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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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The snowman sees his shadow

Six more weeks of winter...at least!

Six more weeks of winter…at least!

 
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Posted by on February 2, 2016 in 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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More Winter

Adolfo as St. Nick ( the snow was too deep to drive the cake to the waiting critters. Note the magpie who was riding the grub line.

Adolfo as St. Nick ( the snow was too deep to drive the cake to the waiting critters)

 

 

I feel like I’ve stepped into “Dr. Zhivago” with piles of deep snow everywhere. It’s more like an old-fashioned winter, and we are glad to have lots of hay in the stacks. Luckily the temperatures aren’t very cold (relatively speaking) and it just keeps snowing. I know this is making our friends in California very happy! Glad to help out, folks, but you could come help shovel the sidewalks!

 

winter waiting

Note the magpie who was riding the grub line.

 

Llamas on the feed line

Llamas on the feed line

waiting for feed in the Wyoming Field

waiting for feed in the Wyoming Field

 

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Sadie the Border collie, Ranch Supervisor

Sadie supervising the bucks going up the hill

Sadie supervising the bucks going up the hill

X marks the spot, sheep

X marks the spot

Quoth the crow, "Nevermore"

Quoth the crow, “Nevermore”

 
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Posted by on January 12, 2015 in Animals, Nature and Wildlife, Sheep

 

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Winter’s comin’ on

It begins. 10 p.m. on October 3rd.

It begins. 10 p.m. on October 3rd.

Honeysuckle bushes at 7 a.m., October 4th.

Honeysuckle bushes at 7 a.m., October 4th.

first big snow

Haystack with flags, 8 a.m., October 4th.

 
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Posted by on October 4, 2013 in Events

 

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First Snow

As my Dad used to say, "We've got one winter and only one summer ahead of us." photo by Eamon O'Toole

As Grandpa George used to say, “We’ve got two winters and only one summer ahead of us.”
photo by Eamon O’Toole

 
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Posted by on September 27, 2013 in Events, Nature and Wildlife

 

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Fools and newcomers

Powder Flat headquarters in winter

Powder Flat headquarters in winter

At this time two years ago, we were buried in snow and wondering how we would make it to green grass without buying a lot more expensive feed.  As it turned out, green grass was even further out than we imagined.  We quit feeding in early June, but would have kept it up if we hadn’t run out of hay. It flooded most of the summer–rivers and meadows alike, as we scrambled to grow hay and save structures.

Last year, the winter was mild all the way through, but in March, we were thinking we could count on the spring rains.  Again we were reminded of the the old saw, “only fools and newcomers predict the weather”–and we didn’t think we fit in either category.  The last rain came on May 2nd (I remembered because we had just started to shear) and didn’t see dark clouds again until early July.

That turned out to be part of a wide-spread drought–one that affected other parts of the country much more severely than it did us.  The resulting spike in corn prices is haunting us still.

So far, the winter has been an “easy winter”–the kind we used to pray for.  We haven’t had to buy much extra feed, which is lucky because, largely due to the drought, hay and grain are at record prices.  Last year’s dry spring has made us cautious though.  The federal and state land management agencies have been sending out letters warning of possible cut-backs in grazing for sheep and cattle.

Tonight the time springs forward.  One of the neighbors asked me, “Are you hoping for spring?”

My reply–“Actually, I’m hoping for a little more winter.”

winter crew with young horse

winter crew with young horse

Huey, the young stud

Huey, the young stud

tres caballow

tres caballos

dos black baldies

dos black baldies

heifers at Powder Flat

heifers at Powder Flat

winter heifers

winter heifers

early lamber

early lamber

twins!

twins!

pregnant ewes at Powder Flat

pregnant ewes at Powder Flat

antelope in sage

antelope in sage

 

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Winter: a poem by Siobhan Lally

icesicle, barn

Winter

The hay so gold
The snow so white
The sky so blue
The sun so bright

The north wind howls
The ice slabs creak
The deer stand silent
The coyotes sneak

By Siobhan Lally (8)
February 2013

 
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Posted by on February 26, 2013 in Animals, Events, Nature and Wildlife, Poetry

 

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