July 17, 2008

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)

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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.  

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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He makes a better cowboy than a skater anyway.

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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.

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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.

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Bonita pulled a lot of calves that day.

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TatorTot  LOVES T.  He always has.

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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."????

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

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

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

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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. 07 16 08_1614

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

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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)

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

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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)

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

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Who is that masked bottom???

7 comments:

ms said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ms said...

Looking good, Kel! Did you take that picture of the pipe that is your background? You are giving Pioneer Woman a run for her money. Now all you need to do is post how-to recipes and photoshop tips. ;)

tricia said...

Kellie, I love your blog. The pictures are so neat and I like the names. Good job. Head Honcho

Steph said...

Great pics. You have an eye for photography--I'd take you on my ybook staff anyday! ;)

BTW, I've eaten my share o' the oysters--not bad with a little salt. We always threw them on top of the branding iron heater to cook. The Mexican guys had a good laugh watching me eat them--I don't know what was so freaking funny about a teenage girl taking a big ole bite of a testical! Geez!

Honey Girl said...

Ok, so let me complain about blogs for a minute. I REALLY wish there was a way you could reply to people's comments and have it sent to their blog. (Kind of like myspace....did I say that???) Anyway, thanks for all of your comments. I guess I'll just have to go to all of your blogs and comment there. Unless someone can clue me in on a better way to do this. Honeygirl (PS...way to eat the oysters Steph. I'm impressed)

Honey Girl said...

Oh yeah. Maren, the pipe is the windmill at the White Corrals. I thought it was appropriate to use a picture of the water since it's been all about the water (or the lack thereof)this summer. I need to get on Pioneer Woman's site and learn about photoshop. I'm clueless.

Steph said...

I hear ya about the comment issue--but there are things about myspace that make me crazy--not as user-friendly, but I started with blogger first, so ... oh, and I replied to you on my blog, too! ;)