The world keeps spinning

Well here we are into the month of July. The celebration of our nation’s independence and really so many things about being an American that makes us proud is close at hand. The month has started out well for this cowboy. The fall calves that I sold on Thursday topped the market and actually returned more money than the cost of raising them. This is all too rare in this business and was very welcome from a guy who is really just appreciating the chance to live, breathe and participate in the daily activities of life given the reality of life the last week.

Dakota and my nephew Chase helped me sort and load and also traveled with me Thursday to market the fall calves. The whole idea of the world is always spinning was on my mind that day. If you had given me a preview of July 1, 2010 three years ago I would have expected to travel to Toppenish with Dad. As it was I traveled with his grandson and granddaughter and we had a good time sharing memories of Grandpa Larry. I will say he would have really been proud to watch his grandkids sorting, selecting and making decisions about the calves that were chosen for marketing that day. Seeing you two kids run the sorting gate that your Grandpa ran for so many years really made me proud and tugged at my heart strings as well.

Friday was just a normal day around the place and I did the bare minimum as I have not been feeling too well. I had fought off a summer cold for weeks and finally succumbed to it. Body aches, fever, runny nose, and deep cough were the words of the day but I did get the minimum level of irrigation changed. On the plus side I think I probably set a new record for loogie hocking distance given the phlegm that had to be expelled. The other plus side is it is not too hot as those who have suffered a summer cold can appreciate.

Today I did a bit of morning irrigation and then we headed to Basin City for the annual Fourth of July Parade. This year it was dedicated to Fire Chief Chet and it was really quite the show. Fire fighters and their apparatus from all over the state joined in the parade to really make a wonderful tribute to my friend and a community member who had given so much for so many others.

After the parade I manned a grill with many others so that after his final memorial there was hot food for everyone. I can not express enough appreciation and thanks to the whole community for all the contributions of time, effort and money to really send off a truly remarkable man. I need to wrap this up as we soon need to travel back south for my cousin Randi and her fiancées Robs wedding. From a male perspective getting married on “Independence Day” weekend makes a small amount of sense but I honestly love them both and hope that today is the beginning of a wonderful life together. As I always say, “marriage is a great institution, as long as you like living in an institution!” Honestly if it was not for being married I doubt I would be walking the earth today. Have a great weekend everyone and really celebrate being an American.

Today’s real environmentalist species found on the ranch is puncturevine aka Tribulus terrestris

Today’s picture was difficult to choose so I chose two of them. The first one is of all the fire equipment from many different places that participated in the parade in Chets honor. The second is Chets brother driving the combine that Chet drove in his last combine demolition derby in June. I remind you that all pictures on this blog can be seen in large size by clicking on them.