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Merry Christmas to you and yours!

 

The holidays are here,
The year is almost gone.
Sunset’s coming sooner,
long nights–they linger on.

Christmas on the Ladder Ranch
brings us gifts galore.
Family gathers ‘round us
while Yuletide fires roar.

Deep within the meadows—
summer’s rush to green has passed–
round bales stacked like coins,
winter’s wealth, its shadows cast.

Fair weather birds have fled,
but winter sounds abound,
brave trills of chirping chorus
echo bird-song all around.

Coyotes add their yips and howls
and wail their eerie cries
which echo through the hills
making hackles rise

On man and beast alike.
On Battle Creek, an icy sheen
glows while cracks and groans—
add to winter’s subtle keen.

But here beside the fire,
with its crackle and its roar,
we’re warm and well and happy,
with all we need and more.

There’s children’s cheery laughter—
they cry and yell and shout,
like to scare the coyotes
as they run and tear about.

There’s cows and sheep and horses,
there’s canines large and small—
dreaming Border collie dreams
and guard dogs watching all.

The cows must fill their bellies
with grass hay long since cut,
and raked and baled and scattered
‘long the tractor’s snowy rut.

They’ve calves to grow within them—
throughout the winter’s cold
and await the season’s turning—
winter solstice comes and goes.

And ewes upon the desert
munching daily corn,
awaiting warmth in springtime
when their babies will be born.

In Battle Mountain’s folds,
deer and elk have bedded down.
In hollows under oak brush,
there’s shelter that they’ve found.

We thank the Lord for blessings
for His creatures great and small—
for all of those we care for,
Please Lord, bless us all!

We are grateful for our friends
and kin, found both far and near,
from Ladder Ranch to you and yours,
Merry Christmas! Yuletide Cheer!

 

 

 

 

 
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Posted by on December 25, 2020 in Animals, Cattle, Dogs, Poetry, Sheep

 

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Ides of August

Cows and calves in the Smylie Meadow

Alfalfa windrows

All is green and warm. It’s hard to believe that we are not far away, in time, in temperature, from fall. Soon we will see frosty mornings, golden leaves, and critters headed for lower climes. For now, we hang onto these long sunny days. Each sunrise the sun sneaks south, while we breathe warm breezes, a little longer.


Cora and Sadie, looking ahead

 
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Posted by on August 15, 2017 in Animals, Cattle, Dogs, Events, Farming

 

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more of Still Winter

Icicle and Battle Mountain

Icicle and Battle Mountain

I spoke too soon when I said the winter was just about right, and that we wouldn’t need more additional feed on the Red Desert. We have since had lots of snow and wind. In the mountains, where we live, we have had LOTS of snow. On the Red Desert, where most of the sheep are wintering, we’ve had snow and wind. This is usually a good combination, since the wind  opens up the underlying grasses, but this year we’ve had enough snow to cover up the feed.  At the Home Ranch, we’ve had enough snow that the tractors have been getting stuck, making it hard to feed the cows. Today, Eamon hauled extra feed to the ewes, and we’ve had folks in to unstick the tractors. All the animals have been fed, thanks to lots of time of effort on the part of family and valued employees.

Sheep Mountain

Sheep Mountain

Guard dog looking out for elk

Guard dog looking out for elk

feeding the Central Boiler

feeding the Central Boiler

You can see where the elk have been lovin' our haystack!

You can see where the elk have been lovin’ our haystack!

summer wagons under snow

summer wagons under snow

 

 

 
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Posted by on February 6, 2016 in Dogs, Events, Nature and Wildlife

 

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‘Coon in the Hay

Winter quarters

Winter quarters

 
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Posted by on January 21, 2016 in Animals, Nature and Wildlife

 

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Indian Summer

Antelope under Sheep Mountain

Antelope under Sheep Mountain

Rock structure in Battle Creek--helping out both fish and irrigation

Rock structure in Battle Creek–helping out both fish and irrigation

The Upper Meadow with cows and bales--both ready for winter

The Upper Meadow with cows and bales–both ready for winter

Cows with their calves

Cows with their calves

Ewes and lambs going into the Bull Pasture

Ewes and lambs going into the Bull Pasture

Lots of sheep and one cow grazing in Don's Meadow

Lots of sheep and one cow grazing in Don’s Meadow

Sheep Mountain is an extinct volcano

Sheep Mountain is an extinct volcano

First snow lingers

First snow lingers

 
 

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January 2013

Ranch headquarters

Ranch headquarters

Winter gold

Winter gold

Horses with hay

Horses with hay

 
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Posted by on January 17, 2013 in Animals

 

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