Branding and Roping Activities

The Kluver branding went well, but it was a long day to say the least.  Wesley and I were up at 4:30 AM so we could eat a quick bite, get the horses in & saddled, and head out to be at their branding at 5:45.  Upon arrival, everyone got a game plan and instructions on what part of the pasture they were to gather to bring back to the corrals, and we all took off.  Sarah and I took the easier route and had so much fun talking and catching up rounding up the cattle.  We were one of the earlier groups to get back to the corrals, so we held herd and waited for everyone else to arrive back at the corrals with their cattle.  After everyone arrived back and the cows were sorted, we started branding.  The wrestling crew (that wrestles calves to help hold them so we can give vaccinations, brand them, etc.) ended up not completely showing up, so it started out stressful, but ended well.  Wesley ended up having to wrestle calves most of the time, but got to rope a couple as well.  Sarah and I were in charge of vaccinating each calf, and keeping a total count on how many heifers there were versus how many steers.  And, toward the end of the day, I got on my trusty Reno Dino and roped a few calves too!  With Wesley’s coaching I was able to rope about 10 calves or so…I was pretty proud! 

That evening Ab, Sarah, Ab’s brother, and their friend Jack all came over for an evening on the patio.  We cooked hamburgers and talked while sitting on our new patio!  Our company left about 10:00 that evening, and when Wesley and I came inside we decided we’d rent the movie Identity Thief on our Dish.  It. Was. HILARIOUS!  We really enjoyed it.  Sunday we didn’t do much but clean up around the house and cook on the grill again…my favorite thing about the summer months!

This past Saturday we spent the entire day outside cleaning up around the outside of the house, mowing the lawn, and painting the shed.  We had quite the mowing job ahead of us and it took us about 4 hours to mow everything we needed to mow, but we got it done!  And it looks fantastic now.  My dad would be proud (haha)!  Saturday evening we put a beer can chicken on the BBQ grill and smoked it for a couple hours, then I made a couple sides to go with it that evening for supper…and it was delicious!  We hadn’t had a beer can chicken in quite a while, and in our opinions, it is about the ONLY way to eat chicken.  It keeps the chicken so extremely moist and that’s a hard task when it comes to chicken.  Saturday night we watched a movie that we recorded during the day (Water for Elephants – neither of us was very impressed with the movie at all and won’t be watching it again.  We both hate animal abuse & can’t stand to watch it in the movies).  Sunday Wesley started roping in our roping club’s summer roping series so we were out at the arena starting at about 11:45 Sunday and got done roping about 6:00 that evening.  He placed 5^th in the first roping and 3^rd in the second!  I was so proud of him.  Of course I got pictures from the roping (and the branding) so I’ll upload those as soon as I get a chance to do so.  I also got to hang out with our friends Pecos & Dani's little girl Landyn at the roping on Sunday.  What a cutie!  She's 3 months old and just precious!  It lets me think of what it will be like when my little neice comes along in September.   I can't wait until baby Butler arrives so I can hold and spoil her too!  This coming Sunday we have another roping in Miles City to attend, and then it’s back to Saturday nights at the roping arena to watch Wesley rope!

The weather here has been beautiful.  Highs have been in the upper 70’s to low 80’s and lows are in the mid-50’s.  The grass is lush and green, the hay crop is coming up nicely and about ready to be cut, and we are so blessed and thank the Lord for the moisture He has provided for our land. 

Have a wonderful week!