LOVE IS IN THE AIR

It's branding season,

and things are starting to brighten up around here.

After perusing the past few posts,

I realized there is a whole-lotta drab going on around here.

So,

I dug deep into the archives and found some old branding photos.

Green, blue, and bursting with color...

The photos I'm sharing with you today were taken about three years ago.

I think.

Time flies when you're having fun!

Loves branding season

First we gather.

Then rope.



Then wrestle, vaccinate, and brand...



Hang on, because this is where the LOVE part comes in...

Pa Carlson.  He's wrestling a calf.
He's also a little over a month away from marrying...

Ma Carlson.  She also wrestles calves.
She's handy and very much in love.



Love these horses.
I think they are lookin' for love. . .
(in all the wrong places...name that tune...)



Oh, look, another Ma and Pa Carlson! 
Yep...LukeandGeri.
They are getting married on 9.10.11.
Can you stand it? More love. 
He's a cowboy. She's a cowgirl.
They are both very handy and very much in love.

Father and Son.
Now hold your horses,
they are not getting married,
but young son there just GOT married.
Yep.
He and his darling bride up and eloped two weeks ago.
I'm sorry I don't have a picture of her. 
She is truly a "princess bride."
Don't you just love a good love story?

Marvin and Cloretta
True Love.
These ranchers were married almost 62 years.
Say it with me now... Six-tee, too, yyyy-ears!
Marvin passed away a while back.
This is a picture of true love.

I wish all the youngins a long-lasting love,

just like Marvin and Cloretta.

Yes indeed, it's branding season and

LOVE IS IN THE AIR!

from the range, peace and LOVE,

kathleen

the handy girl

Name that tune:

"Lookin' for Love"

Waylon Jennings and/or Johnny Lee

(The Senator loves Waylon Jennings!)

"Their Time Is Over!"

We woke to this on our back deck today

AND AT THIS VERY MOMENT

"Little Miss Spring" is screaming

to her team of tulips and daffodils in the locker room:

"Their time is over! 

It's our time!

Screw-em!"

(name that movie..."Miracle on Ice"...the great Herb Brooks...love.)



Now go out there and win that game!
Beat "Old Man Winter!"
We'll be rooting for your team,
Little Miss Spring!





Let's get fired up!

We are fired up!

Go team Go!

from the frosty range, peace,

kathleen

the handy girl

Visiting the Boys

"The Boys"

Due to crappy weather in our little town, we had an unexpected and extended stay in the Black Hills over the weekend.  So....when life gives us lemons..we make lemonade!

We have been traveling to the Black Hills for over 20 years, and with Patrick, we've been there every year of his eleven short years, BUT, we had never brought him up to Mt. Rushmore.  Bad parents...bad, bad parents. 

Actually, the day before we got married, almost 16 years ago, we rode our horses on a three-hour ride TO Mt. Rushmore. Does that make us nerdy? 

We have pictures.  I was riding my paint horse named "Nasty."  I still had a fun time! I'd show you the pictures, if I knew where they were...

Anyway, during our extended/unexpected weather related stay in the Hills, the Senator had the hair-brained idea to take a tour of the hills and stop to see "The Boys."  We drove higher and higher into the hills, took some "harelip" turns and then shouted...

"Look, Patrick, it's George!"

Hi George. How's the weather up there?

While the Senator napped in the car,

Patrick and I headed up to see the boys.

How Fun...A Mount Rushmore Wedding

This little wedding scenario brought back memories of when the Senator and I got married. It was just down the hill from Mt. Rushmore at Custer State Park. 

Sing it with Babs and me now...

"Mem-reeeees,

like the corners of my mind..."

I tried to tell Patrick all about it, but he was off and a runnin'.

He had found the binocs.

"Can't we get closer, Mom?"

"Now there's your sense of adventure, young boy.
Let's hit the trail!"

So closer we got.  We got so close we were looking straight up their nostrils!

Too bad it started to snow, and the visibility was a bit limited.

Too bad my camera battery got "exhausted."

But that did not stop the handy girl and the adventurous boy.

Some of the trails were closed, so we'll just have to go back again.

My advice:  Visit Mt. Rushmore on a snowy day in April.

You'll have the place to yourselves.

Good-bye, Abe.
(You'll always be my favorite...love your hair today)

from the range, peace,

kathleen

the handy girl

Fort Falls

The Ambassador had his annual Bull Sale over the weekend in Valentine, Nebraska. 

The Senator went down a few days earlier to help him, while

Patrick and I held down the fort at home.

We met up with everybody in Valentine on Friday afternoon. 

We had to travel through the Sandhills of Southern SD/Northeren NE to get there. 

Here is just a quick shot of one of the roads on our travels:

Oh boy!  We traveled on about 20 miles of this stuff.
Sand. Sand. More Sand.
love it.

anywho... 

On Sunday, after the sale, the Senator and I had some business to take care of in Valentine, so I took Patrick and his buddy, Rye-Rye, about four miles out of town

to the

Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge

(please check out their web page for more photos and info)

We had been there a buh-guh-zillion times, so both boys knew the lay of the land.

I sent the boys down the trail with Subway sandwiches, a camera, and a cell phone.

Here are the pictures Patrick took on the trail:

Patrick informed me of all the places fossils were found
along that ridge, so I marked them for your info...

That's my boy!  Blazing his own trail!

Up on top of the ridge, beyond the falls,
the boys spotted a couple of the famous
Refuge Buffalo.



It was an exciting moment,
and a great way to end a day of hiking.

I'm so proud of those boys.

They have such a great sense of adventure.

Gee, I wonder where that may have come from ?

from the range, peace,

kathleen

the  handy girl

If time permits,

I'll post more about our weekend in Valentine.

Keep yourself posted now, heh?

RADIO

This past fine weekend brought
the Community Theatre Spring Production of
"RADIO"

Community members and students performed
a collection of early 20th century radio bits.
Why does my child insist on the "rabbit ears" thing?

Austin and Emory did a little pickin' and a grinnin"

Taylor was the "Colgate Star of the West" winner.
She beautifully performed "Danny Boy."
Patrick was proud to pose with her.

Here is the whole gang.
The Bits included:
Gunsmoke
The Bickersons
The Haunting Hour
and
Fibber McGee and Molly

A fun time was had by all...

especially me.

I didn't have to perform.
Thank you very much.

The Senator and I just giggled a lot

and watched from our not-so-comfy chairs in the audience.

from the range, peace,

kathleen

the handy girl

A Fundraiser

Our little town is so lucky to have a Nursing Home.

Long ago, it was a hospital.

It's a wonderful place.

It employs lots of locals.

It's a home away from home for many folks.

There aren't many small-town Nursing Homes around any more.

Like I said, we are very lucky.

But,

"Houston. We have a problem."

In order to keep it open,

it needs to have a sprinkler system installed...

a very expensive sprinkler system.

Time is a runnin' out.

We need that sprinkler system!

So, let's have a fundraiser.

The very generous people in town planned

a prime rib dinner and auction. 

Here are just a few shots from the evening.

The Auditorium was packed with specially decorated tables.
Oh, and there is Star Basketball Player/Rodeo Club Member, Alex,
auctioning off a huge bag of cat food.
(Thanks for bringing all your buddies and helping out, Al!)

The Rodeo Trick Rider decorated this table in hues of purple and spring!
AND
Patty and Ella enjoyed a night out on the town.

The people in this town are so generous. 

The money is coming in slowly, but surely.

I am confident the Nursing Home can be saved.

There is hope.

from the range, peace,

kathleen

the handy girl

Smellin' Spring

Just a few weeks ago,
THIS WAS THE DUKE!

Well, well,
JUST LOOK AT HIM NOW!
He's shed his winter coat and is ready to rumble!

Before heading down the road with Duke, to catch up with the Senator,
I hung a few clothes on the line.
Have I mentioned lately how much I LOVE my clothesline?
LOVE.



On the way back from my clothesline,
I passed my favorite chair.
The Kindle and I will get a lot of use out of him this spring.
He may look lonely now, but just wait,
he'll get plenty of sittin' time.

 

"We're Back in the Saddle Again"
I finally caught up with the Senator and these guys.
They were fluffy and happy to be up from the river,
which is where they hung out all winter.



Just heading out for an afternoon snack



Ah, yes, the Duke was happy to be smellin' spring again!

from the range, peace,
kathleen
the handy girl