By 6:30, there were eight riders on horseback, on the ranch and starting to move cattle one last time before Branding Day. They found a fence down at the Pole Cat corral, with bulls serving as the culprits that could have let all 430 cows and calves out of the Hospital pasture and back across the ranch. With a quick repair, they moved the cows closer to our house pasture, to be ready for Branding Day roundup.
I prepared brunch for everyone. They were at the house by 10:30. After brunch, everyone scattered to various chores of setting up panels in the Rock House corral, getting branding irons prepped
and at the corral, chopping vegetables, setting up tables, icing down drinks, and prepping for lunch after Branding. We ended the day with supper nachos for supper, gathering wood for a fire, killing a rattlesnake, and making s'mores. It was a good day!
