Dinner Time At Rancho 25...

A couple of nights ago, The Farmer and I headed to Rancho 25, 

 to take some fresh hay to the Longhorn Herd ;) 

The feed on the ranch isn't so good as the weather has gotten hotter. 

 We haven't had our rainy season yet, once that happens, the natural grass will return. 

 For now we are taking feed to them until we can get them moved to a different pasture.

 

They get pretty excited when the fresh alfalfa arrives...

 

After they were fed...

we headed up to the top of a nearby mountain and enjoyed a beautiful sunset... 

It was a very good evening at Rancho 25.

 

Carne Does It Again!

I spent the week in New York City, last week...It was a wonderful week! 

While I was waiting in the airport...getting ready to board 

the plane a text arrived from The Farmer....

 

A little Bull calf was born to our Carne! 

I told The Farmer that he had missed his calling in life...he should have been a Rancher...

our herd is growing without any planning on our part! That's a dream for a Rancher.

 The Farmer was there when the little calf was born. He said that Carne was please to

 bring the calf to him to show The Farmer what a good job she had done.

 I thought that was so sweet!

 

A Growing Herd...

Surprise...Surprise!! 

We discovered yesterday, a new member of our Longhorn family!

 It's a girl...and she is perfectly darling! 

We are still working on a name... 

Violet is mothering well...and we are happy!!! 

Thanks to The Rooster for the fun pictures!

 

Snow Day!...

Today we awoke to beautiful snow!

 It was unexpected but welcome. 

The Rooster is developing into a fantastic photographer! 

This was taken by him at Rancho 25 early this morning. 

The cows don't seem impressed...in fact, they seem pretty bothered!

   

 Another great picture from The Rooster...

   

(Shauna Nielsen)

Introducing A New Animal Into The Herd...

 

Well...It seemed like it would all work out... and in the end it has, but it has taken awhile.

The day we introduced Harvey to the other farm animals was a day that won't soon be forgotten!

We thought that he would do best with the Longhorns, because Harvey

likes to chew off the tails of the horses. We felt pretty certain that he wouldn't

attempt that nasty trick on the Longhorns. But it only took a few seconds upon

 Harvey entering the Longhorn pasture, for the Longhorns to go a little crazy.

I screamed...The Aggie Boy jumped into the pasture to save

poor traumatized Harvey, chased the crazy Longhorns away and

removed Harvey from the pasture and led him to the horse pasture.

The horses seemed interested in Harvey, but the moment the poor guy

entered the horse pasture, it all happened again. The horses chased him..

.bit him...and then after a day...everyone settled down and are now

living happily every after! Only one small detail...

The horses tails are a bit shorter...and Harvey's beautiful flowing mane

of hair and now pretty stubby! We have Reina to thank for that!

 I guess she was a little jealous.

All is well in the farm family now!

 

Welcome Tina!

 

Born yesterday,

March 25, 2014,

Augustina "Tina You Fat Lard"

 Mother and Baby are great!

 

 

 

The Herd is a little upset.

 There was some chasing and roping that had to be done yesterday...

and they don't like that!

But they all seem settled today.

 

 

 

Ramses may never be the same...

yesterday he realized that his Mama is now nursing his little sister.

He was pretty sad about that!

It's a bummer to grow up into a very large bull!

Mother's Day.....Weekend.....

 

One of the perks of living in Mexico is Mother's Day. Mother's Day in Mexico and Mother's Day in the US are on different days...and that means a weekend long celebration!!!

Mother's Day in Mexico is a very very big deal!!

Our celebrations began with a quick trip to El Paso...

While there....The Farmer purchased a small gift...something I had been wanting

since The Brotherhood made a trip to The Ranch during Spring Break....

I LOVE it!!!...by the way!

 

.

 

Saturday we awoke to the sound of the phone ringing...it was the Missionary Boy..

.calling to let us know what time we would be Skyping on Mother's Day.

 He had 30 minutes to talk...and it was wonderful!!!

 To hear his voice was the best!

 

PreShie made me a whole plate of chocolate covered strawberries...

which were divine!

 

 

We have been trying to finish up some work on our house...and I have been waiting for this for a very long time! Mother's Day weekend...it was nearly done!!! Another great gift!

 

 

Sunday morning...The Farmer return home from his early morning meeting... ready to talk to The Missionary Boy...as he came in...he had a funny look on his face...when I asked what was wrong...he held up his cel. phone which had a picture on it...the baby bull calf...Ramses... had been born!!! We weren't expecting that to happen for awhile... A very fun Mother's Day gift!

 

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The very very best part of Mother's Day was talking to the Missionary Boy!

 He will be home in four short months...I can hardly believe it!! He sounded great! We laughed...we cried...we talked about this incredible experience that has been his...the mission. We talked about what he has learned...his testimony...and how it breaks he heart to think if leaving a place he has loves. It's the people he loves...it is hard to leave those you have served.

 It was an incredible day!! We attended church in a small branch that is patiently waiting for their new small building to be completed. Right now they meet in a very small home, that isn't meant to be a church. What special people they are.

 We returned home to a wonderful meal, prepared by the men in the family.

Mother's Day weekend...was very very nice!!

Their Trip To The Fair.....

 

The fair has come and gone....It rolls into town a little more than a week before the 16 of September...Mexico's Independence Day. We have been going to this fair for years....since The Darlings were Little Darlings. The Farmer's Father really loved the fair and was very often the reason that we attended. Some years he even participated in the annual rodeo, while we sat in the stands and watched. This time of year is also the time of year that The Farmer's Father passed away. In fact, the year he died, the local cowboys invited The Farmer's family to the rodeo...at the fair...where they had a moment of silence in his honor. The cowboys all wore black arm bands in his memory, it was a tender gesture from a group of his good friends. That was 18 years ago this year.

 

 

A couple of weeks ago...The Farmer informed me that he had "loaned" the Longhorn Family to the fair...and that they would be on display for 10 days at the fair grounds. How they got the Longhorn Family to the fair and into their pens, is beyond me...that is what I should have photographed! Their horns are getting long! After they had been moved we went to the fairgrounds to check on them.

 

 

They were confused and a little upset...there was loud music playing and they didn't seem to like that too much. Carne (the mom) was the most upset. The Farmer assured me that after a couple of days they would settle down and they would be fine.

 

 

 

The Darlings visited them a couple of times...while at the fair with their friends. It was fun to see the Longhorn Family on display. Now...had you told me when I was growing up, that one day I would have four Longhorns at the town fair...I am pretty sure I would have not believed it...but...I guess alot of things happen in our lives that we didn't really plan on happening;) The Longhorn family are home now...comfortably grazing in their pasture. We visited them last night and they seem quite content. We are glad they are home...safe and sound!;)

 

A Round-Up For One...The Final Installment...

Before I get started on the "final installment" of the round-up...I will apologize for the graphic nature of a couple of the pictures....it is life on The Farm for us...we have seen it and experienced it many times...but I will say that the first round-up I was present at...was a little overwhelming. But now...It doesn't bother me too much. Back to the story... Chencho was finally roped and because he is pretty big. The ropes remained on him...and the horses in place while the branding happened. When they are smaller...they can often be restrained without all the ropes.



This is when the seasoned cowboy...Chato...does what he came to do. Chato worked for The Farmer's Father for many years...he is very experienced. He now works for one of The Farmer's brothers taking care of his ranch. There wasn't anyone more perfect for this delicate;) job than Chato.
  He seemed happy to help!

The brand that had been heated in the fire..which was close by...was ready for use. I learned through this experience that brand placement is important...who knew???...Now that our herd is growing...I guess it will be important for me to know;) The cowboy who actually did the branding..seemed to have some technique...he did this rolling thing with the brand, which made sure Chencho has a very clear brand on his side.

The brand...Bar, Keyhole, Bar...belongs to Uncle Penguin's ranch. He was nice enough to let us use it. Chencho was very cooperative, I wondered what he was thinking about everything that was happening to him. Hopefully he wasn't thinking to much!



Once the branding was done...the most important part of the process began. Chato the cowboy worked quickly, thankfully he had done this for many years...and so exercised great skill. It was quick...and the whole cowboy crew stood by watching.



The results of the event...(above..)
Not sure what more there is to say about that...



The men removed the ropes from Chencho...the cowboy crew stepped away...and like nothing at all had happened...Chencho jumped up...and started to walk away.



...Relieved to finally be let go...I wonder what Chencho was thinking now...
"what in the heck just happened to me...??"



He made it back to his Dad...Nacho...and Nacho checked him out...licked him a few times...and then they walked off together and started doing, what they do best...eating.  I wonder if the father and son had a conversation.  If they did, I think it would go like this...."He Dad...", "yes, son...", "what in the heck just happened to me..?", "I really have no idea...I am just glad it wasn't me..." The Cowboy Crew gathered their things...they stood around to discuss the events of the branding.
  They had a few laughs...they shook their heads...and...

They ended the whole round-up event...like all round-up's in Mexico...with a little "lunch"! No part was wasted...and I do mean no part!!...I decided I should go, before someone offered me some "lunch" too...