I am passionate about my cowdogs. I’m a zealot and a fanatic. I think about them and talk about them all the time. Just ask T.H. and my friends. I spend hours every day and week working with my dogs. This has been a dream of my cowgirl life. I’m living it. This blog is about living my passions daily in mid-life. In that spirit, here is the […]

T.H. called shortly after leaving the house this morning. “There’s a steer out on the highway. He’s just south of the cattle guard. Why don’t you get Puncher and your 4-wheeler and see if you can get him in.” Woo Hooo!  Me and Puncher, a real mission!!!  By ourselves!! Here comes his always very explicit instructions. “Get around him to the south and […]

Last fall I discovered my talent as a “Snapshot-ographer”.  I even blogged about it RIGHT HERE. Now I am taking my craft to a whole new level. I call them “Hip-Shots”.  Basically I lack ample coordination to focus and shoot whilst simultaneously paying attention to my my duties of assisting TH with the cattle.  I could get wacked by a steer. So I hold my […]

Almost everyday I go out to catch up Paint and Pardner bring them in. They are out in the wheat pasture south of the house. Even if I don’t ride I like to tie them up for awhile and mess with them. It teaches them patience and keeps Paint from eating 24 hours a day. He is […]

I call for the cattle. They turn three into the arena. Puncher locks on the cattle. For me that is the rush.  I send her “Away”.  She stops when she gets to them and looks back at me. Probably waiting for my neurotic evil twin to shout something confusing.  I have silenced her. I “woosh” her […]

Today is Friday (I know it says Tuesday up above. Pretend it’s still last Friday) Tomorrow is Saturday, the first Cowdog Trial of the year. I have practiced Puncher so many times the last few weeks that I think I made her neurotic.  She would just look at me like “What on earth do you want me to do? Woman make up your […]

This is a very philosophical topic. Too much or not enough?  It is right up there with “Is the glass half-full or half-empty?”  I think a person is one or the other.  No matter how hard I try I seem to remain a half-empty person while T.H. is a half-full person.  You would think this […]

. This is usually about the time I tell Tip  “Sorry buddy, you can’t go today”. But not this day. We were moving our steers home to ship the next day. Puncher was still laid up, and it was a short gather and drive down the highway from the neighbors ranch. The weather was cool. Just perfect for […]

Here’s my story:   “On the last day of Roundup,  Puncher became a victim of Mad Cow Disease! She got attacked by a mean, snot throwing, raging mad, mother cow….. and  and  stomped her into the ground…… and and  broke her foot. …… and and….”   Well, not exactly.  We cowgirls and cowboys (mostly cowboys) love to tell stories about […]

After Oklahoma City I had to buy a few head of new practice cattle for Puncher. That is, I wanted to sell some and replace them with cattle that aren’t so wise to the dog training drill. I have to make sure Puncher is really herding them, not simply following them around while they are following me. Who is trained better? Cattle or dog? […]