Ocotillo

The relatively moist spring has produced blooms unlike we've seen in years.  As I returned to the ranch from Tucson on Wednesday afternoon, I passed blooming ocotillo on both sides of the road, thousands of them!  Beautiful!

Doc's Wound

Early Sunday morning, Papa and I woke to a giant crack of lightning.  It felt as if it was just a few feet from the house.  Papa got up to be sure a fire wasn't started.  At daylight, we saw our horse, Doctor in the house yard.  Light rain was falling, so Papa waited about an hour before letting Doctor through the gate.  Later in the morning, he tightened the fence and we didn't think more about it. 

Around 6 on Monday evening, Papa came to the house and said he needed my help.  He believes when the lightning struck, our horses were within a few feet and they were frightened.  It appears Doc rared up and came down on a T-post.  He has a fist size puncture wound where his back right leg meets his belly. 

I drove the truck to the corral while Papa walked Doc down the hill.  We hooked up the horse trailer and Papa took Doc to our nearest neighbor for help.  The wound was gaping and in such an awkward spot, that they thought the best thing to do was put antibiotic salve on it, and watch Doc a few days. 

Papa stayed home on Tuesday when I went to Tucson for BGC, so he could check on Doc every couple of hours.  He's been doing various chores at the corral yesterday and today, to stay nearby.  

Doc is limping and doesn't feel good.  I checked on him this morning.  Poor Doctor!

Got Mail

We received mail from both Toby and Greta.  Toby sent a postcard, postmarked in Iceland, 

on their layover to Amsterdam.  He colored the horse, the geyser, and the eagle.

Greta made this piece of art for us, with heart cutouts and a drawing of "Lulu, Greta, and a cow."

We love getting mail!

Pregnant Mamas

The Hospital Pasture just to the north and west of our house, has 150+ pregnant mama cows 2 years and older.  Papa and I hiked in that pasture this morning.  The cows were hanging out around the dirt tank.  They watched us for awhile before they ran the other way.  They looked fat and happy!

Wind Turbines

Renewable energy is coming to our view.  Over the past few months, two renewable energy projects have been started near us.  One is a square mile of solar panels directly to our south.  The other is a wind turbine project to our east, on Warbonnet Ranch.  We can now see the tops of two cranes from our garage porch, so Papa and I rode our Ranger over to check it out.  A lot of dirt has been moved and a lot of expensive equipment is on site and was moving about.  The good news... renewable energy is certainly cleaner than the alternatives used by our local electric company (as it spews dirty smoke), and thousands of people are working on the technology and installations.  The down side for us is that our view is changed forever.   It is a small price to pay for cleaner air!

Driving the Truck Home

Papa and I drove the Ranger to Colter's barn yesterday morning, to pick up Papa's truck and horse trailer.  I drove the Ranger home and Papa drove the truck, pulling the horse trailer.  It's slow!

Long Day

Papa was up at 4 yesterday morning, to meet Colter and other cowboys at 6:30.  They met at Colter's barn, then drove to the west end of our ranch.  They gathered cows and moved them toward the pastures we call Hospital and Buck Knob.  The move was in anticipation of calving season, which has begun!  I watched through the day from home, going up in the tower, out on our upstairs decks, always looking through binoculars.  Around 4, I saw cowboys on horseback in the Buck Knob pasture, about 1 mile from our house.  They look like ants on a log!  A few minutes later, I saw one lone cowboy coming up the road toward home.  It was Papa!  He had a very long day!

Around the House

We were at our Tucson house over the past day, to volunteer at the Boys and Girls Club, 

and for a couple of appointments.  This is the most beautiful spring in our memory.  

I took these photos as I walked around our house.

 

 

Hawk Overhead

We had a wonderful trip to the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Rock Art Ranch, and Old Oraibi this week.  Back on the ranch, I hiked to the Rock House and then down into the Buck Knob pasture.  Our first year heifers were moving all about the pasture near our house and were on the ridge to Fairchild Dam.  Papa was riding Doc.  Just as I neared the gate into Buck Knob pasture, a hawk circled me for several minutes.  It was a treat and a reminder of the beauty that surrounds us!

Side Trips to Old Oraibi and Red Mesa

A few more things from our trip to northern Arizona over the past few days... 

elk at the Grand Canyon,

Old Oraibi, a Hopi village founded before 1100 AD, and the oldest continuously 

inhabited settlement in the United States, 

  Red Mesa,

blooms on hedgehog cactus at Rock Art Canyon Ranch,

 and Chevelon Creek Bridge, the second oldest bridge in Arizona, built in 1913.