Branding at Horse Springs

All it took was a two and a half hour drive; stops at Mickey D's, Circle K and Subway; several fights involving hitting, kicking, choking and crying; numerous rounds of the quiet game that lasted no more than 5 seconds each; threats all around; promises of ice cream on the return trip;  and we were there....

about an hour late and right as the guys were driving the cattle into the corral. Good timing!

It takes a lot of ranch land...sometimes even in two different states...to run cattle in the West)

As a kid, Honky Tonk would begrudgingly put on his wranglers to go to work.  Now we have to peel them off of him :) His nickname used to be Skater because believe it or not, he used to skateboard and break dance....but he wouldn't let me use that one.  

 

Oh boys and girls...if you only knew what you are in for! Maybe that one on the left has some idea.

 

Honky Tonk and his little bro T. (You should see them play Rock Band)

Is Bonita  pulling that calf or is that Honky Tonk? There's a whole lot of straining going on.

I love this green stuff mom!  (He ended up with a nice wad on his shoulder after this photo)

TaterTot watching from the sidelines (where I am too!)

With a short break in the action, T and HalfTime get ready for a showdown.

He makes a better cowboy than a skater anyway.

Auntie M is pregnant.  You might think she'd be too tired or squeamish to help with the branding.  Nope....she can still castrate with the best of them.

Uncle J helps HalfTime ride a bucking bull....well, more of a newly appointed steer thanks to the swift hands of Auntie M.  All the kids took a turn trying their hand at being a rodeo cowboy.  Halftime's a natural.  At last year's 24th celebration, he was the first of ninety kids in the mutton busting (sheep riding).  He rode till the 8 second buzzer and then rode for another twenty seconds until the announcer finally told him it was OK to let go. Really.

Bonita pulled a lot of calves that day.

TatorTot  LOVES T.  He always has.

Would you think that someone with eyes like that would say something like this... "If you're going to lie, you'd better have a really good plan B.  That's why sometimes it's just easier to tell the truth."????

Who left those horns on that dad-gum cow?  Papa J would not be happy.  It was probably Jimmy D. 

TatorTot is very concerned about it all.  He couldn't bear for his HalfTime to get hurt.

I have never and will never eat Rocky Mountain Oysters.  Have any of you?

TatorTot takes his turn in the rodeo.  He smiles and waves to all of his cousins as he effortlessly rides the calf and then is the first to cheer for himself when it's all said and done.

Uncle T is a famous arrowhead hunter.  If you want to find one, go with T. (He also does the nicest brands)

I love photographing this punk.  (I feel like a copycat calling him punk, but I called my kids that long before I'd ever heard of Pioneer Woman...swear)

One of T's perfect brands. It's upside-down in the pic though.

JC and his horse Rocket pulled their fair share of calves that day. He said his fair share of expletives that day also. (He wasn't the only one; but he does get the gold medal)

Uncle K aka Slim; father of JC. (Yeah, it's a family ranch)

Who is that masked bottom???