A Fair Time

We've been home for a couple weeks. It's been nice to be off the road.

We've both been staying busy with home and trucking chores, but despite the work, it's still been a fair time.

A few of the things we've been up to:

Aren't these gorgeous? Makes me think of Christmas. Know what they are?

They are called Buffalo Berries and Malcolm and I went and picked a couple of quarts. That's all we got because we weren't sure we'd even like the jelly, plus the bushes have some lethal thorns and we got tired of being pricked and scratched up. But it turns out I LOVE the way the jelly tastes! Strange berries! When you boil them and then squeeze out the juice, you get a bowl of milky white liquid that smells kind of odd. But then you add sugar and cook it and it turns a pretty shade of orangy pink and taste sweet and tart. I spent an afternoon in the kitchen and ended up with three pretty jars....

...of very runny jelly, even after a second round in the pot and adding more fruit pectin. Oh well. It was fun making it, even if it is too runny (even for syrup).

I also spent a couple afternoons working on a quilting project, trying to rebuild my confidence to attack the Civil War quilt again. I've been wary of triangles and piece work ever since my catastrophe with that one block, over a year ago, and haven't touched it sense. But I felt like working on something so I pulled out a table runner pattern that I'd been collecting fabrics for and decided to give it a whirl. It was fun, and easy, and my corners don't meet up perfectly in a couple places, but it still turned out pretty good. I have a little more confidence now. It helped that my mother-in-law loaned me her sewing machine, which is better than mine. I think I might need an upgrade.

I've spent a lot of time in the kitchen these past couple weeks. We've been eating pretty good, and I've had fun cooking. I went through my cabinets and freezer and listed all the things I had on hand because some of my stock needs to be used. I figured out some menu plans that I had everything for (only needed a handful of ingredients from the store to make it all work). Some things were just so-so, and some was really good. These mashed potato patties were one of the good things.

I've been missing my family and old home in Tennessee a lot lately, so I've been going for comfort food that reminds me of home there. One of the things I've learned to enjoy a lot is some tea my mom starting making a couple years ago and I enjoyed it so much I started making it at home. I make a pitcher of green tea, and throw in a couple tea bags of some flavored black tea. My current favorite is blackberry sage. I like it unsweetened, but I also like to add a half cup of honey (I make 2 quarts of tea) to it to give it just a bit of sweetness, and the honey compliments the blackberry nicely. It's cool and refreshing.

While I've been doing all this, Malcolm was helping with haying and then went to work on the truck. The truck needed a better radiator because it was having trouble staying cool. So we put the new radiator in and he's done some other things too. Also been at work on our two trailers that needed some work. Just like in any business, our equipment is in constant need of maintenance and such. Wish it didn't take up so much of his time, but I'm glad he enjoys mechanic work so much. It's a good thing. I've been helping him a lot this last week on his jobs, and took on a project all by myself. I disassembled the old radiator so we could take it in for scrap. You get more credit if they are already disassembled.

Work, work, work, and stressing a bit over the gray truck. It's been on the lot in Billings trying to find a new owner. We were a little bit on pins and needles because the payoff was coming up fast and we didn't want to have to make it. So we were just beside ourselves when we got a call Thursday and the dealership informed us that the truck was sold! ONE day before the payout was going to have to be sent in! Talk about cutting it close, but we're not complaining!

To celebrate, we went to town on Friday and visited the Fallon County Fair! OK, I was celebrating and Malcolm was indulging me. He's not a big fair kind of guy, but he is good about taking me and enjoying it with me.

We went to the fair last year, on Sunday, for the rodeo, but at that point, being the last day, most people had packed up their exhibits and gone home, so I wanted to make sure I got in to see them this year.

The Fallon County Fair is not big by some standards, but it's a nice fair. The advantage of not being huge is that you don't get jostled around by a lot of people, and yet it's still big enough to draw in some nice performers and stuff. We were there at lunch time on Friday so it wasn't very crowded at all. Perfect conditions for me!
First stop, LUNCH! Fair food around here means these really yummy Indian Tacos...

...but I didn't think I could eat a whole one at the time, so I had a Spartan Taco, which is basically a taco in a Doritos bag...with the Doritos. Yum!

Then it was on to the exhibit hall to see what people had brought in.

They had brought in a lot of stuff! There was quite a variety of things! I enjoyed seeing all the vegetables from area gardens.

And of course I was drawn to all the flowers.

 This was my favorite arrangement. I thought it was very creative, bright, and cheerful!

Quilts! You'd never guess I'd have found my way to this corner, would you?

After the exhibit hall, it was on to the building with the animals. And on the way, we paused to look over the machinery they had on display.

I never get tired of the farm animals! The sounds, the sights, even the smells, which I know many people find unappealing. But I've never minded the odor of cattle and horses, and just farm smells in general.

The goats drew me in first, not just because they were the first group we came across, but because they are goats and they just have a way of demanding attention.

Goats never fail to entertain me...and make Malcolm groan. I think he dreads the day I get mine...

 as he frequently points out goats along the roadside that have escaped their confines, and others who are standing on things they probably shouldn't be (like cars).

But he does this with a smile and a laugh in his voice, so I know he's not going to deny me the fun of having a couple of dairy goats when the time comes.

Malcolm is always drawn to the sheep. He harbors a deep love for sheep, and often tells stories of long cold nights in the lambing barn, or makes references to one sheep related adventure or another.

 He spent quite a bit of time admiring the sheep, and talking to different ones, and judging their personalities by their reaction to having a visitor.

 A quick glance at the pigs....

...and then it was on to poultry!!!

 Quite a variety of chickens, ducks, and rabbits. It was fun to walk through and see them all. And then we ran across these three geese who were taking a nap, balanced on one foot and with their heads tucked in. So peaceful...

...until we arrived. Malcolm was saying something about how geese don't like him, and as we paused by their cage, the front one suddenly looked up at him, and the next thing we knew, the three were raising cane and making the biggest racket, I'm sure everyone in the building thought we'd done something to them!

After that, we were pretty much done. We'd seen some neat things, run into some people we knew, and had a good time. But it was time to say goodbye to the fair for another year...

...and head home to do some more chores, like laundry!

Today and tomorrow is "gather things together and pack the truck" time because we're hitting the road again Monday morning. We've been home two weeks, but it feels like longer than that. I feel like it's been a good long break, and I'm actually looking forward to going back to work. I feel rejuvenated and ready to tackle the road and go back with a force and drive hard and make money! Hope it works that way!

I've neglected reading blogs while I was home and I just discovered this morning that a friend of mine is doing a giveaway, and it's a pretty neat one! It's her blog anniversary and to celebrate she's got a pretty nifty little package put together. All that's required is a comment, but I thought I'd go ahead and share it, even though it means more competition for me. You can check out the possibilities at A Life on Dreams and a Prayer.

Jeep Rides

Malcolm's first "car" was a jeep. He still has it though we haven't had it out in a long time, and I think it's in need of some work. But when we met, that was his vehicle and we used it to get around the ranch during my visit. It was lots of fun!

Malcolm loves jeeps! So when my dad shared with him that he was getting rid of his, Malcolm asked to buy it. And a year and a half ago we hauled it home to Montana. If you really need to know details like year, model, etc, ask me in comments and I'll find out for you. But he's out of the truck right now, and I don't know anything about it other than it's red.

He loves to take the jeep out. So when we need to go somewhere on the ranch that's distant, he often opts to take the jeep instead of going on a four wheeler. And one evening while we were home, he came to the house and asked if I wanted to ride along with him to check a water tank and pump that he and his Dad had been working on. My answer is almost always yes. I enjoy getting out, and I enjoy the jeep rides with him, as does Lucy.

she loves to go anywhere as long as she's going!

 It is a windy, dusty ride. I honestly think I come back to the house with more dust on me than if I had been on a four wheeler. It just kind of circulates in there with us. But it's still a fun way to travel around the ranch and surrounding area.

nice hair, huh? You wouldnt' believe the tangled mess it is when we're done, even though it's pulled back.

He drives. Lucy and I take in the scenery...

...and admire the wildlife.

bull snake

prong horn antelope

This particular well pump was down the road a ways. This time of day is the perfect lighting for good pictures. The sun is especially at a nice angle for self portraits.

I have heard a lot of people say that they don't like this part of the country. That driving through Nebraska and Kansas and the Dakotas bores them out of their minds. How? I never get tired of looking at the open plains! There is always something to see and admire, even if your admiring the fact that there is nothing!

I could look at it all day long!

We arrived at the windmill, where the cows had gathered. Looked like a meeting of some sort going on.

This was our destination. He just had to check some things real quick. The cows wondered off upon our arrival, and went back to grazing, but this one gal came back to get a drink and stuck around to watch the show. They are such curious critters.

favorite picture of the evening

Just a few minutes, and Malcolm had the job done. On a hot day on the dry plains, the sound of running water is a sweet thing.

We stayed a few minutes to watch and enjoy the moment, and then headed back home to wrap up the days chores.

Antelope! They are funny creatures!

Unlike a deer that will leap over a fence, or dive through it, and veer off in a perpendicular direction to where a vehicle is going to get away, antelope race you. They are trying to get away, but rarely does it seem to occur to them to just turn left or right. They run with you, and try to get ahead of you before turning away. It really is something to watch and they can really run when they mean it! I snapped a few pictures of the race and then had the idea to video it just in time to catch the tail end of our race. This herd stayed with us for quite a while. So here's a short clip of these antelope racing us in the jeep. You might want to turn your sound down if your hearing is sensitive because the jeep is noisy.

We left the house Thursday and went back to work. This is the end of my home time posts. After this one, your back on the road with us.

Summer Swimming

I'm not much of a water person. Well, I like to sit next to the water and look at it. I enjoy the ocean, but prefer lakes and rivers.

I don't like to get in.
I'll dabble my toes, or wade up to my knees, or go out in a boat, but I don't like to get in the water.

Now, my parent's swimming pool is a different story. I'll get submerged there. I guess in my adulthood I've developed an aversion to bodies of water with "things" in it. But even at the pool, I'm not a "spend the day" kind of gal. I've never been one to lay out for a tan, or float in the pool. I get bored...fast. I don't even like to soak in the tub. Boring!

And I'm way off where I was going with this, and it's getting a little too personal, so lets get back on track.

On occasion, I'll suddenly have a strong yearning to go swimming. It doesn't happen often. And going alone isn't much fun. Saturday was one of the warmest days so far this summer, and the wind was relatively calm, and I suddenly thought it would be nice to go for a swim.

I haven't done that yet here at the ranch, but Malcolm's shown me where he and his sisters would go swimming when they were younger, just above the beaver dam down by the barns. Yeah....water with "things" in it....and black stinky Montana mud. (and you  haven't smelled stinky mud till you've smelled it here. There's coal in the ground here and I'm told that is the culprit, I imagine along with all those "things" that are in the water.)

So, a desire to swim, but Malcolm was busy and I don't like to go alone. If you can't go swimming with your spouse, then who better but your best friend?

We've never done this before, but Malcolm and his sisters have in the past with their colts. I thought it sounded fun. I asked Malcolm how he used to get the horses to go in the water. He couldn't remember.

I took a handful of cookies with which to coax him in. I thought I'd have to do some persuading. Boy was I wrong!

What I had to do was hang on for dear life, because I thought we'd make a careful and gradual entrance in order to ascertain what "things" might be in there with us, but Sky stuck his toes in the water proceeded to plow on past me and drag me in with him.....

.....out into the deepest parts which I really was not prepared for! So much for my coaxing him into a gradual entrance, and I couldn't keep a good hold on the lead rope and the handful of cookies at the same time, so today some beaver or duck is enjoying some apple flavored horse cookies that are a little bit mushy.

He was absolutely hilarious! I had no idea he'd like it so much! Maybe I would have thought so if it was scorching hot, but it was only in the mid-80's, so it's not like we were suffering from heat exhaustion.

He played and splashed and even laid down in the shallows at one point. I had so much fun laughing at him. And I think he had fun too, probably laughing at me. I was not as graceful as he was.

He seemed to really enjoy it, and seemed to enjoy being in there with me, though maybe I'm just imagining that. But he had lots of slack on the lead rope, and still kept close to me, a couple times nearly running me over because I couldn't get my footing.

A few times when we were in deep water, I tried to get on his back. He was so slippery I couldn't get all the way over him before he slid out from under me. But finally I managed to get up on him almost all the way....

an attempt to get on

...and that's where the fun ended. He was not impressed with the new "game" and made fast tracks (as fast as he could through the water) for shore. I couldn't get scooted up into the right spot because he was slippery and I couldn't get seated and turn him at the same time. He got to knee deep water before I could get him turned and I decided the best choice for me at that point was to abandon ship.

I think it was a good choice, because he hit the shore at a dead run and high tailed it back to his crew waiting at the fence over by the corrals. Apparently he'd had enough swimming for one day.

Regardless, I seriously have not had that much fun in quite a while. Most of the time I couldn't get on his back because I was laughing! I had such a good time, it didn't even bother me that we were swimming with "things."

I thought we might go for another swim today, maybe let Reba and Gemma have a turn too, but the wind is wailing outside. It's nasty to be out, even if it would feel good to cool off.

Maybe tomorrow. It's supposed to hit the high 90's. Might even get into the 100's on Tuesday I read. Guess summer is really here. But we're probably returning to work on Wednesday and the wind is supposed to blow for the next several day. Maybe I'll make it home enough to get some more swim time in before fall weather arrives.

Yep, swimming with my pal, Sky. I have so much fun with him from the ground, I probably wouldn't care if I never got to ride him. He really is one of my best friends. I love that horse!

Gone to the Birds

Last night was so peaceful after a day of high winds and blowing dirt.

Around 9:00pm, Malcolm had just come in and finished getting cleaned up, and I was getting ready to fix him something to eat, when his dad came knocking on our door. He was clearly excited about something, as he told me that Malcolm and I should come on the four wheeler to the bridge and to bring my camera.

Then he hurried off.

So, we rushed out the door, dressed in our evening comfies, me in flip flops and he in boots with no socks on. He trotted off to the barn to get the jeep, while I got distracted from my hurrying by a really pretty sunset (as seen above). His shouted "hurry up Sarah" brought me back to earth.

Down the road we went, dirt flying behind us (and above us, and past us, because the wind was still blowing a bit. So much for having cleaned up for the day). We saw four wheeler brake lights ahead in the evening gloom, and I got distracted again while admiring the silhouette of an owl just down the road from where the four wheeler was stopped.

hazard of photography in a bumpy jeep. It's a whole other ball game from trucking photography

I love owls. They are so elusive, we rarely see them but for maybe their shadow caught in the headlights as they float bast the truck windows after dark. I love to sit out at night and listen to them call back and forth. Mom and I used to sit on her porch and listen to them calling in the woods on the mountainside behind her house.

Malcolm's dad, by this time, was standing in the weeds up by the fence, and suddenly something started fluttering around by his feet.

this is his "get the hell away from me" face

Apparently Malcolm's dad had been out checking cows or something and had seen this not so little guy out on the road. And then Junior, in his "not quite together" flying attempt, had fluttered over into the fence. That was Mom or Dad that was on the electric pole down the road. She was calling out to Junior and clacking her beak at us.

Junior was carrying on his own percussion solo with beak clacking. He was doing his best to make himself look and sound threatening.

Isn't he gorgeous? Malcolm and his dad got Junior away from the fence so he'd not get tangled in it again, and as we backed off, he took off........for a few feet......and landed on a cluster of reeds.....right in the middle of the water of a beaver pond.

At this point, it was a little dark for photography, plus I promised Malcolm I wouldn't take pictures. We were going to just leave him there, but neither of us felt good about it. He clearly wasn't good at this flying thing yet, and to get out of the water, he was going to have to fly several yards and up instead of horizontally as seemed to be his only skill. There were steep banks on either side of the pond/creek. So my hero husband, rolled up his pant legs and took off his boots and waded into the calf deep water and black oozing mud (and our mud really stinks around here....really....it STINKS!) to fetch Junior out of the weeds and back onto dry land.

Mama was still nearby fussing over the interference so as soon as we got him away from a certain drowning, we backed off again. As we started to pull away in the jeep, we were admiring the adult owl on the electric pole. She suddenly took off and flew to some trees nearby. And when we looked back, Junior was gone. We were a bit worried he might have landed in the water again, but we couldn't see him anywhere. So we're choosing to believe he headed to the trees with his parent.

I spent some time this morning digging around on the internet looking at pictures of other juvenile owls for our area. This one, by all appearances is a Great Horned Owl, one of the most common species of owls. Did you know they are one of the only animals that will kill skunks? I thought that was interesting.

no comments please on the red reindeer pants! I might get in trouble for posting this and you'll only make it worse by teasing!

So, hawks, orioles, and now owls. I know your used to an overload of horse pictures when we're at home, but it looks like this time we've gone to the birds!


Speaking of orioles, the same day of the male oriole spotting, I was folding clothes in the bedroom and heard a beautiful bird song outside my window. I slipped over to peak out and see who was singing to me, and guess who was there? Mrs. Oriole! She wasn't as flashy as the Mr. but her song is oh so pretty! I'm thrilled to have a pair! They've been singing to me all week, and I've spotted the male several times. If you missed his picture, it's at the end of the following post, right after all the new baby hawk pictures are. And if you really need a horse picture fix and missed them earlier this week, they are in the post following the one following this one.