Tuesday, September 27, 2011

My Food Comes From The Grocery Store


Being in the Agricultural Industry, we have to deal with a lot of bull.

Pun somewhat intended.

There have been many debates on the existence of large dairies, feedlots, etc. Texas came back from school last night with some insightful information from one of his Animal Science classes. Long story short, people against these large operations suggest every one should produce their own milk, eggs, meat, etc. In other words, large feedlots (you could say our ranch is a large feedlot) shouldn't exist because the animals are not happy and are neglected. Instead, every family should have their own cow, chicken, pig, turkey, etc. in their backyard. Every person with their own 8-5 job should then come home after working all day and milk their cow, pick their eggs out of the chicken coop, and chop their turkeys head off - all so that these animals can live "happy".

This debate does not end here. When a housing development was put in next to a dairy several years ago in the town next to us, housing owners started to complain about the smell. Well, wouldn't you expect it to smell when you decide to buy a house next to a dairy? Instead of telling the housing owners to "ranch up", the dairy was put in jeopardy.

"It smells bad."

"There's too much dust."

"The tractors make too much noise."

"I can see a dead cow from my window."

All hypothetical, but likely, statements from these homeowners.

In many cases, after complaining about all the above and asked how they think the removal of a dairy/ranch/feedlot would affect them...

"Well, I just buy my food from the grocery store, so we don't need dairies or feedlots."

Seriously, people. I ain't making this up. No, I don't have sources for this information. But trust me, I've heard it before, and I will hear it again.

I'll end this little rant with the following picture I found this morning:

Monday, September 26, 2011

From The Top

A couple weeks ago, we had a thunderstorm move in from the mountains and head out through the valley. While we did not get much precipitation or lightning, we did get a pretty good sunset and picture taking opportunities.


This is the view from the top...



...from the top of our silage pit which is at least 100 feet high. I mean, I'm not good at guestimating height, but it's somewhere above 50 feet and somewhere under a mile high. So, it's probably 100 feet tall.


Texas dragged me up here... and I must say, it's probably the coolest spot on the ranch.

Hopefully, more pics "From The Top" to come.

Friday, September 23, 2011

This Morning

This morning...


...is what my commute to work looked like.

Dusty

The last few weeks around here have been...

dusty.

So, very, dusty.


I'm sooooo ready for winter. Maybe just some rain. I couldn't see out of my left eye last night for at least an hour when Texas and I were cooling down the horses. Why? All the dust flew into my eye and left me blind while riding, cleaning up, and trying to chop a spaghetti squash in half... I hate the dust!!

What was that song??

"Rain is a gooooood thing!"

Can We Be Friends?

Uhhh, guys??


Can we be friends??

No Big Deal

Stoney and I workin' hard.

Haulin' cows to the auction yard.


No big deal.

Monday, September 19, 2011

"Tis the Season

'Tis the Season...

No I ain't talkin' bout Christmas.

I'm talkin' about CONCERT SEASON!

Since being back in the California Central Valley, Texas and I have tried to take advantage of the fact that we are close to a lot of music venues.

Since April, we have seen....

Restless Heart and Diamond Rio in April in Modesto.

I didn't get a picture of us on that night, but the rest of the concerts I did!

Josh Turner and Easton Corbin also in April in Stockton...


Easton Corbin...


Josh Turner...


And then Zac Brown Band with Blackberry Smoke in June in Sacramento.



ZBB was amazing live. Wish we could have had our other ZBB lovers with us - Spencie and Elake from the ranch in Colorado.


Then, ALAN JACKSON with Shooter Jennings a few weeks ago in August up in the foothills of Murphys.


Thank you to my Momma for scoring the three of us some amazing seats. We were probably 30-40 feet away from AJ.


The black hole in the bottom part of the picture is where Texas and I danced the night away. Good thing I had my dancin' shoes on.


And finally, to wrap up summer concert season (I think, unless we decide to go to any more), we decided last weeked to head over to Mountain View and watch Rascal Flatts, Sara Evans, and Justin Moore.


My friend Ali and a few other girls from our sorority and their respective fellas had a grand ol' time boogin' the night away. I saw Rascal Flatts in concert many many years ago before they got really famous, and I loved them. I haven't much enjoyed a lot of their new music because it's turned really mainstream, but they can still put on a heck of a show.


And of course, it was a great excuse to go spend a night away with friends!

'Tis the Season!


Friday, September 16, 2011

Milkin' It

We be takin' some black and whites to the sale yard today.


We be milkin' em for all der worth.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Current Obsessions

This is a Ramblin' Cowgirl exclusive post today, folks. You get to take an insiders peak into what makes my world go round!

In other words, here are some items - food, drinks, music, etc., that I am currently obsessed with.

Obsession #1: Cling Peaches

Having been on a diet for the last 4 months, I have learned to love fruits and veggies. Not that I didn't already love them, but I began to use fruits and veggies in ways I hadn't thought of before.

For example, the picture below is a salad I had last week with nothing but veggies like lettuce (duh), stir fried onions, bell peppers, and snap peas, along with feta cheese, left over trip tip from dinner the night before and the special addition - cling peaches.

I threw the grilled peaches in with the stir fry veggie deliciousness to make a sweet summer salad.


I also used some cling peaches to make the below peach cobbler (and many more yum).


We've been getting these cling peaches (named cling because the fruit clings to the pit and doesn't come off as easy as other peaches) in 10 pound boxes for 5 bucks at the local fruit stand. That amounts to about 40-50 peaches for 5 bucks. Not too shabby of a deal! When we got our first box, I was struggling to find ways to use the peaches, since they weren't as easy to eat on their own as a snack like an apple or pear.

Now, I have been making several cobblers to stick in the freezer to snack on through the fall and winter (Lets be real here, they'll probably only last the next month or two). Slicing them up to put in my morning yogurt. Throwing them in with my stir fry veggies. I even put them in with some shrimp I was cooking on the grill. They just add such a clean flavor without the extra calories a substitute might have!

Love, love, love me some cling peaches.

Obsession #2: The Local Fruit Stand

This obsession goes hand in hand with Obsession #1: Cling peaches. The fruit stand is so spectacular though that it needs its own separate shout out.

Texas and I have made it a habit to stop at the fruit stand during our grocery shopping about every 2-3 weeks, and now, we are making a special trip once a week to the fruit stand to get our goods for the next seven days. The people that work at the fruit stand recoginize us. Texas and I could probably go into the fruit stand blind folded and pick out our groceries because we know where everything is and how much it's going to cost. Since the fruit stand is about 7 miles from the house, it's a pretty quick trip to get our produce. We've been going there all summer long, possibly even since before summer officially began.

I now wonder, how did I ever survive without the fruit stand?

More importantly, why would I shop for produce at the grocery store for likely less fresh products at sometimes 8 times the cost?

Plus, it's so much fun grocery shopping at the fruit stand. It makes you feel like you're back in yee olden days.

Here are some quick pictures I took from our last trip on Saturday.


Eight bell peppers for $1?!? Like $1 total?! Yup.

May I add that we stopped at Save Mart on the way home to grab some items we couldn't get at the fruit stand, and I gandered over at the green bell peppers to see how much they were. They were $.99 each. Seriously?! You would spend one dollar on one green bell pepper when you can drive across the street to get 7 more at the same price? Are people just too lazy to make another stop? I'm baffled.


Here's a quick picture of the other peppers, beans, and okra they have at the fruit stand. Texas and I forgot the okra this last time, but we've been getting a baggy full of okra to experiment with. We obviously know fried okra tastes delicious, but we've been testing our cooking skills to see if we boil the okra without it resulting in a slimy mess. So far, no dice. Will keep ya posted. ;) I didn't get a photo of the white corn the stand hand. They were also 8 for $1. Yum!


This is one third of the inside of the fruit stand. You can see the assortment of flavored almonds the place has to offer. We've bought several varieties including some of the dried fruit (not pictured), and we are huge fans. Unfortunately, my diet does not mix well with a large amount of flavored nuts, so we've cut back on the almonds during the last few months.

In summary, the local fruit stand is not only my obsession, it's become a necessity in my life. I don't know how normal folk shop at the grocery market. Texas and I walk out of there every time with onions, tomatoes, squash, kiwis, bananas, plums, peaches, nectarines, pears, apples, grapes, corn, okra, bell peppers, and sometimes berries and watermelon. And not just one or two items of fruit. Bags of fruit. 5-7 items of each variety. Grand total for our shopping trips? Never fails - somewhere between $23-28. Not bad for filling up our fridge for the week.

I suggest yall go support your local farmers (and yourself, sheesh, you know how much money you could save?!!!), and try to buy a few items at that fruit stand on the corner this week.

Obsession #3: Sparkling Ice

I've never been a huge fan of soda. I enjoy an A&W Root Beer now and then, and I only consume pepsi or 7-Up if it's mixed with an alcoholic beverage. I don't drink a lot of milk (go figure, we raise dairy cows). I love juice, but I don't ever buy any.

Well, I have found a beverage that I absolutely love and pretty much, can't live without. What is it?

Sparkling Ice Water.



I got hooked on these bottles of heaven when my mom bought a package from Costco and ended up not liking the carbonation, so she pawned them off on me. Thank you mom. Texas is now so thrilled that these drinks have become a neccessity item on our grocery list at Costco.

I love these drinks so much because the flavors are yummy, the carbonation makes it seem like you're consuming something thats not flavored water, and the best thing - they're zero calories with added vitamins. I'm a sucker for beverages with added vitamins. I love Vitamin Water, but they have a couple hundred calories in each bottle! With the diet I've been on, I try to stay strict with what I consume, so these Sparkling Ice bottles are like freebies for me.

Obsession #4: Pioneer Woman

Whether it's reading her blog, watching her cooking show, or reading her books, I am addicted to this lady. Thank you to my dear friend "Binky" for introducing me to my role model, P-Dub.


This woman is amazing with a camera, witty with her blog posts, creative in the kitchen, and she's a momma of 4 rambunctious kiddos - all while living on a working cattle ranch in Oklahoma. Needless to say, I want to be her one day - minus the living in Oklahoma thing. And I think I'd rather look at Texas in Wranglers than her husband in Wranglers.

Check her out at thepioneerwoman.com or on the Food Network on Saturday mornings.

Obsession #5: Fage Yogurt




Texas actually got me hooked on this stuff, believe it or not. His mom got him hooked on it, and it took me awhile to come around to this fabulous by product of dairy.

It's what I eat every morning with all the fruit I buy at the fruit stand. Throw in some kiwi, peaches, plums, grapes, strawberries, or make a mixture of 2 or 3 of those to make a fabulous yogurt medley. Why pay $5 for fruit and yogurt at Starbucks when you could make one that's probably more delicious and healthy at home?

Unfortunately, this stuff is not easy to find. They were carrying it at Costco, but they didn't have it last time we went it there. I just found a couple tubs at Tar-jay last weekend because they are not in our local supermarket. Plus they cost way more at Tarjay than they do at Costco. If you see this white goddess in the yogurt aisle... BUY IT. If not for you, then for me. Email me for my address. ;) Thanks!

Obsession #6: Barrel Horse News Magazine

Actually, this obsession is more than just the Barrel Horse News magazine. It also includes the Barrel Racing Report which I get every Tuesday in my email.

The Magazine and the Report are pretty much summaries of current barrel racing results, top bloodlines, and some barrel racing tips.


Since buying my baby, Jade, I have found that I really enjoy working with a young horse that hasn't had a bunch of owners or a lot of time to pick up bad habits. I like knowing that if she starts to do something funny, it's probably because I'm training her wrong. not because it's something that someone else taught her to do. What I'm trying to say here, is that I really enjoy the training process of a young horse. I don't think I'm ballsy or educated enough to break a horse (be the first one to get on the horse in their life), but I think I may have found a new passion of mine - training young horses. Not just for barrels, but for general ranch and riding purposes.

Now, how does the magazine tie into this? Well, the magazine (and the email report) deliver news on upcoming and well known barrel horse bloodlines. I bought Jade with the knowledge that her barrel racing breeding alone made her worth the investment. I'm enjoying reading up on stallions and bloodlines that keep popping up in the Winner's Circle, and I especially love that a lot of the horses in the winners circle have similar breeding to my girl. Needless to say, I'm a bit obsessed with keeping up with what horses are winning races at the current moment, so keeping up to date via magazines and online articles have kept me busy.

Obsession #7: Puzzles

It started when I was little.

With those 20 piece ones.

My obsession grew over the years.

Then it kind of faded out over the years.

Then, it reemerged from the depths of my soul last winter when I spent a cold few (many) months in Colorado without cell phone reception and cable.

It came back to haunt me while we were on vacation in Oregon back in July.

Now, it's forever back in my life.

What is this haunting, addicting, creature I speak of?

Puzzles.


I love puzzles.

I'll admit it, I'm a geek.

I've had a 1,000 piece puzzle laid out on my mom's dining room table for probably 3 weeks now. It's the hardest puzzle of my life.

Why am I so addicted to these puzzles?

Well, since Texas is back at school, he has homework. Homework means doing work in the home. Lots of it. Cowgirl Kate doesn't read books for fun unless they have a horse on the cover (shallow, I know).

The solution?

Puzzles.

Puzzles keep me entertained for hours while Texas is doing homework. Give me a beer and a puzzle, and I'll be set for hours.

Obsession #8: New Music

I love music. Music has always been a huge part of my life, and it always will. I can go all day with music on in the background. When I have a lot of mindless work ahead of me, I turn on the radio, cd player, or Pandora. The only time I can't listen to music is when I'm trying to fall asleep - only because I will wind up singing to the music as I'm trying to fall asleep, therefore not konking out.

Anyways, the two cd's I am obsessed with right now are...

*drumroll please*

1. Hell On Heels - Pistol Annies


I am a huge Miranda Lambert fan. She is my all time favorite artist. I honestly believe I have listened to her Revolution CD thousands of times, all the way through. When I spent the winter in Colorado, I listened to the whole CD religiously everyday when I drove the 25 minute drive to work, one way.

So when I found out that the country rocker came out with a new CD - with her girl group - I was all over it. Miranda knows how to rock, and I had faith that her girl group would be killer.

I was right.

Speaking of rockin' - here's the second CD I can't live without right now.

2. Chief - Eric Church


I love this guy. I always wondered why his songs didn't get much airplay, but I kind of like that he doesn't get overplayed. You just begin to hate songs even when they are really good because they are on everytime you turn the radio on. I can't say much about this CD except it's awesome. Probably my second favorite CD ever, only second to Miranda's Revolution.

Obsession #9: Texas Women

I don't watch much TV. When I do watch TV, it's usually the same shows that I have become slightly addicted to. Yes, I could definitely live without TV, but I do enjoy watching  a good show or two when Texas and I are up eating dinner at my moms house. I am not a huge movie person because I usually fall asleep within the first 30 minutes, so a TV show is just the right amount of time to sit on the couch before I get bored.

With that said, we noticed a new TV show on CMT a couple months ago. Texas Women. We thought, hey, that sounds like it could be an interesting show, it's about Texas! It took about 3 minutes for me to find the show hilarious. It's about four Texas chicks who are friends. One is an aspiring country singer, one is a party girl, and the other two are cowgirls - a barrel racer and a girl who raises her own bucking bulls. That girl is a badass. 'Nuff said.


They had the season finale a couple weeks ago after only 6 episodes. The future is unknown for the show as two girls moved out of the state, and the two that were left were not speaking to each other. I feel like another season of this show is not in the cards, but I will cross my fingers that several months from now I'll be reunited.

Obsession #10: Trader Joes

I cannot say enough about this grocery store. I LOVE TRADER JOES! Texas and I make a stop there everytime we are in Modesto doing our grocery shopping. It's so fun just to be in the store even if we don't come out with more than $20 worth of food. The atmosphere is just so chipper.

Here are some of my top buys at TJ's:

1. Mandarin Orange Chicken - so good for the nights Texas and I don't want to cook, so we throw this in the oven with some edamame and we're set!


2. Cous Cous - this rice substitute tastes like little fluffy balls of heaven in your mouth. It's a Texas pleaser. :)


3. Gnocchi - they are balls of potatoes that you boil and then season with spices, olive oil, sauces.. whatever your palate desires! I love throwing some olive oil and basil in for a delicious flavor. These are probably my favorite thing we get at TJ's.


4. Pulled Pork - another "no cook night" favorite go to. We heat it up in the oven, toast some buns, and waaa-laaaa! Delicious dinner.



5. Charles Shaw Wine a.k.a. "Two Buck Chuck" - Texas and I are not wine experts, so we don't like spending a ton of money on fancy wine that we can't tell the difference between that and a cheaper kind. Enter Two Buck Chuck!  


We have wine every so often, so it's nice to have a couple bottles of this $2 wine hanging around. And honestly, it doesn't taste much different than your $10-$15 bottle of wine. I will say that it's no wine miracle, but it does the trick if you can be easily pleased, especially with the price.



Well folks, hope ya enjoyed the ramblin's of my current obsessions!! Right now, I am about to go have an obsession with food. It's lunch time!



Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Chrome

In the words of Trace Adkins...

"Her favorite color is...chrome
That girl is all about chrome
She sure loves chrome"

Horses are said to have "chrome" when they are flashy, pretty, a knockout.

While Jade may look like another brown horse to the average person on the street, I think this chicks got some chrome.
 



Only A Momma Could Love

Now, wouldn't you agree...

that this is a face...


... only a momma could love?

Beef

Beef.


It's what's for dinner. And lunch. And breakfast.


Unfortunately for Jade, I don't think they put beef in horse feed. Sorry chica.


Monday, September 12, 2011

Easy Keeper

Some little girl I know has gotten a bit of a ...


... grass belly!

Who knows how she's had the chance to grow that belly when she's getting worked 2 hours a day 4-5 days  a week. Truth is, I'd rather have a horse that puts on weight too easily than a horse that won't put on weight no matter how much food you stuff down their throats. That's what we call an "Easy Keeper".

Her belly ain't the only thing that's grown. I'm pretty sure she's sprouted up a bit too since arriving here 4 months ago. 4 months! I love her.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Thankful

Everyone knows what day today is. Actually, everyone knows what happened ten years ago from today. This is not going to be some political post or ranting. Just a little reflection on my part as to why I'm thankful for everything in my life, even when sometimes it feels like nothing is going the way I want it to.


Case in point? Nights like last night when I take my old gray horse to a barrel race, in hopes that he will perform like he had been a few weeks ago. To put it nicely, he decided that instead of running barrels, he would just run wild and plow over barrels. We call it "barrel plowing". If they had a separate category for that, we would've won, no other contenders were even close.

Even after a disastrous night where I wanted to give up hope on my horse whose mouth and lips are so thick from cancer he can barely feel a bit in his mouth, I am still thankful for that horse. He loves running, but I just don't know if barrel racing is in the cards for him. He has melanoma (skin cancer) which has progressed over the last 6 years in which I've owned him, and they have turned his mouth into a lumpy mess. At this stage of the disease, I doubt that he can feel anything in his mouth. Add that into the mix with his hard head and need for speed, it's hard to control him at top speeds. Take him on a trail ride in the mountains or stick him in a polo match, and it's a different story. Ask him to go balls to the wall in an arena and expect him to stop, that's not so easy for the guy who has a bad mouth.

I'm thankful for Romeo for all the good times he's given me out in the Colorado Rockies and in the Polo arena. Do I wish he turned into a barrel horse overnight? Yes. But he also has made me realize what traits I do and don't want in my future horses, barrel horses or not... which is why I absolutely LOVE my new girl, Jade. She's the polar opposite of Romeo. Totally chill, maybe even a little lazy. Honestly, I'm ok with her being a little on the pokey side because I know she's got the speed in her. I just love that she's so level headed that unlike her friend Romeo, she can be in a crazed environment and not act like a total idiot.

Other things I am thankful for, but I wasn't so grateful at the time - moving from Colorado to Texas to California. I was heartbroken to leave the beautiful town of Creede. I was in tears crossing over the Colorado border. I was so excited to be near my Texan, but it killed me to leave the state and the lifestyle I had fallen in love with. When my dad passed and Texas and I moved to California, I dreaded being the "girl who's stuck in Oakdale". Honestly, life is much different now than it was when I was growing up here. Instead of going to town everyday for school, I spend most of my time here on the ranch soaking up country bliss. I have received the opportunity to work not only for my family, but to gain experience working with cattle... I have been wanting to work with cows for some time now, but no one could give me the chance, whether for work or play.

I miss my dad so much. I wish I had more time with him, but your time on earth is something that cannot be predicted. While I miss my dad, his death caused my move home. I don't think I would have had a reason to move to Oakdale if he had not passed away. I am thankful for this opportunity to be helping out and being here for my mom, my Grandma and our family in Southern California.

While I have had people, family and friends, who have drifted out of my life, I am thankful for the people in my life who choose to be in it. It's hard to let go of friends and even family who have chosen other paths, but relationships are two way roads. It's hard to give and not receive love and friendship back.

I'm not exactly gettin' rich out here on the farm, but I am so grateful for the life I am able to live. I have a schedule that allows me to spend time with my family, boyfriend, and animals. I make enough money to get by and do some fun things here and there. I can afford to properly care for my critters who make my world go round. I think about how my life would be without my cat. Without my pup. Without my ponies. Animals have always made my life feel more fulfilled, and that has not changed. People thought I was crazy moving to Texas with a horse and cat... and then having a puppy thrown into the mix. Guess what? They're all fat and happy. So am I, minus the fat part. (P.S. I'm also thankful for diets!)

Last but not least, I am so thankful for my man, Texas. Words can not describe how much he means to me! I don't want to get all mushy on here, but I will say that guy does a lot for me and I don't know how I ever lived without him. That brings to mind another blessing in disguise - hating my job as an Event Planner because of my boss causing me to quit and sign onto the ranch in Colorado for another summer - which led me into the arms of my Texan.

That's all the reminiscing I can handle today folks. I've got a date with a 4-wheeler, doggies, and a 6'4 blonde cowboy. I hope yall have found things to be grateful for in your life, not just today, but everyday.


Thursday, September 8, 2011

Bladin'

Every afternoon, before the guys go home, someone blades the hay.

What the heck is bladin' the hay?!

Well, it looks something like this:


After the cows get fed (which is an all morning process by the way), they spend all morning chowing down. Tossing hay left and right, spitting almonds out across the alley, slobbering little silage bits outta their mouth.

In other words, they push all of their food out as they're eating to get to the good stuff, so come afternoon, they're hungry for the stuff they pushed out of their reach.

Solution?

Bladin' the hay.



Doggie Workouts

Texas and I try to take the dogs out to the pastures at least once a week to get their blood pumpin'.


Except, I don't think the dogs realize that they're out there to exercise. They just have way too much dang fun!


Beginnings

This little guy was born last week. Our herdsman and I went out to check on him after a few hours of him being in this world.


Cute baby.

Froggies

Some creatures have taken up residency in a water valve hole next to our barn...


Every time I go to wash my hands, I get a special suprise because I am not quite used to them yet!

Slap the Bag

Ever play the game...


"Slap the bag"??


Well, we play that game here... just not with wine bags...


And, we actually don't slap these girls' "bags", but isn't it funny to imagine?

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Just One Of Those Days

You know how some days, bad things happen to you from the second you wake up until the second you go to sleep?

Yah, well, I certainly had one of those days yesterday.

First sign of a doomed day?

When I went to start my coffee up, I realized that  none of the outlets in the kitchen were working... thus resulting in brewing my freshly ground coffee on the floor of the dining room. Awesome.

Second sign of a doomed day?

I think a ranch ghost pushed one of our Two Buck Chuck wine bottles (Trader Joes, I love thee) off of the backside of the fridge while I was gathering things up to leave the house. Luckily, it survived the fall. Yay Two Buck Chuck!

As I'm grabbing a plastic bag in the kitchen cabinet to carry my fruit for the day (key to weight loss? snack on fruits and veggies as opposed to cheese and crackers or granola bars, oops), I notice a plethora of ants.

SO MANY FRIGGIN' ANTS!!!

After a desperate attempt to scare the ants away with my loud and frantic screaming at 7 a.m., I decided I had better start clearing out the cabinets and spraying ant killer and 409 all about the kitchen.

This morning ant attack came after the previous afternoon's adventures of finding ants in the cabinets containing our pots and pans resulting in washing all of our dishes which is a real quick chore when one does not have a dishwasher. (According to Texas, I am the dishwasher.)

Thankfully, after the incessant complaining about the out of control ant situation, my mom had a pest control fellow called out to the scene immediately. We are now happy customers of a pest control service.

The ant attack set me back about 30 minutes arriving to work, but it turned out to be a good thing. Why, you ask? This is what happens next in the day of doomed events...

You see in the below picture how the metal bars the cows stick their heads through have a roundy deal at the top of the bar? Well, that roundy deal is what locks the cows heads in when we are needing to check cows for vet checks, pink eyes, etc. On this particular day, we were trying to pick out the cows confirmed pregnant from the previous day's vet check.

Why is this a doomed event? Well, when we take the confirmed pregnant cows out of the pen, they get kicked out to pasture to graze on grass instead of the high dolla feed. Before we kick them out on pasture, we give them a couple of shots in the neck. Usually, I just stick my arm over the metal stansions (thats the correct term for the metal get up you see in the picture). Well, one of the girls next to a cow I was shooting up decided to be a real sweetie and freak out while I was standing too close to the roundy part of the stansion.

End result? Pinched, broken open and bleeding skin dangerously close to my armpit. Ouch.



Promptly after I ripped my skin open, I ripped my jeans open on our herdman's "horse" (his 4 wheeler).

Texas decided to make my day a little less doomed by taking me out to lunch at one of our favorite spots in Oakdale.  Thanks Tex!!

Unfortunately, the doomed day continued with an uncooperative 4 year old horse, and the worst - coming home to a house without Air Conditioning, a working fridge/freezer, and oven. Apparently, the coffee pot situation in the morning was related to this huge appliance problem we were now having. Turns out, we had a bad main breaker in the house, and we had zero to low power. Luckily, we had caught the problem within an hour or so of the fridge/freezer turning off, so we didn't lose the meat in the freezer. We had an electrician come out this morning to fix the breaker as we had the house shut off on us again at 3 a.m.

Gahhhh! Such a long, long day. I thought to myself at one point that I should just spend the rest of the day on the couch, hiding from anything and everything in life that might come out and bite me. Phew. So glad yesterday is over.

Good thing about yesterday?


I still got this guy to hang out with 24/7. I think he was trying to console me in this picture after our Herdsman poured alcohol on my wounded arm.

Hope yall had a better day than me yesterday!