Just Another Day

I think for most of my life I have been enamored with the ‘cowboy way’ of living but it was my brother and not me who followed through and has been ranching for what seems like forever.  He’s been in southeast Montana for going on 40 years so I have made my fair share of trips out to visit and even worked one summer on the ranch back in 1985 helping hay…one of several years that saw a heavy grasshopper infestation.  Never was very fond of the bug and after that summer an even deeper dislike for the ‘hopper’ was instilled in me as they were everywhere one stepped. 

But this visit it is snow and not a ‘hopper’ to be seen anywhere. For the past few days we have seen rain/sleet/snow/wind and yesterday was no exception going to the ranch and a very poor time for the 4 wheel drive wires to disconnect on the truck as the snow had been melting and running over top the ice accumulation and several inches of snow had fallen on top of that so driving was somewhat difficult but I was just along for the ride.

The cattle were happy to see my brother drive up with their breakfast of cake and later hay and I snapped a few pictures of the snowy creatures.  They didn’t seem any worse for the wear and I imagine this was a fairly typical occurrence for them to have snow and icicles hanging off them during a Montana winter.  Despite the 4 wheel drive not working my brother was able to get all the cattle fed and happily content at the Daley Ranch where he is wintering part of his stock.  Just another day in the life of a cowboy.