Round Up Recap...

Another RB Round-Up has come and gone. It was great fun to spend the day with family and friends, with lots of laughter, hugs, and a few tears.  

One of the highlights was the Marine Corps F-18 flyover at the start of each rodeo.  T was in the cockpit of a B-17 when they flew in for the performances and was kind enough to text me a pic and a heads up.

They were something to see and as our house sets up on a hill and looks across to the Sierras, I got to see them again on Sunday as they came over the top of the house.

I have few of my photos to share, as I only have the camera on my phone, but MattCohen has some good ones.

 There was a well done memorial to a dear friend that we lost last fall, a big kind hearted man we all loved. Not a dry eye in the place when his son lead a riderless horse.

A big thanks to my BIL for the tickets, and to cousin Jess for keeping me in line as best he could.

BIL and Jess

I've been working on getting Dad's things sorted, and it always seems like one step forward and two back. So today, Jess (fresh from competition shooting and cyber security in Texas) and I took a mental health day. I got up early baked a batch of cowboy cookies, packed lunches, and checked all my gear. As soon as Jess got here we loaded up all his guns and mine in the Rav and headed out for a day at the range. We pretty much had the place to ourselves, ran a lot of drills, and put a lot of lead down range. My shooting has been off and it was really bothering me. Then with some great coaching by Jess, it finally became apparent what adjustments I needed to make, and the fix was so simple, I could have cried. But Jess was so proud of me for working through it I didn't dare.    It was a very good day.

 

Rounding Up Memories...

It's that Red Bluff Round-Up time of year. 

 The Round-Up is a big deal in these parts, it brings in a great deal of revenue to the local businesses. 

The Cowman's dad & uncle were directors for many years, back in the day. The Cowman and his brothers worked the ground crew in the timed events chute. A thankless job, as it was either pouring rain or hotter'n hell, and they worked all the slack as well as all the performances. They all volunteered their time and effort to make it happen.  

Most of the old founding families are still active in producing the Round-Up.

  

Back in the day, at the end of each day's performance, was the Wild Horse Race.  They ran out a bunch of horses with a halter and lead rope on them. The wild horse race started with a shotgun blast, just to make sure they had the audiences attention, and spook the horses.Then each three man team had to hold on to their horse, get a saddle on it, one man had to mount up, and ride around the track back to the finish line to win the prize money.  Sounds rather simple, it's not, these were not gentle horses, they were wild horses. The Cowman, his older brother and a friend miraculously never got stomped into a pulp, bit, kicked, or bucked down like some teams.  The tough thing was hanging on to the horse long enough to get'm saddled and headed down the track in the right direction.  All this happened just feet away from the grandstand and we were lucky enough to have box seats to watch the action. 

Most of the teams were locals that we all knew, so the competition among them was pretty stiff.  I had a vested interest in those days, really didn't need a busted up husband, but we sure could have made good use of that prize money. 

They don't have the Wild Horse Race these days... But the Wild Ride competition at the last performance is great fun to watch.  The riders dress up in costumes and come out of the chute on a bronc for a Wild Ride.

Tonto & the Lone Ranger out of the chute

 My BIL still has the family box, and a ticket with my name on it, so I might just make a performance this year.
 

  

Easter 2017

Went to a dinner last evening at the home of the friend that gave me the flag (iris) rhizomes. Hers are blooming ahead of mine, so I took some photos to show you.

 It's a bearded iris named Presby's Crown Jewel.

Happy Easter!

Brig 


UPDATE Iris 04-19-2017

Took my early morning coffee out on the patio to watch the sun peek over the Sierras,
and the wait has ended,  
Presby's Crown Jewel is blooming...

 

Springtime in cow country...

watercolor by Nelson Boren

out West by an ol friend

Yep, it's spring time in cow country, 

and the sounds of cattle being gathered, marked and branded, echo through the hills...

  https://quik.gopro.com/v/mh5H5Nh8X2/


Yesterday was spent with my attorney among the saddles, bits, and cowman deco of his office, with his Border Collie Pancho at our feet.  This morning was spent pulling and copying documents that he requested.  Got that done and delivered to his office, when a friend texted she would come over for afternoon tea and a chat.  Well I drink coffee and don't really have a nice lady like tea cup to my name. So after I picked up some Earl Grey and cream I went in search of a tea cup. I stopped off at one of the local thrift shops, no nice tea cups. On to another thrift shop, several possibles, but not quite what I was looking for. About ready to say the hell with it, she can drink out of a Fiestaware mug, when I turned around and there stacked up against the counter was a framed print.  Oh My Gosh, it was the framed print I have been keeping on the look out for for nearly 30 years.*

 *A bit of the back story, I bought the same print years ago, it hung in my living room on the home ranch.  A friend always said she liked it (it does look a great deal like her son).  After a while I gave it to my Sean for his house.  With all our moving and his moving it got lost.  Way back then,  the friend mentioned that if I found another she would like one.  

Today I ran right into it!  Took a pic of it, sent it to her, and said, "Look what I found, if you still want it it's yours!"  Her reply was "YES, PLEASE!!"  So the framed print came home with me. I have a few small dings in the frame to fix, and it will be delivered to her, at their ranch.  I'm so tickled to have found it for her.

sorry for the poor quality photo

A flowerdy mug for one friend, and a framed print for another... Much better day today!

Bloom where you're planted...

Solanum laxum

It's springtime, and the sun is playing hide and seek with the thunder boomers. Inspite of fickle lighting, we are going to go for a walk around the garden and see what is blooming.

Grevillea Noellii

 The Grevillea in the front yard is covered in bright pink blossoms.

Erigeron  karvinskianus     Santa Barbara Daises

 SB Daises are acting as ground cover in the side yard. They self sow and my neighbor is cussing, because they have invaded his vinca minor borders.  It's survival of the fittest around here, I tell him.

Lavender, Crape Myrtle, Gazania

 Onward past the Crape Myrtle and Lavender border.

Well dang, we went right past the Dogwoods.  Back tracking, here you go...

White Dogwood

Now for a quick look at the Swiss chard. No blooms but it is colorful and good eating slightly wilted in bacon grease.

Bright Lights Swiss Chard

Opposite the Chard is the Camellia.  She's coming to the end of her blooming cycle, but still putting on a show.

Camellia japonica

Winding our way to the back garden we come to a happy pot of pansies.

Pansies

Further on the Petunias and Pelargoniums have a new flush of bloom. My favorite old fashioned petunias.

Pelargoniums & Petunias

We will end for now with the pot of flags (Iris), they haven't bloomed yet but are getting there. They got off to a slow start as the Jays kept covering up the rhizomes while trying to plant acorns. I kept uncovering them til the Jays finally decide to plant elsewhere.

pot of flags (Iris)

I'll take a photo when the flags bloom, can't remember which color these are, time will tell.

***