We have a recurring  situation with a ‘water gap’. A water gap is a stretch of fence that crosses a creek. Twice this spring it has rained buckets which causes the creek to rise quickly and all the floating debris demolishes the ‘water gap’. ‘Debris’ as in logs and trees not ‘debris’ as in garbage. […]

We gathered and  shipped our big steers to the sale barn for auction tomorrow. I thought you might like to come along for the ride. It was a glorious spring morning in Kansas. Mid-April and knee-deep grass in places. Spring came a month early in the Heartland.  T.H. is giving instructions to the cowboys (and […]

Last Friday was a “Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” for me and Puncher and Paint. (And T.H. too.)  We go out first thing to ‘work’ the steers we bought at the auction on Thursday.  Puncher does the foot work. She brings them up from the back pens to the chute where T.H. is getting all […]

Spring came early in Kansas. Blessed Spring. And green grass.  Puncher has more work/play to do everyday.  We have been really busy sorting and moving cattle around.   I am perfecting my “Hip Shots”  technique while loading the stock trailer with her.I just hold my pocket camera at waist level, while it is set on […]

I thought I would take you all with me on an afternoon of work/play for Paint, Puncher and me. I say work/play because it is ranch work. T.H. considers it work. I know it’s work. But for me, it’s what I live for. We unload at the pens and ride out to the cattle on a wheat […]

Sometimes people are involved in competition with me and they aren’t even aware of it. For instance, this guy Andy, at a recent Cattle Dog Clinic. I pulled up in my Subaru with my two dogs crated in the back.  Andy pulls up with his six dogs crated in the back of his truck and […]

Tip Dear Friends, One week after I posted the blog about  This Old Dog, Tip ,  he left me behind and went to the other side.   There was an accident and he was gone.  I was unprepared for the extent of my grief. I wasn’t ready.  I was happy taking care of my old friend […]

Does anyone remember Ralph E Wolf and Sam the Sheepdog ? From Looney Tunes? ( Ralph is really Wile E Coyote, in case you didn’t know) The other day when  Puncher and I were moving pairs, images of  Ralph and Sam waltzed right into my noggin. You see, when Puncher sets out to move cattle, they “skee-daddle.” […]

In the Cowgirl World, a “Saddle Series” is a series of  horse competitions over time with the winner taking home a new trophy saddle. Barrel Racing, Cutting, Ranch Sorting.  All western events have them. The saddles are highly prized in the horse kingdom.  I’ve never won one.  I may buy one on EBay someday. My […]

I have always used an older well behaved dog (if I had one) to facilitate my puppy training. It’s not exactly training as in “sit”, “come”and “stay”. The older dog serves to ease the puppy into his many “First Times”. First night in the kennel:  I put my good old quiet dog, Tip, in the pen next to Ace for company. Tip has performed as […]