Last moments on the ranch :(

Well, this is it- my last ranch blog for the summer. I believe I will try to keep my blog up, but it won't be as detailed, and of course- won't have a whole lot of ranch info:( Sad day, but I'll do what I can!

My last day of work was a long one. We did chores as usual, and there wasn't a whole lot out of the ordinary going on. It was going to be a day to go to the hay field, but before we had to do the morning stuff. We help Ross get headed out with the chisel (the summer fallow really needed dug up again), bagged oats, moved vehicles around, got Ross's pickup out to him... and the rest of things that make you dink around and not get to where your going on time.

Before we even go to the field we came across some cow tracks and then a down wire..and then a cow. It looked like quite a few had been out there at the east corner of chief bears but she was the only one around in the hay millet. So, we played chase the cow with the pickup until we got her to run back through the fence- of course not at the same place that it was already down in the first place. We fixed both spots and decided that a pack of dogs probably ran the cows through that corner spot...nice. Apparently there are enough dogs around that aren't fed (not too hard to believe) that they pack up and do stuff like that once in a while. By the time we made it to the field and greased up, fueled up, and blew all the air filters clean it was like 10 or 10:30...but hey we got there.

We hayed until about 1:00 when we noticed Glen's cows had broke through the fence by the well and were out on the alfalfa we baled a day earlier. So, we quit and chased them back in. They had broken a post to get to the bales and we didn't have anything to fix it with, so Merle called the sale barn and they got ahold of Glen. He came out later and when we saw him we went down and helped put the post in and the fence back up. It was actually kinda nice because I got to see him before I left! So after we got all the girls back where they belong (at least temporarily) we hayed until about four when we finally finished up that field. We got about a bale an acre- for second cutting I think we did pretty good.

So, we went back to that windmill that Merle took apart the other day and put it back together. This time he had his little saftey belt so I didn't feel so bad about standing and watching him as the windmill whooshed around:s He managed to get it put back together on top, and then I lifted the darn thing so we could get it all hooked back up to the dumb and Voia La! After a few minutes of putting stuff away it worked. :) So we took off for home and did the evening chores. Here I am, on the last day on the ranch and my horse shows up with a swollen leg. I have no idea what he did or what stung/ poked him- but it was swollen. He didn't act lame at all, so I just put some DMSO on it and gave him some butte...who knows! Well, those two ate and I chatted with Ross for a bit and then went in to change clothes so that I could bring Merle into town to get the new pickup that we left in town the day before (forgot to mention that) to get a different trailer plug put in before we took off east river.

We got to town and sat down at the restuarant to have some supper- sometime during all of our conversing and chatting Ross and I had a minsunderstanding and he thought that Merle and I were coming for supper and I thought we weren't...so needless to say when Ross called looking for us things didn't go so well. But, I took the blame for it because I probably said the wrong thing and messed stuff up, I lost my appetite and felt awful, but that's how life goes.

By the time we got home I was soo shot- I definitly needed to pack, but instead I just went to bed and got up earlier this morning and ate and packed first thing. Merle did chores and got the pickup ready and all the other stuff while I packed and cleaned up the house. By the time we got it all loaded in the trailer and backed down in the yard we were already behind schedule...lol imagine that, I couldn't get out of there on time. We ended up loading up two horses. I got to thinking about how good of a babysitter Ace is for Joe, and how Merle was going to have to bring
Ace back out to pasture with the mares and thought maybe he could be put to good use. So, we decided it wouldn't be a half bad idea and loaded them up. lol- only I would last minute take someone's horse like that- but I think it'll be great cuz he'll get used and I'll have a babysitter and a work horse if I need one! - o good times, that was really nice of Merle.

So, we loaded up the ponies and got out of there around 9:30 (the new 8:00)! We stopped in Kadoka for fuel, Chamberlain for lunch, and Humboldt for fuel again. Otherwise it was a pretty smooth, quick trip. We had the two way portable radios so between that and the phone it went pretty fast. We made it back to the horse barn around 4 and stayed ther for about an hour and half visiting and having a tasty root beer float. The boys seemed to like the new pad; Joe still had his swollen leg, but we'll see what it looks like tomorrow. After finally getting unloaded and we finished visiting- which I might add was hillarious because Merle was like this shiny new toy or something- they (all the show horse girls) were all so facinated with a REAL cowboy- it was cute, not to mention that Courtney (Jayne's daughter) decided that she was absolutely in love with him because he had lots of horses. He sooo didn't know what he got himself into walking in there.

After we got out of there we stopped by my aunts and brought back some furniture of her's that I stole and then stopped by my place to show Merle around. I got to see the house for the first time after it was painted- I think it looks pretty good-- lots better than before anway! After those couple stops we finally headed up to Brookings. There were quite a few people that came over and helped unload so it didn't take long at all- that was really nice. I was able to unload and get Merle on his way before it go too late for him to find Nicole's place by Marion. All in all, it wasn't a bad day- move in went well and we got everyone and everything here pretty safe and sound. I am staying on a friends extra dorm bed tonight becuase I don't have anything set up in the apt yet and half the light arent' working...dont' know what the deal is there. So, I am pretty shot and I'm sure Merle is too. I think Ross farmed today on the ranch...that's the best ranch news I have.

I couldn't have asked for a better summer, a better place to work, or better people to work with. I loved all the parts of my job- even the things I didn't seem to want to do on certain days becuase in the long run the learning experience was worth it. I learned so much, and had the opportunity to do so many things I may have never ever done. It's normally hard to walk into a small community like that and try to fit in-but I was welcomed with open arms into the community and into a whole second family. I made life long friends and connections in just three short months! I think I will have a hard time staying away from a place I enjoy so much- and will miss it terribly. I could go on and on, but long story short- I loved it!

I hope that my blog was somewhat interesting or at least entertaining. I still plan to post some more cattle photos and sturgis pictures when I get my own internet and computer running this week. I will keep this up as often as I can- maybe daily yet- guess we'll see.

Thanks for Reading! :)