Thank Goodness for Friends!

Friends and Ranch Helpers Bernice and Gene

Thank goodness for friends! I have been by myself gathering Main Pasture for weeks now. Bill is packing fence materials into our Apache fence crews. Doug and Derek are putting the finishing touches on our new waterlines – so I have been the only cowboy available. I did steal Derek away from Doug one day to help me but he had to get back to all important water lines. And Main Pasture is our hardest to gather – particularly after the steers have been out scattered for miles all winter. Plus gates were left open – and that really adds to the difficulty. So far I have found steers in 5 of our pastures and on the ranch south of us.

But help arrived from Tucson. Gene and Bernice came up to the Double Circle and worked for several days helping to locate and bring in the wandering critters. We got quite a few head in while I had 2 extra riders. Bernice did get knocked off on a tree branch. There is a very limited time to look away for cattle while riding heavily wooded trails. But there is no better reminder to keep one eye on the trail than a close encounter with rocky ground and tree branches. I have been reminded that way myself a time or two. No injuries- so all is well.

Cowgirl Friend Julie on Horseback

After Gene and Bernice went back to Tucson, our friend Julie showed up to help. We didn’t have much luck on adding cattle to the next pasture, but we did gather 3 pastures where shed hunters or someone left gates open. Regathering seems to be an ongoing practice this year. But we covered a lot of beautiful country – some I had never seen before. And as always we had fun and enjoyed having each other’s company.

So, thanks to good friends, all but 25 steers are in the next pasture of our rotation. I know there are at least 5 head still in Main because Julie and I saw them but couldn’t get to them. After I locate that 5, it will be a matter of searching for fresh tracks until every steer is accounted for. Then I can start herding and gentling them down again and life will be easier. Meantime I guess I am just plain lucky to have this much wilderness to ride good horses in and look for wayward cattle.

Cowboying isn’t easy – but it has its own rewards – I wouldn’t want to do anything else! And –THANK GOODNESS FOR GOOD FRIENDS – makes life a little sweeter!