Gros Venture 2010 ~ Feeding Elk

Gros Venture 2010 ~ Feeding Elk

Thursday night rolls around, my friend Jana is supposed to come over for dinner and a beading party. Well, I give her a call and say, How about we load up and go feed elk! Once in a lifetime opportunity to see new country and be up close & personal with a couple thousand elk! Let’s go! Twist, twist of the arm, and we are headed to the mountains!

J2 calls 1^st thing in the morning to confirm his spot on the trip. Off to school & pick him up as soon as the bus drops him off. I’m off to the grocery store to fill the grocery lists needed in camp & cook up a storm! Homemade Taco Soup, Homemade Lasagna, Oreos, Chocolate Chip Cookies, and No Bake Cookies to top it all off! I yi yi! What a morning & if you’ve ever seen me cook….what a messy kitchen!

Clean one mess up, make two more ;) , pack warm clothes, headlights, camera, ….you know…the essentials! Before I know it, the afternoon has flown by, Jana is here, and J2 will be home from school in no time! Running slightly behind schedule….Hoggan Standard Time. Oscar, Jana, & I load up headed to Dad’s. J2, also running on Hoggan Time….is running slightly more behind than me.

FINALLY, on the road! The 1^st stop on the tour is the gas station in Rexburg. I’m rocking Muck Boots, a Carhart vest, head light around my neck just in case. Jana is in a similar outfit. Basically, we’re looking pretty cool. J2 however, is in ROCKING his Christmas pajama pants which put our outfits to shame! He says something to the effect of “shouldn’t go in public like this” It didn’t stop up though. We went in & didn’t bat an eye. (shockingly enough….the cameras never caught a glimpse of this : )

The rest of the trip was filled with playing guess the animal game and J2’s numerous other antidotes. That kid says so many things I’m gonna have to pack a note pad to remember them all. We roll into Jackson & decide that even tho slightly behind schedule, we better get 1 last meal….for J2’s sake. He says If I’d a known we were gonna do all this stopping I would’ve worn some different clothes!

Mike & Dad meet us at the trail head, we pack up and head out! (Mike, good friend to Dad & our family that owns a place just up from elk camp) Gros Venture bound! Yeehaw! Jana & I ride with Mike. Dad & J2 head out on a snow mobile. A quick stop at a neighbors ranch because…well, we are going to run out of fuel. Just enough to get by and back on the road again. About half way down thru the trek there are lights on the trail. Dad has stopped along side the road. One of Mike’s employees, Casey, broke down on his snow machine with a load of supplies. After some mechanical analysis, the guys decide the best decision is to pull the sled in. Never a dull moment! I don’t know how the trip was was for Casey but Jana & I thoroughly enjoyed keep watch to make sure the sled was still behind us. It was pretty wild at times….good watching though.

Home sweet home, for the weekend! Mike let us girls stay at his cabin. It is FABULOUS! Unpack and get settled in. Now, time for serious business…..Playing Cards! I don’t think I’d played a hand of cards since Dad went in to feed. J2 & I were both craving a game! Tyler & Amber have been in feeding with Dad. Plenty of people to start up a game. Mike & Casey even joined for a round or two. They were all subjected to the same amount of trash talk we would encourage our family with. Good times! Good times!

Soon the night is coming to an end. Oscar, Jana & I are sharing a room. After a night of blanket tug a war morning has finally arrived. It’s time to feed some elk! Piling on the layers of warm clothes begins!

Now if you will all think back to last weekend & getting wicked sunburned gathering horses. I got wicked sunburnt. In an attempt to avoid the same predicament I decided to slap on some make-up & SPF. I walk out into the kitchen and Tyler says “Hoagie why ya wearing make-up!” I try to explain the SPF….He’s quite certain and blurts out “It’s to impress CASEY isn’t it!” (rescued snow mobile from the night before) Ya, he is cute….I reply …….geez…..I should wear make-up more often to avoid suspicions!

After Amber fixes a breakfast fit for Kings, we are feed ground bound. The most pleasant surprise of the morning is the team of Haflingers Dad got this winter. They are like a draft horse cut in half. Absolutely perfect size for me and J2 to harness! Outstanding! (or so I think until later)

Nip & Tuck ~ Haflinger Team

Tyler & the Big Blondes

Dad, Jana, Nip & Tuck

J2

Tyler Harnassing

Today is a vaccination day so Dad, Tyler, and Amber set out with a team and we set out with our Haflinger team, NIP and TUCK. We feed about 20 bales from our sleigh. Jana & I got back to load again. Dad’s crew go to vaccinate calves. Oh, did I forget to mention that it wasn’t a solid 20 bales fed. Ya, cuz trying to get through the stack yard I played ping pong down against the fence & stack….managing to knock off 6 bales and our bale cutter. Awesome….as if loading bales once isn’t enough….. : )

Jana & I head back to load 30 bales again. Living the dream! (about know I’m sure Jana is seriously contemplating why she let me talk her into this) Slowly but surely we get loaded & fed. That is more than the other sleigh can say. Vacinating crew…..7 hits, 8 misses : ) ….just sayin

One of the bosses came out and we had to get a count on the herd at our feed ground. About 1,700 that day total that day, 33 spikes, and 3 bulls. Not to shabby.

In case you didn’t hear that…..It is now LUNCH calling our name! All this manual labor has worked up an appetite. If I do say so myself, It was the best Taco Soup I’ve ever eaten….best Kool Aide too, as a matter of fact!

Feed some more, feed some more, and finally the days chores are getting wrapped up. Take care of our trusty steeds & last but not least, run the snow machines up to feed the team at the the alkali feed grounds.

I took on the courageous task of riding with Tyler. I survived the trip. So did our traveling partners on the other sled but they may or may not have experienced there sled bucking them off & driving away….I don’t know…..just a theory…..not my story so I guess we’ll never know : )
Alkali Feed Ground Pics

Mike has very graciously invited us to a home cooked Pork Chop dinner at his home. This was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. Not only is his home the coolest thing I’ve ever seen…..his pet Wolves are pretty fascinating too!

Pictures of Wolves

INSERT PICTURE OF TETONS

Sunday morning services in the church of the Tetons

The feeding begins! Today is an all girl sled: Jana, Amber, & Myslef with the Haflingers. We got quite proficient….Rockin actually! (Don’t worry, I’ll brag on my girls more later)

We are on the 2^nd set of 30 bales. Sweats rolling, getting good and warmed up. Dad hollers over from his sleigh that he won’t even charge me much for the weight loss program. I reply right back “Now if I get all skiny just think of all the boys that will be chasing me…..and we can’t have that!” Haha…I think I’m hilarious. Well….my smile doesn’t last long because Tyler chimes in something about how I’m chasing Casey. SERIOUSLY….he says this in front of Mike…in front of my Dad…..Aaaaaaa! I’m blushing now! It gets worse! Mike follows suit with a “I hate to break it to you but Casey’s been asking about you too!” (seriously, I will admit that he is a nice looking young man…..but this whole thing was provoked by nothing other than putting on make-up!)

Loaded, we head out to the feed ground again. Normally, I would think driving is a great job but these pulling dirty tough little Nip & Tuck have been pulling on me all day! I’m not sure if I’m sweating harder loading hay of driving the team!

As we approach the stack yard, I’ve gotten quite a bit more conscienous about driving thru the stack. We’ve even profected a program of shutting the gate in front of our horses so they can’t adios on us while we load. 90 bales loaded & we head out are getting ready to leave again. All the sudden there is a big commotion on the boys side of the stack. Dad has stepped off to load some bottom bales. Tyler and J2 are throwing bales from the top down. Something spooks the team & they shoot forward in a kind of slow motion rush. Lunging sideways, I will never know how they kept from hitting the gate as they slide by….WHOOSH! They are running away from the stack…..throwing the contents from the sled as they head out! We all are standing in disbelief! I have a team….but really don’t know protical for a runaway team in a country of limitless possibilities. Hmmm, looking for guidance from Dad……? He has us girls wait until the runaways are good & out of sight so they can’t turn around & run into us. We head to the feed ground.

I’m quite certain we are missing some John Wayne STUFF! This is how it went down….(or atleast this is how it was recited to me) Tyler runs back to the cabin & grabs a snow mobile. He & J2 are in hot pursuit! They run the snow machine along side the sled. J2 drives while Tyler jumps to the runaway sleigh! The big white horses bridle is completely off as Tyler grabs hold of the reins! Thank the good Lord above for a gentle Roan next to the wild white horse because he was able to shut the Roan down with a sliding stop into the ground & enough to power down the big white beast! (Dang it, hope you can imagine because that’s the only picture of that you’re gonna have)

Back to stack for our last load, the only 7 bottom bales & some loose hay before we have the haystack row cleaned up. The bottom bales are HEAVY! We team up to get them loaded! There is a light at the end of the tunnel…..oh wait, I spoke too soon! My team is a little trigger happy….I don’t get them shot thru the gap, and run the tongue into the fence! (SERIOUSLY!) No harm, no foul….Tyler got us out & even drove us for our last round.

Unhook the horses & get ready to head in for lunch. We take the snow machines back up to Mike’s cabin so we can pack up our things. Tyler & Amber leave first. Janna, Oscar, & I load up on our sled and make our way towards home. J2 & Dad are left bringing up the rear. I drive really really conservatively especially because I have 2 passengers. It seemed like it was taking forever for to get back but I didn’t think much about it. Well, when Dad & J2 arrived on the same sled we soon learned why. J2 was still crying! He was going to drive a sled back. When he went to leave the yard Dad said “Hock It In Her” (which in our family means hustle or go fast) Well, J2 did just that but he couldn’t get his steering wheel turned enough…….Ran into the garbage can….and then proceeded to slam right into a fence post in front of the cabin. J2 is ok. He whacked his head on the steering wheel but….we’re hard headed & it didn’t do any damage. The sled on the other hand…….well, as Dad put it “If he did it any good I’d gladly pay him for it”

It wasn’t enough excitement to kill anyone’s appetite. We dined on a delicious lasagna dinner. Mi ke met us at the cabin & had a present for all of us! He’d framed pictures for each and everyone of us! They are wicked awesome! One of mine is of two elk raring up fighting! The other is a black bear that Rita & I almost ran over 2 years ago…& we didn’t even see it…(haha….go figure) They were awesome things to remember our trip to the Gros Venture! Thanks Mike!

(Akward side note: While at lunch, 2 of Mike’s employees dropped into say hi. Tyler had been over talking to them on his way back to the cabin for lunch. I was so embarrassed I didn’t even make eye contact with them. Yip, avoidance is my answer. As they walked in the door it suddenly became the most intense game of cards I’d ever played, requiring lots of focusing! : ) …..I know, I act like grade schooler…..ridiculous.)

Let’s review the Gros Venture Adventure. Rescue broke down sledder, bucking snow machine, J2 hitting fence with sled, Mindy hitting sled with team, a team running away, John Wayne rescue and a few close calls in between. Hmmm, in comparison, the trip out was very very uneventful. Tyler did have his hand on the door the entire time ready to jump….just incase. We made it out safe and sound, only stopping to glass the mountain side to see the herds of Mountain Sheep. Very cool.

Back to my cute lil’ blue car and “We’re headed to Jackson” (belt out the Johnny & June Cash Jackson song here) A brief stop at the Dairy Queen for a tasty treat and back over the hill to the farm country we go. Tyler has a new job so we came out with us also.

If you can imagine, our trip home was filled with lots of tall tales. You just never know what you’re gonna here, especially when J2 is involved. For example, J2 informs me that “EVERYONE SAYS I’M NEVER GETTING MARRIED”…..really, who is everyone that is saying this? I ask. He pretty much names off everyone in his immediate family indivisually. Wow! Really! Finally, I ask J2, do I need to get married? He replies , “No”. Could call….buddy. I informed him that if I get married…..that’s just one more big brother to pick on him ; )

Last but not least , Rita has left me a message to report in when I get home. The 1^st words out of her mouth are “I’m calling Dad to see who’s tougher!” No need to call Rita, you are definitely tougher! I don’t even want the title.

I’m a glutten for punishment. Headed in for more fun this weekend! Haha, wish me luck! I’ll need it!

As Good Once as I Ever Was

The phone rings at 7:30 am. Don't these people know it's Sunday & I am not done sleeping in! Ugg...groogily find the phone to call them back and try to sound like I'm wide awake. It's Shelley (my Dad's wife). A guy was coming to pick up horses today & they had everything taken care of, no need for me to go. Well, the phone call comes in & all their plans have fallen apart. Nathan was going to help but had to go back to Utah. Omar, got real sick & couldn't go which meant 1 less man & no pickup & horse trailer. J2 has horses caught....& sounds like they are ready to go...just waiting on me to put together a ride.

I call Reggaroni to see what I can round up. Hallelujah, Regg is an angel. He let's me borrow a horse, horse trailer, & volunteers his services! Regg, McKell, & Ellie all on board to go. Regg & I get saddled, loaded & head to Dad's. I pull in, shocking but the boys aren't ready & waiting at the barn door. I decide to pull in and circle the outfit so we are ready to load. Hmmm, the yard geography has changed slightly, in that their is more broke down vehicles than usual, and 1 of them is right in the midle of the turn around circle. I can still make it...I'm sure. Circle wide & then cut it back hard thru the center...slow down slightly to make sure I don't hit the car to the right of trailer to my left. Dang it, shouldn't have weakened....lug...lug....DANG IT! Call Regg, "Hey buddy, bring down a pickup. I'm stuck" Regg, "Ok, are you sure?" Mindy, "Ya, let me double check... try foreward, spinning, backwards, spinning, turn wheels every which way but loose.....Yip, I'm stuck!"

Oh, did I mention while all this is going on the the boys are....still in the house! Ya, J2 is the only one who was ready. Well, Regg to the rescue again. He gets a chain hooked on to the pickup & I successfully shoot the gap without hitting any of the obstacles placed in the yard to make my life more entertaining. By this time, the boys are ready to go & we've even gathered up more players. Houston, Broc, J2 & I head to Regg's to pick up his crew. If you are counting, yes, we have a pretty decent size load in the pickup by now but we all whole heartedly agree that it is better than riding our horses to Dubois.

We arrive at the corrals at 10:30 am. Gene & Stephanie have already headed out with snow machines. The Montana outfit is already there & waiting. ( I was told they would be there at Noon) The brand inspector was told "be there at 10:30" Nothing like us being the last to show at our own party :)

Unloading horses, piling on the warm clothes, and getting ready to head out. Tall horse & layers of clothes....not exactly the combination for the most graceful display for "getting on a horse". Hmmm....maybe it wasn't an accident that I left the camera at home. :) I take off out thru the snow to blaise a trail. Paint is hot, full of steam & ready to go. Thank the good Lord above, Regg rode Grey because just as I looked back over my shoulder Grey was bucking. What a way to start the morning. (Yes, I still consider 10:30 morning ;)

As we make our way out passed the corrals, I'm realizing there is NO WAY we can load out of these. The snow is knee deep on my horse in most places & deeper where it's drifted. Looks like we are going to have to trail to town to load. Oh well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Single file out across snow covered country, following the snow machine tracks & breaking trail for the other horses. Single file we trail along trying to save as much horse energy as we can. The snow is deep & they are all sweating pretty good by the time we get to the field. No communication from our snow machiners, we listen & watch the horizon for any sight of horses. The distant hum of the interstate, but still no machines.

The field is still full of tall yellow feed full of seeds & nutrient. However, the snow is quite a bit deeper than when we came out the 1st time. Making a game plan while we wait, the horses appear in the top right corner. What a gorgeous sight! Over 100 head of gorgeous horses trailing single file out against the bright blue sky line. Re-group in the corner & get ready to head out. J2 & I take the lead. Regg is going to hang to the back. Single file out across the country, GORGEOUS! Where is my camera! Dang it! Right now would be perfect for pics! (Thanks goodness I didn't have it because later the conditions wouldn't be camera safe)

Trail straight into a trap & head towards the corrals with a line of horses right behind. The corrals are drifted in and really really deep. I needed to circle back around to keep the flow going. Gene gets a gate open just enough for me to slide thru with my trusty steed. We get about 5 feet from the gate....i yi yi! It's deep! I feel like I'm trying to get my horse stuck. (I did take off my breast collar at the pickup, just so I wouldn't break it swimming thru the snow) What a stud! My horse stops in his tracks, starts pawing in front of him, clearing the way until he can make his way through. My knees even missed the Powder River gate & railroad ties as we squeezed through.

Horses in the big pen and the sorting begins. I swear it took hours...lol...but the upside is a herd of 100+ horses can make sort work of a snow drift and soon we could travel easily in the corrals. I brought some sortin flags and we took to working through the horses. We planned, changed plans, planned, and changed plans again. Finally we got a system dow that would work. Regg called me over to his side to sort. Right off the the bat I sorted off a 2 that went! Haha, I'll take being LUCKY over talent any day! :) The coolest wreck had to go to Broc. He was running the out gate. This is the gate where my horse had to paw to get thru. It is really deep over there. Broc steps & his boot sticks in the snow. He falls down backwards. A horse that needed turned back was baring down on him. The gap in for the gate is narrow. The horse darts left, right, zigging, and zagging.....AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I will never know how that horse made it out without stepping on him! It was awesome!

Everything sorted up that needs to go. It's time to take the big herd back. J2 had been out in the trap holding the big herd from getting away in case we needed to re-gather. He did such a good job. Riding back & forth keeping the herd inline. I headed out towards the gate, gathering up J2 & we took the lead again. J2 is telling me all about how he had to keep riding and just knew that eventually we would send someone to help him. Lol..he was pretty sure we were just vacationing at the corrals. He did a really really good job!

Trailing back out to the Field of Gold, J2 falls back & brings up the rear. After getting the lead through the gate I slide around and try to get a count, 99 head of beautiful horses, with the occasional pony or burro :) Gene came out on the machine & closed the gate. Thank you! J2 is already headed back in. Paint & I set out back down the path. Well, after an hour of sorting Paint has ALL his air back. I have a snaffle on him & well...very little whoa. I bump him over off the trail so he has to be breaking his own trail through the snow. I'm not to worried. I can ride him as fast as he can go....I think. We are completely under control. High trot now & caught up to J2. As we come over the little knob, it looks like one of the sorted horses is working on escaping! She is headed straight for the gate to get out. J2 & I pick up the pace, or in my case I just loosened up on Paints face a little. Broc is already there. We head back up the fence pushing on our escapee, who is still trying to fade back. Paint is...well, pushing ....but kinda running off. I think I'm in control......Until he trips & is going down. No biggie, running along side Broc, horses trip on occasion. Ya, well, they usely trip, re-gather, and are up again. We are still running full boar on our knees! My feet are dragging in the snow! This crazy horse doesn't have enough self preservation! Uggggg, up out of the snow & going! That made my blood pressure rise a little! Wild rag has came undone & I'm now holding it in my teeth, both hands on the reins, pushing on our renegade horse. The escapee is returned to the herd.

Now the task of loading these horses on a trailer. Trailing to town in voted against. A trap can be made with trailers to load along side the road. Ok....here we go! Go slow. Go fast. Get a few loaded. Re-group & repeat. After following this process a few times.....lol....we had them captured. Not to worry, we still had to unload in town & sort again but at the end of the day we were successful! A huge thank you to EVERYONE! We couldn't have done it with out you! We get home and drop off the boys. Unsaddle, take care of our horses and everyone heads in their own directions. Oh boy, I'm TIRED! Seriously, I'm out of training for this everyday Hoggan lifestyle. Sportin a bright red sunburn from my sunglasses down & bright white from where my sun glasses and beanie were...lol....lovely. My arms are shoulders are sore from plowing my horse, legs just from riding, geez! No worries, it was a great day but if I had to go 2 days in a row.....hmmm, I'm as good ONCE as I ever was......don't push it :)

Lived Happily Ever After.....until the next small farm accident

Monday rolls around, shockingly enough, I crack out of bed in the morning and get to work with Lil' Red Roan duties. Regg & Mckell need a sitter for an hour or so. I decide to take a break while I have Miss Ellie & make some cookies. Sounded like a fun idea. I wanted to send some cookies into Elk Camp for Dad anyway. Ellie & I have a blast. I'm not sure who is messier, me or her. After she leaves, I get a call that Dad's friend Garrick is getting ready to go in to the elk so I head over with the cookie delivery.

I see the opportunity to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. Feeding has to be done at Dad's. J2 & I had our hands full last time so I ask Garrick if he will help us hook the team to feed. Houston is home so it should be a piece of cake. Sure enough, everything harnessed, hooked & we are good to go. Garrick lets us go & Houston & I are headed out. Tires dragging behind for weight, our little team is handling really good. We still need to load more hay on though. The wagon with hay is over where I can't get the team pulled up by it. We will have to throw hay down on the ground & re-load it on the team, not very cool. Garrick hasn't left yet so we see if he can pull the hay wagon up just enough so we can get to it. PERFECT! It is in the perfect spot & loading will be easy. Garrick & Houston moved the wagon while I while my team stood quietly waiting. Garrick leaves.

My horses start really nice and easy. Great positioning to load as I say WHOA in that deep I mean business voice. Apparently Penelope didnt get the memo that I was serious! Something spooks her! Not only do we not stop but we hit the hay wagon, sliding metal on metal & sending about 10 bales flying off! My horses are running off as best they can with the tires on & I just can't get them shut down. I holler to Houston that I'm in trouble as I see a hay bale lodged in between Penelope's back feet & the wagon. She's pulling the wagon & in turn pulling the bale into herself and causing more spooking. My guardian angels are always working over time & the bale moves back enough to stop the pressure. We get stopped & Houston runs across the road to get the bale out. Hahaha, I told you the second day wasn't a good idea. We got loaded the 2nd time without further damage to any equipment. Even managed to avoid any yard obstacles :)

Basically, And Then They Lived Happily Ever After.....until the next small farm accident :)

Lil Red Roan Special~

Cabin Fever Cure ~ Cabin Fever is in the air. What a better way to brighten a day than getting a Love Letter! Send a Love Letter to someone you are thankful for!

Hello Blog Friends


The sun is starting to shine a little warmer everyday & the snow line is receding back. To send a little good cheer I'm having running a Love Letter special this week.

~ Grab Bag of Love Letters from the West! ~ an assortment of 10 Love Letters for only $15! (a $15 dollar savings!) Stock up on your "Love Letters" today!

In case you aren't familiar, LOVE LETTERS from the West is a notecard line that I started about a year ago. Love Letters showcase some of my favorite quotes accompanied with photographs taken on the Gypsy Trail. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Enjoy,

Mindy Hoggan
Lil' Red Roan

p.s. Post your favorite Scripture or Quote & be eligible for a free Gift Pack to get the Cabin Fever Cure going :)

Last night J2 and I set out with the simple task of feeding the horses. Easy enough. Well, there are no pickups or tractors, just my car or hook the Team & Wagon. (Ya, I have the wagon because the neighbors borrowed the sleigh...you don't realize how nice the sleigh is until you get beat to death in a wagon.....I would make a horrible pioneer ;) When J2 gets home from school we head to the barn. I'll take this opportunity to remind everyone that J2 is 10 and in 4th grade.

Things are going well. Horses caught. Grain sitting in front of them in the manger. So the task begins of Harnessing the team. Tracking down the collars, where the boys thought was the logical place to put them last time...hmm...I hanging on wall....1 in manger, both found! Let's put Penelope's on first....hmmm.....attemping, attempting.....pulling back....not really thinking this is cool. Did I mention theses stupid collars are heavy!

How about putting their harness's on first. Hear we go.....1st....deciding what harness goes with which horse....hmmm, standing in the stall, imaging driving the team so I can see in my mind which is which ( I have to do the same thing when I'm giving directions, haha) After some thinking and detective work, J2 notices 1 harness has white hair from the white mare Penelope. Ok, we'll start with Dan's. He seems a little more user friendly. Grab the harness......holy crap....this thing is so heavy! Grrr, uggg, insert all other straining sounds.....It takes J2 & I both to pack the harness over & get it on Dan! The memory game then begins....where does that go?......how does this hook up? Between the 2 of us, we convinced each other that we had it done up properly.

At this time I put a call into Regg to see if he could help us hook the horses to feed. Let's try Penelope again. Ok, the collar is to big so it has a pad with it! Hah! I can take it apart & put them on indivisually! We might just get this team hooked yet! Lug the harness over & lub it up on her. Fastening, hooking, tightening.....I'll be! J2 & I got them harnessed just as Regg is pulling in.

Regg, helps up check over things & get the horses out to the wagon. Dang it, Bridles. I knew I was forgetting something. Mental Note: bridal in the barn next time so that if horse escapes, you still have them captured) Ok, Regg & I are holding our horses. Pick up the tongue.....lift......i yi yi! Frozen down! Regg gets it but pretty sure J2 & I would've had to get a chizel. (I would have been pretty disappointed if we'd got harnessed & couldn't get the tongue off the ground) J2 can't reach the so I hook tugs while Regg holds my team. Hooked! I take my reins & step on the wagon. A little lungy, but the boys get everything finished up.

J2 jumps on, Regg lets go of the horses & we are off! Not to wild because Regg made sure he hooked 3 beautiful tires on back for weight! :) Down the road we go! There is no where to turn around so we drive down to Tommy's corner to get our horses aired out a little. What a nice team. Penelope is sure out pulling Dan but I'm not completely sure my reigns are hooked correctly....pretty sure something is a rye. Oh well, we are traveling. In the time it's taken us to get the horses hooked, its cooled down considerably. We promised McKinley (youngest adopted sister) that we would take her to feed. It is getting down right cold so I circle the yard & J2 goes to get her. 4 nice laps around the yard, my horses are handling good! J2 comes out with McKinley & we make another loop. She's such a tough little girl!

Little girls unloaded & off the the feed ground, the gate......the gate....J2 can't get it open by himself & not sure if he can hold the team while I do. Did I mention it's cold! I pull the reins down thru the next slot in the slabs so they are at his level. Tell him to hold them & if he can't let them go into the field cuz they can't run away very far there. Gate open, team stands good! I hop back on & we head out. The horses are just a little hot acting, not wanting to walk so I think....I'lll take you out in the snow a little to slow you down. Wow....I'm not smart...we aren't 10 feet in before I'm real close to stickin my team. We are wagon with 14 bales & 3 tires on back. It's heavy! Can't back up to loosen chain to take tires off....Gid Up! Gid Up.....Aww....they pull back out to feed ground. J2 feeds while I drive. I'm trying to stop every once in awhile to let him regroup but the feed ground is so icey I have to be careful where we stop so we can get going again. J2 has his Christmas knife. Kudos for having your knife kid ...but not that 1! It is about 1 inch knife blade...sharp...but more novelty than function. Stop horses, cut all our bales. We're off again. Feed. Gate. Drop off strings. Back to the barn.

We are regular professionals. I'm sure it only took us 30 minutes to unharness :) When it was all said & done. It took us 3 hours to feed less than 20 head of horses. If you have a hard time following this story....Just picture "Town kids trying to kill snakes" That's exactly how we looked!

(Picture shown is not from last night. It was earlier this winter taken while out with Dad. Penelope is the white mare on the Right hand side)

Trailing to Fields of Gold

Trailing to Fields of Gold

As we all know, Trailing horses is the world’s most funnest thing to EVER! When Dad started calling people to trail on Friday I was pretty excited! Ya….I never got a call. So Friday comes & goes. I ask Dad what he was doing Saturday & He tells me trailing horses. “You might as well come” Ha! The invitation! I play coy… “Hmmm, Maybe I’ll let you know” The next morning arrives & I get a call from lil J2 saying they have “The LEGEND” for me to ride & I better get over there. Well, The Legend just happens to be one of the horses that I bucked at Mud Lake & some other rodeos this summer. Out of 40 some horses…he wasn’t in my 1^st 30 choices to ride if I “Had To” gather on something.

Well, Being Pea Hearted & having a lot of “I survived the Hoggan Ranch Self-Perseveration “ I decided to opt out of my favorite pass time & stay home. Well, there is no need to miss a chance for a good photo shoot so I dig out my camera & Oscar & I head up to the Sheep Station. I get there in time to scope out where I needed to be…or so I thought. Somehow it was more like “In time to get lined out by my Dad” I thought it was my idea to go take pictures but by the time got there I was starting to think it was Dads!

A dark line begins to appear on the horizon. The line fades away as the outline of a hundred horses moves down country. Crisp blue skies and fluffy white clouds set the scene for the western romance to unfold.

Here is a brief glimpse into the day.

Horses on the Horizon

Rocky walking the line

Catching a few to take home

Right here, Omar gets the horse heeled & Dad hollers for me to come up to get ahold of the rope so they can get shortened up. I'm bundled up in a big coat, snow pants & have my prize camera in hand. (picture the little kid of a "Christmas Story) So I clumsily flounder down thru the snow trying to get my camera in my coat pocket. Finally getting to the rope, held tight & the Omar gets shortened up. LOL....Omar says, I wasn't sure what you were doing...neither was my horse! I was afraid for your life! .....hahaha....ya, apparently my life was in danger but I was so worried about my camera, I never knew. Ignorance is bliss I guess ;)

Omar - the "CATCH SPECIALIST

Field of Gold - Glorious Belly Deep Grass as far as the eye can see



Even though I went to take pictures I ended up trailing for the 2nd half out to the pasture. Unfortunately for you, none of the boys had cameras so you will not get the pleasure of seeing me rock snow machine pants, pink wild rag & a long stocking hat with strings & a ball on the end of it. I definitely won the fashion contest, hat blowing behind me as I loped thru the snow. Oscar, my cute shaggy pup, (whom you are yet to be formily introduced to) also made his biggest day following behind my horse in the deep snow. He did pretty good.

A special thanks to Omar, Houston, J2 & Dad for the great day!

CAT HOUSE

The “CAT HOUSE”

When I moved to Hamer, with in the first night I caught 4 mice…..1 of those was actually caught with by trapping him under a garbage can. Needless to say, I spent the night at my Aunt Nancy’s house. Even though the traps were empty I kept getting the smell of “dead mouse” in my bedroom. I was starting to think I was crazy. Well, come to find out…the mice can get into the heating system & ….wait for it…..there is not 1 not 2 but 3 sticky traps in the vent under my bed & there were 2 dead mice in my heater vent!!!!!!!!!

Well, needless to say…..this was a great motivator to launch an “anti animal campaign” in the house. Can Foam and Steel Wool for the holes, Bar Bait under the trailer, Bug Bombs in the house, Electric Plug Ins to bug the mice (send some sort of annoying sound out that is supposed to detour the mice), and last but not least an arsenal of 20 some good ol’ fashion traps…..this is serious business! J

The cute place that I am renting is on the corner of a field & the house sits right out in the center of that. The weeds hadn’t been cut all year & it was a rodent haven. Even once they swathed, there was still an abundance of inviting places for unwanted company. Time to bring in the troops! My Aunt Crystal got me 3 wild little kittens & I started the task of trying to convince them that my corner should be there new permanent home. Well, I did a pretty good job. 1 was really sweet and always loving up on you. Hmm….wait wait wait….this ends tragically & ends with Me flipping out, yelling at my Dad & his Dogs digging under my shed to get my kittens. This is not the point of the story….& just thinking about it gets me on the fight again.

Moving on, the neighbors had a nice black & white cat that needed a new home. The herd begins again! Not long after, a big Yellow & White stray started visiting every once in awhile. The herd has doubled & leave it to me to have PAINTS!

Oscar is a good dog. He is reprimanded if he harasses the cats. The Black & White will sleep in his Dog House & rub up on him. I can get after Oscar but if the cat puts his head in the dog’s mouth…I can’t cure stupid! In search for a refuge for felines….I brought home a CAT HOUSE! It’s pimp! Hinged door so I can put their milk & cat food inside & reclose it. Once closed, it has an arched door just big enough for the cat’s to get in. It’s awesome! The cats still like to sleep in the dog house but….it’s gotta help right.

Well, after helping Dad all day with the teams (yes, the day mentioned in the last story). We get a phone call that J2 needed to be picked up from a Boy Scouts. He is the last kid left there & she is just going to take him to her house until I can pick him up. I get there & they ask if I want another Cat. Wait, back up…..I need to set the scene a little. As you drive up the road to the house there is a sign that says “Forget the Dogs. Beware of the Kids!” The youngest boys are two of the toughest kids I’ve ever seen in my entire life…..seriously…Cowboy Kid…. Country Raised…TOUGH! Well, 1 of them catches the cat for me & says “She bites” Not 5 seconds later the other kid comes out & says….Oh she’s mean! She bites! Wow!!! (these kids saying she is mean….ahhh, not a good sign!!!) I’m holding the cat now….ahhhh! Tracy gets a box so we can put the Cat inside long enough to get it home. Cat in. Duct tape, duct tape & more duct tape….safety 1^st J

J2 & I get into the car. The door is barely closed on the car & J2 is screaming “If that cats gets loose….Just Let Me Jump” ….as he is clinging to the passenger side door! I’m reassuring him that he’s not jumping out & it will be fine. We used duct tape! Meanwhile the cat is violently thrashing around in the box. The road to their house is probably ½ mile long. We aren’t even half way down it when….mrrrrowwww mrowww shriek roll…AHH!!!! I head, I see a head! AWWWW! The killer cat is loose in the back seat! J2 is screaming & jerking on his door handles! Thank you for Child Locks!!! Ok, ok, he’ll stay in the back….I no more say this & he is on the prowl! Headed straight for the front seat via the console & right in the middle of J2 & I! I don’t want a Crazy Cat to be bouncing off the walls of my car. I grab him, kindly but firmly. Oh wow, screaming little brother, Cute shaggy puppy & biting mean cat all in the front seat of my Pontiac G6! Snowy roads ….& smiling “nice kitty, nice kitty”! Oh wow, we finally made it home! Cat in hand, J2 is out the door before I even come to a complete stop! Aww, a little warm milk & straight to the CAT HOUSE! That’s right, we all survived & I now have THREE Kitty Cats for my CAT HOUSE !

Lol….ya, I just spent minutes of your life talking about a CAT HOUSE but if you can visualize J2 clinging to the window trying to get away from the cat….It’s all worth it!

You just never know where these Gypsy Trails will take you!

TEAM WORK ~ January 2010

TEAM WORK: Dad has been hooking teams of horses this winter to get ready to feed elk with. Some for the very 1^st times. We used to hook horses all the time when I was young but….then I went to college….moved away….& basically forgot everything I’ve ever know J Now, J2 (the 10 year old) is telling me what to do. Hahaha…ya, I know….it’s humorous.

Well, Dad invited me over yesterday to help him hook some horses. …..seems real nice like quality father daughter bonding time……really….he just can’t hook them by himself. It’s a good trade. He gets a little help….I’m realistic…I’m not much better than no help. Anyway, I get to learn how to hook the teams again. The horses he has now are pretty nice. That being said….I think anyone of them would paw you on the head if you looked at them wrong.

The 1^st set of horses hooked & ready to go. Runners are frozen down & Dad has to loosen them. Dad hands me the reigns & we’re off! It’s a little tough in the yard & the horses have to dig a little bit. A little riled up….& a herd of Dogs barking & biting at the teams head’s…..Hoo Waa! It’s a little wild…mainly cuz my driving isn’t that great ;) We blow left…look out borrow ditch…...right…another ditch….Barbwire fence straight ahead…..a little left…I finally get them shot across the road into a field & down the trail we go. About half way around the field they were working together pretty good. About that time Dad mentions that…He was a little curious as to what way I was trying to go when I left the yard. J We finish our loop & head back to the house. Load a few bales to go feed. I hop in J2’s plastic sled dragging behind the sleigh & play a fun little game of picking up strings while Dad works with the team on side passing. When we head back to the barn I ask Dad if he was really worried when we left the yard? He says “No, I was worried I would have taken the reigns”

It went well. My driving improved a lot…I thought. For the next set of horses I call Mckell & Ellie to see if they want to go sledding behind the team. Good times to be had to all…right ;) Well, we get them hooked. One of these horses has only been hooked 1 other time. He was a little more difficult but we got everything done up & were ready to head out again. McKell & Ellie positioned in a good spot to hold on. I’m at the reigns & we’re off……in a blaze of fire! Holy Crap! Horses blowing everywhere! Dogs Barking! Dogs Biting! Screaming at Dogs to get out! I’m pulling every which way put together! Dad’s yelling DRIVE! Left….Right….iy Yi Yi! Too much every direction….& way to fast! Dad is yelling to give him the reigns….oh ya….that’s not a good sign…. ! By the time he gets the reigns we are in the middle of the road….close to jack knifed & 1 horse down. Yikes…! Mckell….. “How did I let you talk me into this” I’m trying to act real calm….like oh, It’s fine….as I am screaming at the dogs to get out & trying to gather up the strings which are now scattered all over & under the down the team. Whew…we get everything straight & are off again. I run & jump on the sled. Dad gets us back out of the yard & headed down the road at a high rate of speed. He gets them changed over into the field at the next gate. (To be quite honest, it is pretty impressive how well he handles the reigns…but I don’t tell him that ;) I take the reins & out around the field we go. They worked well. The new horse was soft so he got aired out pretty soon. They were good enough that I gave Dad back the reigns & Ellie & I headed back to the sled to have some serious fun!

I drive that a little better….lol….mainly cuz I only had to keep Ellie & I in the sled. I kneeled & Ellie sat on my lap. We had a blast….tucked sagebrush…..rode the waves (aka…dips in the trail)….laughed until we were silly & only got bucked off a few times J

All in all, it was a great day! More Hamer Highlights coming soon :)

p.s......Anyone in search of a unique arm work out....just let horses pull on you for a few hours....works muscles you didnt even know existed...oh wait...maybe that was the problem in the 1st place :)

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