Horses, Dogs & Bull...

Taking a second to catch my breath after another week of daily trips up to see Dad, (He's doing well, and hopefully will be home in another week) and watching events at our annual Red Bluff Bull & Gelding Sale. 

Lots of good working dogs this year. I sorta keep an eye out for what I like in a working dog, and after watching them in the trials, my favorite was Crazy 8 Twit (bred & consigned by Mason Winebarger of Post, Oregon).  Twit ended up being the Champion high point dog, and sold for $14,500. A tad beyond my budget.  

GS Farrah, topped the sale at $20,000 the second highest amount ever paid for a dog at the sale.

Champion Crazy 8 Twit

The geldings did well.  "Walter" was the top selling horse at $39,000.  Rumor has it that "Walter" is going to a ranch in Hawaii...

I didn't get to watch the bulls sale, but I understand they all did well, too.

 

Col Rick Machado sell'n right

Much to see at the trade show, and art show. North Valley Hat Co was there, Yay!  Met some lady vendors that were a real hoot.  Lots of shared laughter.

John Growney (Growney Bros Rodeo Co) with  Kathy Branco at the Branco Ranch Furniture booth

So many friends to catch up with that I sometimes only get to see once a year.

This'n that...

Dad is doing well, considering he thinks he should be home already. Willie has been up to visit him!  They had a visiting 4-H project baby goat at Dad's PT the other day. 

 

Dad liked the baby goat, so much so, that I said, "why don't you get a baby Nigerian dwarf goat?  The back yard is fenced with no climb, so it should be doable." Dad lit up and said, "Yep, I need to get a baby goat." Meanwhile, I have been taking the newspaper, milkshakes, and ribs from the locally famous 2 Buds BBQ up to him. Pretty sure the CNA's and RN's are tired of me showing up at all hours, and addressing his care issues with them.  But, I'm his advocate and don't take that responsibility lightly.

When I visited him yesterday, I asked if he had gotten to watch the inauguration of President Trump, he did and he was well pleased!  We got to calculating and Dad has been alive for the inauguration of 15 presidents!

We have had a lot of rain, Yay! and a lot of high winds, damn!  Lost the Ceanothus to the wind last night. 

 and the ceiling lights in the garage don't work when it rains, but the automatic doors do!?!  There are no leaks that I can find, but I'm sure not an electrician.

A dear ol cowboy friend of the Cowman's has given me the go ahead to post some of his N Calif. wildlife photos, so here ya go...

    

The Crazy Petunia and The Hipster Dad...

Willie catching a bit of sun this morning, January 11, 2017, next to The Crazy Purple Petunia. That dang plant has been blooming non stop since last summer. It's been frost bit, snowed on, had freezing rain fall on it, and it still keeps coming back with more blooms.

Much like Dad...

(note: my FB page and the blog are not tied together, I like it that way!  I can say what I want on the blog, FB not so much.)

"Dad fell at home early Sat morning, broke his right hip, after a brief stay at St E's, he was transported to Feather River Hospital. He had hip replacement surgery that afternoon, and did well. He is there til given the go ahead to transfer to rehab. A big thanks to all our wonderful family, friends, and neighbors who have stepped up to help in any way possible. And a Huge Thank You to orthopedic surgeon Dr DeFrancisci, and the surgery dept staff at Feather River Hospital, who have all gone way above and beyond the norm with their many kindnesses."

Dad is doing well, they have had him up and walking. He will be transferred up to rehab in Anderson, 20 miles N of home, sometime today. I will meet him up there, and try to sneak Willie in for a quick hug, it would do them both good. Dad is milking this more than a bit with all the cute young nurses hovering around him. 

Dad's girlfriend called and asked if she should send him flowers.  I said, "Nooo, flowers just wilt and then make you sad, send him a blowup dolly to keep him company!"  I heard a choked giggle and then the line went dead,  I guess she's working on that...

Never quit...

Living in the back of beyond has it's rewards. It is too bad that those who have never experienced it have no concept of the introspection that can come from time spent there. Plus, the place is full of characters that don't know the meaning of quit.

Take the yoga/circuit fusion class I'm in, it's full of local country folk. There is the chicken farmer (3,000+ birds), that brought his dad to class. Dad wouldn't come back, not because he's a quitter mind you, because he said our instructor was a terrorist to ask so much of an ol man, lol.  The chicken farmer now brings his mother, who is never a quitter, rehabbing from surgery.  I get a kick out of the fact that he wears his board shorts with rubber barn boots to class, and he does the training right along with all the rest of us.

There are a bunch of grannies, that come when they don't have grandkids or family to care for, and  there are a couple of ranch women that come when they can get away for a few hours. There is an orchardist that comes when time permits. Not a quitter in the bunch.

I'm not really good at circuit training, among other things, though I have plenty of try. 

Another thing I never got good at was roping. No matter how I tried, I could not get all the many tasks going in the right sequence.  The Cowman was an outstanding roper, and often invited to the brandings at other ranches.  I got to tag along and ride the gather and work on the ground crew.  When the Cowman's shoulder got too painful, from a misplaced staple, for him to rope any more, we still went and helped, because you never quit... 

(make the video full screen for best viewing)

Tidings...

Dad and I Wish for you & yours...

"May your coming year be 

filled with magic and

dreams and good madness.

I hope you read

some fine books

and kiss someone who

thinks your wonderful,

and don't forget

to make some art ~

write or draw or build

or sing or live

as only you can.

And I hope somewhere

in the next year,

you surprise yourself."

~~Neil Gaiman

Lauren & her Great Grandpa  Christmas 2016