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Monthly Archives: September 2021

Leaving the Medicine Bow

30 Sep

 

September 30 is the off-date for most of our Forest permits. Bridger Peak above Battle Pass is one of our highest grazing areas for the sheep in the summer. Alejandro takes the yearling ewes to the top of the Continental Divide. He had a flat tire on his wagon, so German changed the tire before we pulled the camp down the really rocky road to the highway. Alejandro shepherds the yearlings with the help of his border collies, his livestock guardian dogs, and his pet lamb, Solano. We saw snow on the Divide, and glorious fall colors on the trail down.

through the mist on the Continental Divide Trail

Alejandro and Sharon on WY 70

Alejandro with his sidekick, Solano

yearling ewes on the Savery Stock Driveway

 

 
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Posted by on September 30, 2021 in Animals, Dogs, Family, Folks, Horses, Peruvian sheepherders, Sheep

 

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Eruption

27 Sep

golden leaves
an eruption
molten lava
burns the eyes

orange searing,
so full, fulsome
can’t imagine more,
senses overflowing

perfect days
as ephemeral as
flowing rock
destined to cool

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
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Posted by on September 27, 2021 in Nature and Wildlife, Poetry

 

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Fog over Sheep Mountain; First frost

20 Sep

cold tickles, first frost—
a fine sheen reflects stacked coins–
fog shrouds Sheep Mountain.

 
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Posted by on September 20, 2021 in Nature and Wildlife, Poetry

 

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Tending camp on the North Elk River

04 Sep

Border collie supervising Bubba and Pepe

 

 

The ewes and lambs graze on the National Forests in the summer months. They move through a rotation so that they are not in any area for long. Part of the journey for Pepe’s sheep includes several weeks in high mountain pastures near the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area. He stays in a tent and we pack in his groceries and dog food. When he drops into the north fork of the Elk River, we bring his camp to him. This involves a drive down a death-defying curvy road to a wonderful mountain meadow. Bubba came along, both to learn the way and to provide the muscle.

 

Pepe’s horse, pine-beetle killed tree

Pepe and Bubba: twins separated at birth?

 
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Posted by on September 4, 2021 in Animals, Dogs, Folks who help us out, Horses, Nature and Wildlife, Peruvian sheepherders

 

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Summer’s Almost Gone

01 Sep

horses crossing the road

 

It’s not quite time for winter to be coming on, but we’re starting to see yellow leaves and cool mornings. Here’s some photos from the last of our summer days.

bringing up the heifers

buck lambs

Eamon opening the gate

McCoy ready to ride

lambs and ewes near Little Red Park

 

Siobhan’s elk. She had a “depredation” tag for elk eating our alfalfa. That’s alfalfa all around!

 
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Posted by on September 1, 2021 in Animals, Cattle, Family, Folks, Folks who help us out, Horses

 

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