thoughts.  Can you see why I love this job?

One more thing before I sign off.  I just had to share this easy and delicious caramel roll recipe with you.  I think it's kind of an old recipe, but it's new to me and it's so good!  I made these for Sunday breakfast this past weekend and they were a hit!  I think if you make these on Sunday, the calories don't count.

Sticky Caramel Rolls

1 large package of butterscotch or caramel pudding mix (cook & serve)

1 c. pecans (or nuts of your choice or no nuts)

1/2 c. butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 bag frozen Rhodes dinner rolls *

Before you go to bed..... grease a large baking pan.  Mix butter and brown sugar together.  Place frozen rolls in the greased pan.  Sprinkle dry pudding mix over the rolls and then sprinkle brown sugar mixture and pecans over the rolls.  Let them sit over night on the counter top to rise.  Bake in the morning at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden.  When the rolls are done baking, I turn them out onto a large platter to serve.  Be careful, the caramel is super-HOT!

*I don't use a whole bag of rolls, but just enough to fit in my large baking pan in a single layer.

Flower Power...

 Phlox, dame's rocket, baby's breath, daisies, and the dandelions-gone-to-seed.

There's a lot of flower power in my gardens right now and more to come.  Do you remember the saying "Flower Power" from the late 60's and 70's?  What, exactly, was flower power?  I was just a girl back then, but I remember seeing "flower power" bumper stickers and things.  I'm thinking it had something to do with "flower children" and "hippies" and such, but I digress.

Look what's bloomin' in my gardens.

Peachy-colored violets hide beneath the columbine.

The last of the iris are showing off.

California Poppies are appreciating the warm sunshine.

Larkspur are in their glory.

Larkspur up-close.

You've already seen the red poppies.

Coming soon....

peonies

lilies

black-eyed Susan.

I put up a little fence for my peas to climb and decided to put some twiggy sticks around them to force them upward.

The lettuce is growing like mad next to the peas and we're enjoying garden salads and tacos with fresh lettuce almost daily.  I'm sure looking forward to adding some snap peas to the salads soon.

The tomatoes are setting blossoms, but are a long way from ripe fruits.

Did you ever notice how hairy tomato plants are?

I like the smell of them.