Judy Elizabeth's Flock

A place to rest on their journey!

2009-10-23T11:29:00.004-06:00

The past few weeks it has been very noisy here by the home place. Trumpeter Swans and other migrating waterfowl have been coming in for a "landing" and a rest before they continue on their journey. You will have to look very close in the first picture to see the swans.

At one point there was such a clatter, that I thought a stampede of horses was running through our yard. It was a whole flock of swans taking off at once.

The swans are so majestic to look at...however, it is hard to "sneak" up on them. They are very smart and swim with the ducks. While the swans have their heads stuck down in the water, the ducks keep watch and will respond to any noise or sighting of a human!

The swans are also very noisy when they come in and when they leave.

It has quieted down now and only a few are seen coming in. During the very cold spell in early October they came in like crazy.

The beavers are very busy building up waterways for their own purposes. They love to plug culverts and are very creative in doing so. How they move what they do and put it where they do is truly a marvel! You can see some of their work in the last picture where they have cut off the pond that usually runs into the river or the river runs into the pond at this point.

The days were very cold and gray throughout most of October with a sunny day here and there. It was very strange to see some parts of our waterways frozen over in mid-October! It has warmed up some and the water is open once again.

All the pastures have turned brown, the trees were frozen and still have some green leaves on them -- they were as surprised as we were with the very cold weather we had in October. No fall colors here this year!

Where has the time gone?

2009-10-09T17:43:00.004-06:00

Cold and snow here by the Rocky Mountains! This really is too much winter for the month of October!

Just a few weeks ago I was complaining about the hot and dry temps of 80 degrees and then wham along comes these snow storms and cold temps (14 degrees at this moment in time)!

So, the chickens have quit laying -- and I certainly don't blame them. Icicles hang from the roof tops and could certainly do harm if they fell upon a person's head.

The first picture is taken up north on our land facing the Continental Divide and the mountains to the south. Jason and Kara's home is still under construction. Windows are in and the siding is going on.

Progress on my knee replacement was finally getting better and mobility was getting better and better -- until after the last theraphy I did. The day after the theraphy my knee went crazy with pain. I could not sleep in any position, walking up and down stairs is very painful and I feel as though I have digressed a month to where I had began with walking, stair climbing, and bending of my knee after the surgery. I am very disappointed that this has happened. I don't know what happened unless I did too much at one time with my knee exercises. What a setback! I have been in too much pain to even create little lambs. I feel as though I am starting all over again.

A mini blizzard came rushing in yesterday from the north (northwest)...howling wind, no visibility, blowing snow, and freezing temperatures! Thank goodness it did not add up to much snow. But I would not have wanted to be on the highways around here yesterday when it blew in.

I hope you all have a good holiday weekend. Holidays both here and in Canada (their Thanksgiving)! Take care and if you are traveling -- be safe!

Mountains and ramblings

2009-09-19T15:40:00.008-06:00

These are some pictures I took while traveling over Going-to-the-Sun Highway (Logan's Pass) on Thursday, September 17th. Most were taken while stopping for the construction sites along the way.

The trees are just changing for the fall so it is sad that the Pass will close after this Sunday, September 20th. The closure will be after Logan Pass on the East side of the Park. Most of the current construction is over the top on the West going down. I am told paving will begin on the road that is gravel now. It must be very hard for the construction crew to stop for the traffic so I would imagine this will speed up the repairs considerably with the closure. A traveler can access the top of Logan Pass from the East side (18 miles up) and this will remain open until sometime in October, weather permitting. I think the West side will be open to the Trail of the Cedars area. Best to check with the Park Service for closures, times and dates.

The top pictures are of the beautiful Sun Rift Gorge. I was excited to be able to climb up the short distance to the gorge with my new knee on Thursday. I was very careful and my wonderful husband helped me to be sure I did not trip or fall. No can fall with the new knee!!

My knee is getting better as the days go by. It was a rough three weeks. Meds made me very ill and the pain in my knee at night did not allow any sleep. My leg has almost returned to a normal size and color. The swelling is pretty well all gone. I am going up and down stairs and walking about the ranch area. I still tire easily, am doing my exercises. I have to set up appointments with a physical therapist. More traveling, driving in a car has become almost impossible since my restless legs have returned with a vengeance -- especially in my leg with the new knee.

Have a great weekend. No new pictures on Jason and Kara's building project -- nothing new to report.

Enclosing the house and traveling across Logan

2009-09-09T18:33:00.006-06:00

Busy closing in Jason and Kara's new home/garage! The winds are a-coming!

Drove across Logan Pass today to go to the doctor's...it was a beautiful day with quite a few construction stops on Logan. I took the pictures of the "boys" Mountain Sheep at the top of Logan this morning. This little group has been dashing across the road seems each time we come across.

The second picture is of the mountain by my favorite comfort station!!!!

I am exhausted from the trip so I will end this post.........take care!

Is that a Roof I see!!!

2009-09-06T08:19:00.007-06:00

I took these pictures on September 5th. The roof is going up! The last picture is from the front of the home/garage. Next is from the south side of the building. And the other two pictures are from the back of building.

They will live above the garage. The building is 30 feet by 40 feet.

It is so exciting to see Jason and Kara's home going up. Lots to do for sure, but it is Happening!!!

The veiws from this site are wonderful. Don't know how the wind will be from this site, though!

It appears to be getting fall here by the mountains. Had a little rain last night. Still trying to get the haying done. Always equipment repairs, it seems! So important to get the crops in for winter feed.

In the summer the sun is up before 4 am and goes down around 10pm...well, it is dark at 6am and getting dark by 9pm...darn, I sure enjoy all that light. Pretty soon it will be dark so early and gloomy in the morning.

Hope you are all having a good Labor Day Holiday! Drive safely if you are traveling!

Total Knee Replacement!

2009-09-02T19:15:00.010-06:00

"I didn't wanna do it...I didn't wanno do it"...and so it goes...However, my left knee gave out a few months ago and it was time to do the Total Knee Replacement! Arrrrgh! Right up to the last minute when I was being "snuggled" into the pre-op bed and the tubes were being inserted, I thought, I still have time to stop this, there still is time! But then I remembered the problems with the knee pain and it giving out and there was no trust left in "what was left of the knee parts" on my left leg.

Woe-is-me!!... and so I put my trust into the hands of the surgical team and next thing I know I am trying to wake up in my room. The pain meds made me very ill, different ones were tried. I especially like it when you say you are nauseated and they suggest you eat a dry saltine in a very dry mouth with urges to throwup. So, being a good trooper I try and chew the saltine...it turns to some kind of solid goo lodged against my teeth. Try not to cough, who knows what may hurt. Drink the hospital water. The cracker does not work. Try a little yogart -- does yogart really taste that way??? I was told to drink water, then I was told to not drink water if it was making me throw up -- team, we have to get together if we want this to work. New pain meds were tried -- also shots in the IV to stop the nausea, yikes. Nausea. One night there was the passive exercise machine on the knee surgery, something wrapped around my good leg so as not to get blood clots, an IV that was swelling up my arm and setting off the alarms, the oxygen in my nose and then my nerve pinched on my right side -- the only good side I had left! I thought I would not make it. The nurses propped pillows up against my right back and hips and tipped me over to the left -- yup, off went the alarm on my IV...

The beds are something else! I had Marvin go out and purchase a foam mattress topper for a twin bed -- WOW, what a difference that made. Wish I had thought of that first thing. So, don't leave your foam topper at home.

My husband was allowed to stay in the room with me which made it a whole lot nicer -- not for him, but for me.

Physical therapists helped me with the exercise routine, had me up and walking -- they were very nice and great to work with.

For the most part the nurses and certified nurses aides took very good care of me. I just wish they knew what to do about taking the pain meds. I was given pain meds for the trip home. By the time we got to Logan Pass I was extremely nauseated and wondered how on earth I would do going across the pass with all the delays.

We made it home...yes, home!

I was given pain med prescriptions to take home. The pharmacy put these lovely instructions on the pills -- take with MILK or FOOD. How very simple Milk...I love milk, milk loves me. I could have been taking milk with the pills. Once I started this, no more nausea!

Had some very wild dreams while in the hospital and when I got home. Keeping the swelling down is a problem.

Had a very hard time with my intestinal track! Need better plans in the hospital to keep the old bowels ready to be operational.

So, here it is a week after the surgery, I am walking without fear my knee will give me a sharp pain and then give out. Doing my exercises like a good girl.

The first picture is a lovely arrangement that Margie Lou and her Mom, Linda had sent to hospital. Boy, I really needed that smiley cup and lovely flowers that day!

The other pictures are pretty self explanatory. The scar (about 7-1/2 inches long) with the staples was taken today. I was "lucky" and had some "fracture blisters" on my leg in various places. Felt real good when the tape was stripped off the first time!

I was given a waterproof bandages which I can shower in.

Well, that is it for this post. Gotta elevate that leg!

No more new pictures to share on Jason and Kara's house raising...not much done since last I wrote.

I hope you are all well....................

More Pictures of the "House-is-Arising"!!!

2009-08-21T13:48:00.009-06:00

Took these pictures this a.m.

I just took these pictures this morning (08-21-09)! The first picture from the TOP is what you see coming up Jason and Kara's road. The second picture is Marvin and Jason inside the garage area.

The third picture is from the front and the garage doors ( 7 feet high and 9 feet wide). The forth picture is from the south east side and the fifth picture is from the back -- northwest side.

They will live in the top of the building...the garage/home measures 40 feet long and 30 feet wide.

It is a hot one here today by the mountains...it is 85 in the shade...........

Everyone have a great weekend and take care of each other! Enjoy!

I need to add that there will be dormers in the front and back!

Kara and Jason's home taking shape!

2009-08-18T15:47:00.008-06:00

Okay, I have my pictures a little mixed up but that is okay, too! It is an exciting time here on the ranch, Kara and Jason are getting their home framed in up north on their land. They will have the garage on the bottom and their living area will be upstairs so they have a fantastic view of the mountains to the west and south! There will be a second toilet in the garage area. After the cement pad was poured and completed it began to rain and rain. But it has now cleared up and Jason's good friend, contractor Clint Billedeaux and his great crew are hard at work getting it framed in. It is 30 feet by 40 feet with two separate garage doors and two walk-in doors downstairs. There will be a sliding "patio" door up in the living area for a planned deck.

Jason and Kara will do the work inside once the outside work is completed. There will be lots to do to get this completed.

......everyone have a great day!

Going to "town" over the park pass

2009-08-13T15:06:00.005-06:00

Going to "town" for us in the summer means we will travel Logan Pass or as it is also called, "Going-to-the-Sun Highway". We travel over the absolutely beautiful pass to Kalispell to see doctors and to shop. It saves us 60 miles or thereabouts in travel. And you can drive slow and enjoy the sights.

Being summer and the need for so much repair on this historic highway, construction stops allow for some good pictures. The pictures of the, as I call them, mystic clouds down in the lower valleys of the Pass which are following the river down below! These were early morning shots -- we hit the pass at about 6:30 a.m. and came home around 4 p.m. The middle picture was taken on a construction stop on the way back. Going over we had only one stop and coming back we had three different stops.

Today, in our valley at the ranch, it is in the 50's and overcast! A good day to bake bread, make hot meals and create!

Everyone have a wonderful day and if I don't post anymore this week -- a great weekend!

My Little Up and Coming Hens!

2009-08-08T14:46:00.006-06:00

I went out to sit with my little hens and thought I would take some pictures so you can see how varied their colors are. I have 24 Ameraucana and four Barred Plymouth Rocks plus five Buff Opingtons.

The gray hen is a "blue" Ameraucana and I love the look of the all white Ameraucana. The Ameraucana hens lay "brown" eggs but they come out in blues and greens and maybe a "brown" pink egg. The Ameraucana develope a "fluff" of feathers on each side of their faces. A true Aracuna has no tail to speak of but look very similar to the Ameraucanas! The eggs from the Ameraucana have very hardy shells.

These little hens were born June 16th of this year and still have some growing to do before I release them to join the older hens that I have now.

Ameraucanas come in all colors and the wide variety of colors you see in the pictures are the Ameraucanas. They seem to be very hardy for our cold climate here by the mountains. I have had Barred Plymouth Rocks before and they are very docile chickens and also seem to be hardy for our climate. I have always enjoyed the Buff Ophingtons, because they, too, are gentle and hardy and live a long life.

Many years ago we purchased Red Leghorns and they were the meanest chickens ever. They picked at each other and if you reached in to get their eggs, they drew blood on your hand!

Haying Time on the Ranch

2009-08-08T11:34:00.010-06:00

Haying time on the ranch -- one of the most important parts of ranching -- bringing in the hay crop to feed the livestock during the winter months.

The first picture is of a bunch (alfalfa grows in a bunch) of alfalfa or a single plant of alfalfa. I love these colors together. Some of the alfalfa is two-toned -- a purple and a lavender blooming on the same bunch or plant. Some is yellow or white blooming in another plant of alfalfa.

There is a picture of our front meadow that is at the home place and visible out of our windows. The other pictures are of my dog, Boo-Boo smelling a bunch of sage which grows wild all over and smells delicious!

At this time of year, our biggest concern is getting in the crops -- swathing (cutting), baling, and bringing the bales of hay into a stackyard where the hay will be stored until it is time to feed during the winter months.

So far, August has been wet and cool...being wet makes it hard to do the haying but the rain is wonderful for the meadows that are grazed by the livestock, the trees, and the entire area here by the mountains. Usually, at this time of year, the grass is turning brown from lack of moisture -- so it is wonderful to still see the green grasses.

After a rain, it is so very delightful to drive through Glacier National Park over the Pass (Logan Pass or Going-to-the-Sun Highway). You can smell the pine and all the vegetation is freshly moist with the rains! So very joyful.

I had better end this and check on my new young hens and my older hens. Boo-Boo gets his time to run about and then he goes back to his kennel area so I can let the hens out and they can catch the too many grasshoppers that are everywhere this year. When I let the hens out, I watch the skies for hawks and birds of prey. I have had Anatolians that did not bother my hens as they ran freely about the ranch area, but my two Anatolians that I have now can not be trusted to not snack on my hens!

Everyone have a wonderful weekend...it is sunny here today and a beautiful day.

What is that crop??

2009-07-31T14:55:00.007-06:00

This is Jason's pride and joy -- his crop of Sainfoin (a forage legume) that he seeded up north and this is the second year of the crop. This will feed our cattle this winter. It looks a little like alfalfa -- fact is I thought it was a type of alfalfa until I was told otherwise. Sainfoin is a crop that will not give your livestock bloat (which can kill livestock). Sainfoin has good drought tolerance and is extremely winterhardy. It is also good on dryland (which is what we have -- no irrigation on our crops).

I love the pink blooms and the lovely green stems. We have alfalfa down at our home place and it has a lovely purple bloom with some white and yellow here and there.

It was a beautiful field to see growing and blooming. It is baled into hay bales now to be stacked and ready for winter feeding.

I have included a picture of our son, Jason, standing on our old (we did buy it new) Hesston swather that keeps going (I sure hope it keeps going, who can afford a new one)! Jason keeps the swather going -- and going and going...

We all wish we had more fields of this lovely legume to bale up.

Have a great day..........we have had rain, so it is nice and green here by the mountains. Rather cool today, which is also a joy! We are extremely late in our growing season for our planted crops this year. And, our peonies are just blooming...or finishing blooming!

Enjoy your life, family and friends.............

Where are those bee hives???

2009-07-16T19:32:00.002-06:00

...this little visitor came back to finish off the bee hives that he/she had already torn into. The hives were in a corral area by the creek (which is very close to our home). This young black bear was probably on it's own for the first time and found the hives and tasted the honey and decided to come back for more. The hives were moved to a safer place.

We have many bears in our area and they especially like to roam by the river and creeks. Bear tracks can be seen on the sandy part of the bank back by the river most any day.

...My son took this picture when the bear was trying to peer over the tall grass in the corral area to see who was there and if it was "safe" to come eat the honey.

Tubin' the River

2009-07-12T16:08:00.011-06:00

Boo-Boo by the river
where we "put-in"
to float down...
second picture is
the river to south
east...

Bear tracks on the

sand on beach small

bear tracks....

The "pond" out back

of the house by the

river....

...it was a little overcast and not too warm but we decided to tube the River!.. I was dubious and did not know if I wanted to put my aging body on an inner tube at this point in my life...not to mention that the water is extremely cold, I mean really truly cold! But, everyone else was going...I kinda pondered it for a while and thought...what the heck, live each day to the fullest (and try not to get broken in the pursuit of "happiness").

...the tubes were repaired and all was at the ready. Walk back to the River...still had a chance to "pull out" of the fun! Tube in the water, daughter-in-law holding the tube so I could get on and then she gave me a push into the current (too late to turn back)...oh-my-gosh (and other superlatives) and shouts/screams as my bottom hit the cold water. Actually, I scared my dog, Boo-Boo and I think, at this point, he ran back to the house.

..well, I was underway...this was not so bad -- actually it was fun...it has been a few years since I have done this. We spent many summers floating the river out back of the house. It was always such fun. There were times when I would tube the river with my Anatolian Burak before I went to work in the afternoon...very refreshing...then walk back to the ranch. Of course, I was much younger, weighed less, and all my limbs worked!

I think this would be a good exercise for the flappy underarms...hmmmm...after a while the cold is not so cold and all that nonsense is forgotten as you paddle your arms and hands in the water trying to stay with the current and away from the shore.

It was really too much fun...a forgotten fun perhaps of years past when we did it with the children and friends and family. I actually would have been willing to go "again"...

I will add some pictures that I had taken the other day at the river. I never know where the photos are going to load and how they will assimilate into my narrative. I have to take some Bloggin' lessons. So hang in there with me about my photo inserts...I usually just put them in at the beginning and hope for the best.

Happy Sunday to all...........

Cousin Mary Frances comes for a visit!!

2009-07-11T10:18:00.007-06:00

Annie Oakley AKA Mary Frances

(She's harmless folks, these are all

black power and unloaded!)

Still did not have her

"riding legs" together!

The Magnificent Four!

Annie AKA Mary Frances

on Butterscotch

Move 'em up!

The blue speck in the background is

Mary Frances

Mary's bear (the brown speck in the grass)

Trip on Waterton lakes

travel on the International

ah...a wonderful shot towards

Yellow Mountain

Looking towards Chief

we were way up on top

of a high hill

Looking towards Camp Nine

...This is a ode to my wonderful cousin, Mary Frances, who came for a ranch visit! Boy, did we have fun with Mary. She got to do everything and then some. Mary helped herd cattle and move them to a summer pasture.

The weather was beautiful -- not too hot and not too cold. Mary and I had a great day on the four wheeler. We went to the top of two really high hills on our property and could see all over the valley. These are views we tend to take for granted until we have the pleasure to show them to friends or family and then are awed by the grandeur that lays before us! To exclaim, Wow, is an understatement of the beauty that surrounds us every day.

Mary arrived on the 30th -- but getting to and from the airport is an all-day trip! But from the next day until she had to leave -- the days were packed with fun things to do.

I think Mary enjoyed the ride and rounding up and moving the cattle the most. There is such a camaraderie between all that participate. Everyone has a good time.

Our trip to Waterton Lakes, Alberta, Canada was a little wet, but the rain made everything so lush at Goat Haunt and the townsite of Waterton that it was worth it! If you ever have the chance, take the drive up the Chief Mountain Highway (17) to the Waterton Townsite -- it is such a beautiful jewel nestled in the Rocky Mountains. And an absolute must is the boat cruise on the International Ferry which can seat 200! You can ride on top or down below. It is a wonderful trip down the beautiful Waterton Lakes to Goat Haunt, Montana. The trip is narrated and is a total joy. You have about a half hour to walk to the Rangers Station at Goat Haunt before you have to walk back to board the boat for your journey back to the townsite. If you go any further than the Ranger Station you will have to have the proper documents and go through US Customs and Border Protection inspection. You can take day hikes and catch a later boat after your hike. The shops and resturants in Waterton townsite are fun to visit. And your visit cannot be complete without some delicious icecream in a homemade cone at the icecream shop. Take your cone and sit on the shore of Waterton Lake and just enjoy the day!

Mary Frances only had a little more than a week and this is just not enough time to show our visitors all that our wonderful area has to offer. We were able to drive through Going-to-the-Sun Highway (Logan's Pass) and visit places we have visited on previous trips together. It was a glorious day. It is best to get a very early start in order to (perhaps) see wildlife and to beat the traffic. When you get on the west side be sure to stop at Lake McDonald and put your toes in the water...skip a few rocks/stones and just enjoy your day!

Mary has not seen bears on her previous visits, but we were able to see a bear up Many Glacier Road when it was near dark. So, my picture is rather dark, but the bear was very close to the road. Then each day when Mary was here someone would come and say...oh my gosh I just saw a grizzly and two cubs...I just saw a cub...I just saw a .... at least Mary got to see one bear!

While we were back on the sand by St. Mary River, we found a small bear track, rather fresh, I might add.

...and so I end this post with a great big thank you to Mary Frances who came to visit and was such a total joy to have (she also cut the grass and pulled weeds!!!) and to share time with and to share all the beauty of our area with and to bring back the wonder of why we live here and love it! Thanks, Mary Frances, we totally love you and want you back -- real sooooon!

...all your cousins in Montana...we miss you so much!!!

My Mobility Mobile

2009-06-21T11:10:00.010-06:00

My two feet

My two pedals

My wonderful Coast King...which I call my Coast Queen!

...because of the internet and other sources of information...it appears companies, agencies, etc. all know the age of a person...when a person is nearing the age of 50, you will probably receive information on joining the AARP...whaaaa...okay, I know there are certain types of benefits gained from joining the AARP...when traveling, motel clerks ask, "Are you a member of AARP?"...it appears there is a 10% discount on the room rent...Well, I have to tell you I have resisted joining AARP until this month...this after a-gazillion messages from AARP ...but I broke down and sent in my fees and received my cards...I only joined in my name...but, bless the internet or the records that are kept (somewhere)...someone knew I had a husband and knew his age and sent along a card for him, too -- bless the snoop who knew (?)...or not.

...now, just the other day I received some more communication this time in regard to one of those motorized chairs...whaaaa????...I tossed it promptly in the garbage, but then on second thought, I retrieved it...you just never know...but it was beyond recovery...some sort of goo was stuck to it...eweee...so back in the garbage...I am sure I will get more of the same information again.

So, that brings me to my mobility mobile...bless my Coast King (which, by the way, I call Coast Queen)...I purchased this wonder some 35 years ago...people ask how many gears I have on my bike...I answer, two -- my two pedals...lordy, they look at me like I am beyond hope. Actually have four gears...my two pedals and my two feet!!! I have purchased and tried two of the bikes with the fancy gears...I just did not do well on them..."Where are the breaks???" I also tended to "strip" the gears, I just never got it right!

I use to tear around on this wonderous mobility mobile -- rip and zip around the trails out to the plowed fields and down our murdeous gravel road...I would do this special "mount" -- one foot on the pedal, get the bike rolling and then throw the other leg over the seat and rip off...oh my goodness! I did learn to ride a bike on a boys bike with that bar in the middle (the killer bar, when you accidently slipped off the seat and hit it...I can still hear the screams and feel the pain)...but the bar did keep the bike from flipping all over the place when you took your hands off the handle bars and road with the wind!

At this point in my life, I keep my hands planted firmly on the handle bars, my mounts are putting my butt gently on the seat, placing my feet carefully on the pedals, giving a push with one foot and off I go...slowly, carefully...going out of my gravel road is a "uphill grade"...it does not look this way, but believe me it is all Uphill! Coming back I go like crazy, peddling like there is no tomorrow...knowing if I crash and burn there may be no tomorrow...or it would be painfull.

So since my left foot is full of problems and my hips...and oh I won't bore you with all the kinks in the old body...walking is not a choice anymore...so, out comes my wonder mobility mobile! And I am off with the wind in what is left of hair (I got a little sissors happy a week or so ago)!

My dog, Boo-Boo, loves to run along side...we have a race when I come back and it is Downhill!

I always thought getting "old" would be fun...just enjoying life, not worrying about the "packaging" anymore (what you looked like)...just becoming a jolly older person...I thought the aches would hit somewhere in the eighties...The other day I was walking back to let my pup out of his kennel and my left foot was really in pain...I thought to myself, "I feel like an old lady"...then it dawned on me that I was an old lady...not reallllllly old, but old enough! Yikes!

...It is Father's Day...a happy day to all the fathers out there! It is overcast and 58 degrees here today...which is fine with me...I do not like it too hot. I like it about 70 degrees. And, of course, there is a wind blowing so that makes it cooler.

...happy day everyone...take care, enjoy, live life to the fullest, and be kind to others!

The Clouds are joining hands!

2009-06-14T13:52:00.002-06:00

It was a very nice day...well, it still is except for the clouds "joining hands" and forming some very powerful looking formations...and is that thunder I hear???

Our family is working the ground and getting the seed in. The weather and equipment have not cooperated...but, then, do they ever?..

Being as I am the official "camp tender" (so designated by myself)...this time of year brings the most greasy, dirty, awful smelling laundry...well, second to calving time which just was over...but grease is something else to get out of the shirts and jeans! There was a time when I, too, climbed aboard a tractor and went round and round and up and down in the fields -- that was possibly the most boring job I did on our farm. I would try and think of wonderful things -- do some mental designing...but the smell of diesel would interfere with my thoughts. I had the task of farming with the 806 IH, no cab and that exhaust on the top of the front of the tractor spewing that diesel back to me........ughie!

May was a very bad month for our family we lost a wonderful member, Sylvia Hendricks. Sylvia is Kara's sweet precious Mother. (Kara is our daughter-in-law.) Sylvia was here visiting during the bad snow storm the end of April. She became ill and Kara's Dad took her home. She went to the doctor and it was discovered that the cancer she had years earlier had metastasized and was attacking her liver and lungs. Sylvia died on May 31, 2009. It is hard to comprehend that within a month, Sylvia was diagnosed, treated, and died. A wonderful, delightful, gentle, caring, giving member of our family left us.

We may have lilacs in July sometime...who knows when the peonies will bloom. I see the irises are actually budding! The columbines want to bloom, perhaps they are scared to do it because they may get frosted at night! I have some lovely irises that just will not bloom again...they are a frilly variety...such a very hard place to grow any kind of flowers, trees, or what-have-you...the wind and the extreme temps are just too hard on plants.

When I was in Idaho Falls last week, I was astounded by all the blooming plants...rose bushes, trees, flowers of every kind...I remember all those lovely things from northern Illinois where I was raised and lived 27 years of my life before I came to Montana.

Our part of Montana is very hard on flowers, bushes, trees of any kind, and gardens. The growing season is very short. Flowers and folks have to be hardy to live where we do!!!

I went out the other evening to gather eggs (I was later than usual) and when I opened the door to the quonset it was very quiet...way too quiet...the hens always run clucking to me to see what I may have brought to them for treats. Not a hen in sight...I knew there was something really wrong and it would not be good. I called for the hens...nothing...then I heard a little chatter from the far corner of the quonset...some of the hens were hiding...I called to them...

With chickens there are always feathers around...but I could not believe the amount of feathers all over the quonset! I found a piece of feathers that use to be around the neck of one of my Araucana hens...with skin attached...this was the most injured hen...the skin and feathers had been ripped right off the back of her neck, and I could see her neck bones...she had more hanging from the front of her. Other hens were missing their tail feathers and back feathers! It was awful to see. Many were hiding in the wood pile...it is a good thing that there are so many hiding places in the quonset because whatever got in there and tore up my hens couldn't get them in the wood pile. The quonset is closed off on the NW end with a heavy four-foot metal section with 4" x 4" openings. We know our dogs were not in there, nor can they get in there. We have sighted a fox running around our area. I thought it was "neat" to see a red fox running around. I don't know if we will ever know what got in there and did all this destruction to my hens. I now go out every hour or so and check on them. I have put up chicken wire over the metal mesh section to close off the 4" x 4" openings. I sprayed the injured hens with emu oil first aide spray and hope for the best. I had a hen that had most of her feathers and some of her skin torn off by a dog and she made it back okay...her feathers eventurally all grew back as did her tail and injured wings. I kept her separate so the other hens would not peck at her.

Well, it is time for me to do a chicken check and collect eggs.

Everyone take care and stay well.......enjoy and be good to each other....

Watching the Waterways!

2009-05-26T15:05:00.005-06:00

This is the canal and at this point it goes under the Kennedy Creek. The canal is to the west of us.

This is Kennedy Creek which joins up with the Saint Mary River which runs behind our corrals. Kennedy is to the north of us.

In the distance up against the hills is our ranch with Kennedy to the left in the picture. (Saint Mary River runs along the back tree line by the bottom of the hills.)

Kennedy Creek

This time of year we think of flooding or the possibility of flooding. Our home place is located in a flood plain. We are rather surrounded with water of some sort or another. And if the snow melt is hastened by a lot of rain, things could get rough or really wet -- fast!

Yesterday my husband called for me to come to the front door of our home. "Listen to the creek," he said. You could hear it roaring down to the Saint Mary River which is behind our home. The canal runs under Kennedy Creek and then comes back up to go between meadows and drops down by Camp Nine Road and travels on its way to Malta, Montana.

And so our thoughts turn to the "what ifs" of the waterways each year at this time. We were in the flood of 1975 when Kennedy took out the bridge over highway 89 cutting off traffic. Highway 89 is the only road from the Canadian Border on down to Babb and on south. We evacuated our home place and went to higher ground during that flood. For us to get back to the ranch we had to travel the canal bank east and drive over planks where other bridges were out then come in from Browning and back to the ranch. Browning is 45 miles from our home place plus the miles it took to get to Browning. That was a year of adventures to be sure.

Our trees and bushes are way behind. I hear tell that lilacs are blooming in other places...our bushes are just getting leaves (I hope). The clumps of quakes (aspen trees) usually are budded out by now or have a very good start. Not this year.

Our grass around our home is actually needing mowing just from the rain the other day.

...I did see Shooting Stars the other day! They are always so lovely to see!

....take care....

Drive up Chief Mountain Highway!

2009-05-15T14:00:00.011-06:00

Summer is here...because Chief Mountain Port of Entry opened today for the summer season! I took a drive up the highway and took some pictures of the Chief...a wondeful mountain that is 9060 feet high. I will post them here in my blog. The Chief can be seen for hundreds of miles around and each view is really different. If you look for The Chief from Cut Bank, Montana (80-ish miles from here, it has a very slender rise into the sky -- from the Chief Mountain Highway (17) it is broad and longer, but as you go up the highway it too changes.

And, of course, no ride up Chief Mountain Highway would be complete without a bear sighting. This little cinnamom bear was right off the highway. When I first saw her she had two little cubs with her -- one light colored and one dark -- the little cubs shot into the brush. She, however, just stood there while I tried to take a picture from my car window.

I was going to take a picture of the port, but it is a mess with some kind of construction going on!

Happy trails everyone!

Good Friday Morning!

2009-05-15T07:37:00.007-06:00

Early morning pictures -- first picture is looking out over our little creek towards the mountains by St. Mary (about 10 miles from us); second picture is a closer look of the mountains; third picture is out our back door and yard by the creek and where we see a lot of bears. Beyond the trees is the St. Mary River. Third picture is of a creek that runs by our yard. Yellow Cat always takes a walk with me, my "fierce" protector (besides my Anatolians).

So, it snowed and rained last night! It is about 34 degrees this morning with ice on the deck. I hear the weather is suppose to improve this weekend. Great Falls is calling for temps in the high 70's! You just never know in Montana what the weather will do from minute to minute!

Queen Victoria Day weekend in Canada this weekend! Happy Holiday All! Travel safely!

Have lots to do, so I will leave you all with this little post!

What is all the RUCKUS about!!!

2009-05-13T17:52:00.003-06:00

...that is what I was yelling this morning about 0630 hours...the dogs were just going crazy outside my window by the quonset! What the heck was the problem! I got up to look out the window and there was a grizzly...totally too close to the house...right by the quonset with the dogs barking at him -- very up close and personal they were. The bear ran a-ways and stood up...at first I thought that is not such a very big bear...but when it stood up, well, I had to rethink my analysis of the situation. This looked like a total disaster -- milk cows, calves, little bull right by the grizzly. Grizzly rearing up with it's arms in the air! The milk cows were going wild and as were the calves. My old Anatolian was struggling to stay on her feet and still go after the bear. Turk, Anatolian, was right in there with the bear. The bear decided to go west and then north over to the Kennedy Creek area! Dogs in pursuit.

This is one of the few pictures I could get of the bear going down our ranch road. This was taken from my front yead, 'cause I did not know which way the bear was going to go. Darn camera does not take closer pictures. The bear was a grizzly and rather cinnamon in color. The bear did not appear to be too old. Might have just been weaned and was confused as to where it should be!

How it got this close to our home is a mystery at this point. There was fresh snow on the ground and my husband and I looked for tracks coming from the back by the creeks and waterways. Could not find any. It may have come down the road...won't ever really know for sure.

After the bear left, I went out to the quonset and saw all the scuffle marks from the bear -- it looked as if the bear went into the heavy mesh wire that closes off the northwest side of our quonset (Mr. Wind blew the doors off many years ago and wrapped them around the semi truck that was parked near...whole 'nother story). I called for my hens that live in the quonset...not a sound could be heard. Finally found them all huddled in the extreme east side of the quonset, making little sounds to each other. Such drama so early in the morning. I notice I have less eggs today...

During all this bear/dog/chicken stuff I was yelling for my husband who I thought had gone out to milk. But since I saw the milk cows dashing wildly around the corral area from the bear, I knew he was not milking in the barn. When all the excitement was over I went back to the house. I now was worried that perhaps an older bear (bigger) might have gotten Marvin because we had seen a pair just a day ago. Then I saw Marv walking toward the quonset from the northeast. He never heard me, the dogs, nor saw the bear. He had been walking back
"behind"by the creek area and did not know there was a bear or anything going on. (A few years back, Marv had been walking back in the trees by the creek when he heard a clacking sound...there was this BIG grizzly clacking it's jaws together! Now, that is a YIKES! They both decided to go a different way!)

...and so that is how my day started out! Rather a jump-start to the daily activities! Nothing like a little adrenalin pumping through your body in the early a.m.

...and so another day is coming to an end........hey! It is almost the Queen's Birthday in Canada and that means that the Chief Mountain Port of Entry will open this Friday the 15th for the season...does that mean it is summer. I hear tell that the snow up on the Chief Mountain Highway is very HIGH...plowed and open (?) but the sides of the roads tell a different story (so I am told). It seems in the past, the snow was a common occurance on the Queen's Birthday (Queen Victoria Day in Canada).

...so all you Canadians....hello and have a good Holiday weekend! Drive safe!

The day after Mother's Day

2009-05-11T17:38:00.002-06:00

It is the day after Mother's Day. I hope everyone that reads this had a good day yesterday. I was kind-a down in the dumps yesterday. My sweet Mom passed away in 1977 from cancer, she was only 61. Then you hear of other Moms that are not feeling very well, it makes me sad.

In the past few years, or so it seems, I have been either having close encounters with Grizzly bears or at least see them close by. No sightings yesterday. But this morning my husband called for me to come and see something. There was a sow and her cub right out back of our home by the creek. Our dogs were going crazy. I will not be going walking beyond the little creek.

So, my walks will be very limited, it seems wherever I have loved to walk before the bears are now!

But getting back to yesterday. We are calving on our ranch, so everyone is very busy tending the cattle and little calves. I was home alone, doing some sewing and a few other things. I decided to make myself some fried chicken -- how I love fried chicken! I bread it just so and it is delicious -- so much better than eating out. I totally enjoyed the chicken, pears, and boiled potatoes!

This is short, but I have some lambs to finish up on! Everyone take care.

Now for some good smells!

2009-05-03T12:48:00.012-06:00

French bread hot out of the oven!

Miniature orchids -- most orchids that I have had did not have an odor, however, the light colored one does -- very delicate and sweet.

This is a Hoya bud and at the end by the leaf the little spur or stubs of the plant that the bud/bloom comes from ...never take these off, they form the bud/bloom year after year.

A Hoya Bloom, very sweet smell and sticky they drip! Also called the wax plant, the flower appears to be made of wax.

I planted some cosmos seeds in my poinsettia and they grew about a foot or more and then are blooming. What fun. This delicate flower would probably blow away if planted outside in the summer.

At one time I had so many plants, my living room was like a conservatory! My son and a friend built me a pond 3' x 5' with a fountain! What fun, I had with all my wonderful plants and flowers! I found out that the only way to really have any green in Montana because of the long winter seasons, was to grow plants inside. The sun from the windows made them huge. Some plants loved the east and north exposure. I had mega plant books and plants! What a total joy it was to see them grow huge. However, as I became busier with my job and did not have winters off, my plants began to suffer.

One day, I began calling friends and asked if they wanted any of my plants. They had to come right away before I changed my mind. I did keep my tree, but after so many years, it finally started to die out. I also kept my Hoya.

The Hoya came into my life in the 1970's. I never was a plant lover because of my allergies. I enjoyed looking at flowers and such but never really wanted to grow any. A long came a neighbor and wanted me to plant sit their Hoya. Gads, the thing looked awful. It was housed in an old rusty coffee can and was all stiff looking. Well, I kept this thing in the living room of my old home and it sat there in it's rusty coffee can and did nothing! No growth, no blooms -- nothing. The neighbors came back and said they did not want it back -- that I could "keep" it! Wow, I was very pleased -- so not! I thought what the heck, let's get it out of that rusty coffee can and into a nice pot. Long story short it began to grow and put out new leaves. However, I decided to buy some plant books. I found out that a Hoya likes to be pot-bound or it won't bloom. It can take upwards to 7 years or some such for it to bloom...gasp! Anyway, the plant likes a north or east window and it thrived. Finally, it did bloom -- I found these funny little plastic-looking pink things stuck to my rug and wondered what the kids had been into. They declined to take responsibility for the little pile of sticky mess. I looked the plant over and glory be!...it was putting out blooms after 7 years. So, this mama plant thrived and bloomed its heart out...until one of it's very long vines came to rest upon an open bag of potatoes that were sitting on the floor in the kitchen. I had noticed that the potatoes had some kind of white fuzzy things on them. Well, they took over my wonderful (by now, I had become very attached to this darn plant) Hoya and were destroying it! I tried everything I could find to "do-in" the mealy bugs, but nothing worked. So, I decided to take a small cutting off the Hoya and throw away a plant that had been with me for over 20 years! Awful! But the cutting rooted in water and now is a big plant in the east window and is blooming profusely every single year in the spring. I mean to tell you that sweet smell can knock you off your feet in the morning. The plant is covered with blooms. And, is so pot bound, that I worry about it.

Another good smell is the smell of bread baking! Yum, just took the French bread out of the oven! It is called the Best French Bread recipe! It is so very easy to make! Most of the work is done in the bread maker, then when the dough is just so, I take it out of the bread machine and roll it into a wonderful loaf! Just finished eating some!

....now, I really must get some other things done!

Boy! Do the Anatolians smell bad this morning!

2009-05-03T12:07:00.003-06:00

The skunk has struck! I heard all this barking last night from the Anatolian guard dogs -- Turk, Feather, and Boo-B00 and wondered what on earth was happening out there.

Well, this morning I knew the answer. Wow, Turk and Boo smell awful. And both want to "cuddle" and be petted. So, now I don't know if the skunk "bit the dirt" or he just sprayed both of my male dogs in the face (Boo smells bad all over) and scurried away! I went into the chicken area and rattled the tarp on the wood pile. Cautiously peeked into the wood pile and in the chicken house and in the spare tire the chickens love to lay their eggs in. Nothing, as yet.

Boo does not seem very concerned that he reeks, he is out laying on the deck in the sun or in the temporary housing I built by our home in the front area. Since his kennel and house were buried with snow, I built him a temporary quarters with sheep panels, tarps, tie downs, and fresh straw. I tried to drag him into the front porch -- no way would he even put his nose in. Then, I worried he would not go into my new construction. However, he loves it! And relaxes in there during the day and whenever he wants to take a nap. He found it on his own after I built it. I do love Boo! He is a very smart dog.

Each day we see more and more of the ground. The snow is crusted and there is slop below.

I had better close this, there is always something to do -- I have orders to fill and my bread is about done rising and needs to be popped into the oven.

...sunny days to everyone!...happy may!

I Saw the SKUNK!

2009-05-02T10:03:00.005-06:00

...Okay, I have now visually confirmed there is a skunk in the chicken coup (quonset)! I was in the quonset (40' x 100') checking for eggs -- 'cause the girls (hens) lay eggs here and there trying to hide them from me! Anyway, I was pulling the tarp up and over the stack of lumber in the quonset so the chickens would not have poop all over them. The rattling of the tarp must have scared the skunk...it ran out right in front of me! YIKES! It is a big skunk as skunks go...not a little baby skunk...but a very BIG skunk.

I don't know who was startled the most, me or the skunk. It scurried off...and I scurried off -- I do not want to be sprayed by a skunk!

We have this rather tough black cat, he does not like "strangers" in his territory. He is all black except for his white boots, white spot on his chest! He was the one that smelled of skunk, I would imagine that he let the skunk know that he was in his territory! He is not a very big cat either, but Tough!

We have four cats that are all neutured male cats -- the black cat, and 3 orange males. We also have one female cat, Yowler. For some reason, I have not named the cats (except for Yowler). In the past when I named my favorite cats, it seemed something happened to them. However, they have been with us, outside, for some more than 10 years. They are well-fed and live in the quonset or the barn. They also "live" on my back deck. They have little beds out there and a bench they love to sun themselves on. And, of course, they like to be close to me and the back door. Treats come out that back door. They also hunt for mice in the haystacks.

It is rather humorous when I go for a walk-about there is this string of cats with their tails high in the air following me, along with my dogs.

We have one little kitten that lives with Boo-Boo in his kennel area. Boo pretends he is tough with the kitten, by barking at it. But the truth is the kitten sleeps with him and enjoys his food and beverages! Boo-Boo is an Anatolian Shepherd that is mentioned many times in my posts. He is my puppy/dog. He is a year old and getting bigger. Boo does not like Yowler, her name tells it all. She is very snarly with Boo and therefore Boo does not like her. Actually, Yowler is snarly with most every animal.

Yowler is quite old, we have never been able to get her to a vet to be spayed -- therefore she does have kittens which we find homes for on other ranches. Yowler is a very good mouser. She was so disruptive to all the other cats that we found other homes for her in the past. However, Yowler, always comes home. She traveled from the first placement approximately 20 miles; the second placement was probably 40 as the crow flys. Well, when she came home the last time, I knew we just had to put up with her outbursts. I will hold her and pet her and she is so very happy -- but, beware, if something disturbs her -- she becomes a fighting machine...and I may be in the way of the flying claws! Her yowl when she is mad is something else, it un-nerves a person -- therefore her name, Yowler!

We have one of her brothers and he is independent by certainly does not have a temperment such as she does. Two of the other cats are her kittens from many years ago.

I am very allergic to cat hair when inside. For some reason, as long as I do not touch my tear ducts or get any of their hair close to my face, I can be with them outside. But, if I go visit someones home and they have a cat living in there -- my lungs go crazy, my eyes itch like crazy, my face gets red...well, it is not a pretty sight nor can I breath very well. So no cats reside in my home.

It was a cold night so everything froze and there was frost on the vehicles. I think this is good because the snow will not all melt at once and cause too much water flowing at one time. There are frozen puddles outside and it is 10:30 a.m. here by the mountains.

....well, I better end this and get on to my chores..........enjoy your day!