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 Jan and Brumby Lookin for Stray Cattle Well, I am striking out on my blog work. Twice I have written blogs about one of our favorite guests at the Double Circle and twice I have managed to lose the blog before it gets put on the website. Jan Weigel comes here from Switzerland to ride and work cattle. His first trip here he brought his then 12-year old son Dustin. The next year he brought his sister Rene. This year he had a ski accident and couldn’t get to the ranch. But next year we sure hope to see him and his family.
Jan, Dustin, and Rene are all good riders and good sports. They are lots of fun – we look forward to seeing them and riding together. Plus they are pretty darn handy at cow gathering and herding. So Jan, if you see this blog, remember I am pretty well computer illiterate. Sorry to lose the blog about your visit not once, but twice.
Jan, grab your boots and get back out here. Bring Rene or Dustin. Flash, Blackie, and Brumby need the exercise and Doug and I always have a ball when you are here. See you at the ranch!
 Rene Riding her Favorite Horse - Blackie
 Ranch Guests Ebba, Inger and Jorge Riding Horses Out to the Herd We recently had three guests at the ranch from Denmark. They came to ride horses and ride we did – ride and move cattle. I had steers scattered in the riparian and in three wrong pastures. With the help from Ebba, Inger, and Joergen we were able to flush them out of the overgrown creek bottoms and drive them to fresh pasture. I don’t think I could have done it by myself.
Ebba leases a reining horse in Denmark, and Inger and Joergen own their own horses. They all ride a lot and are accomplished horsemen. It is a good thing too. I couldn’t even see them in the brush along the creek. They were on their own – every now and then I could hear brush breaking from either one of their horses or cattle. Sure enough they emerged from the trees and shrubs unhurt – and driving a batch of cattle. Good cowboys! Aside from being good riders and having a good, natural cow instinct, all three of our new Danish friends were a delight to be around. They were always upbeat and ready to go.
I found out that Ebba comes to the states often and rides on horse herd moves, cattle drives, and pack trips. I believe she said she has ridden in Utah, Nevada, Montana, Colorado – and probably more places in the U.S. Joergen and Inger also travel and take horseback vacations. This was their first visit to the U.S, but they have ridden in Russia, Canada, one of the middle East countries – I think it was Jordan – as well as all over Denmark. Doug and I are pleased they chose the Double Circle Ranch for one of their horseback riding vacation destinations. We are glad they did and hope they return to ride with us again.
 Horseback Riding Vacation - Herdin' Cattle in the Brush Country
 Colorful Grass-Fed Texas Longhorn Steers For Sale We are selling our beautiful Texas Longhorn steers and replacing them with cows. SO – now is your chance to buy a living piece of the Old West. These are gentle, colorful steers with big horns. Buy 1 or 200. They are real showpieces and car stoppers in your pasture! Or have them slaughtered for the best beef money can buy. These are 100% all natural, grass-fed steers and have never had antibiotics or growth hormones or been in a feedlot.
You will want to save the head and horns to hang over your fireplace and don’t forget the hide. We have spotted, speckled, roan, solid, brindle and all combinations of the above colored steers – all carry the historic Double Circle brand. They would make a living room rug that is both a conversation piece and a spectacular addition to your home.
Whether you want your steers in your front pasture or taken to a slaughterhouse of your choice, we can haul them for you. Or better yet, come saddle up with us and ride the herd – pick your favorites – and load them in your trailer. You will be amazed at these western icons – and you will own some Double Circle western history.
 Our Texas Longhorns Looking for a New Home
 Bernice and Gene Working on the Roof at Sunup Gene and Bernice bailed us out again. They drove all the way from Tucson and helped repair the main portion of the cabin roof that the wind storm blew off. We would have to start about 5:00 am and quit early afternoon because of the heat. Then we could work a little more in the evening. They made a good start on the one side of the roof – tore off what the wind didn’t, replaced bad slats and stringers, and had everything ready for plywood. We ended up putting plastic on the roof to be safe – looked like rain any second. But, as usual, we got no rain – at least not on this part of the ranch.
When I say “we” worked, it was mainly Doug and Bernice and Gene. I got ‘pick up all the nails’ duty. We don’t want to be fixing flats for weeks. The other three did most of the work. Thank goodness for good friends! Not too many folks will drive 10 hours to work in summer heat on a roof repair job.
 Repairing the Cabin Roof
 Moore House after an Arizona Windstorm Well, I was just finishing a blog about this cabin – the old Moore house on Eagle Creek – and how it hadn’t changed that much in years, when we almost lost the whole place. I was saving the blog when I could hear wind coming and getting loud till it sounded like a train. It hit the house like a ton of bricks! All the windows were open since it is hot out and you can’t run an air conditioner on solar. All of a sudden the house filled with swirling leaves and dirt ’til you could hardly see or breathe. The wind rolled my computer chair – me included – across the living room. The house sounded like it would fall on our heads.
The old house didn’t fall. But half of the back roof blew away half way to the barn. The front roof lifted up, pulled all the nails out and sort of settled back on the house. Parts of the porch roof haven’t been seen yet. The chimney was damaged and window screens torn out. Plus the house had a thick coating of dust, dirt, and twigs everywhere. Quite the mess!
No one was hurt though. Somehow no vehicles were damaged by flying tin – must have flown over top of them. All animals were OK, just a little spooked. It could have been worse.
I know one thing – if that was just a wind burst, you won’t catch me in Kansas during tornado season!
 Visiting Bull Moore's Gravesite on the Double Circle We had an unexpected visit. The daughter-in-law and two granddaughters of Henry Moore, aka “Bull” Moore, stopped in. As children they spent a lot of time with their grandfather on Eagle Creek. Doug and I live in the old Moore cabin, and it really hasn’t changed much in 50 years. We do have running water pumped by a windmill and indoor plumbing. The ladies visiting remember carrying 5 gallon buckets of water from Eagle Creek and making trips down a trail to the outhouse. Plus we have solar lights instead of the kerosene lamps they used here.
Not all the changes are for the better. According to the Moore family, there used to be a big barn and corrals near the house. All that is left of it is some rotten wood piled up. There was a chicken coop, also gone now, and lots of peacocks. Henry claimed the peacocks kept the scorpions and rattlesnakes away. Maybe we should get peacocks – we had to kill another rattler this week. We don’t bother them if they are out on the range. But when they are crawling under the cabin and sleeping on the porch, they have to go.
Henry “Bull” Moore is buried just west of the cabin. The family went down to visit the grave, which is covered with a concrete slab. It is always good to learn more of the ranch history. Hopefully the ladies will be back for another visit.
 Great Blue Herons Overlooking Eagle Creek We had a great few days with some members of the Maricopa Audubon Society. They did a bird survey on Eagle Creek and the Double Circle Ranch. Only three members could come, but they still managed to cover a lot of territory and find a good variety of birds. I will be getting the bird list from them soon so I can add it to our other lists.
Birders are fascinating people to be around. They are so tuned in to the sights and sounds around them- I could learn a lot by spending time with them. Plus they are always fun, pleasant folks to sit around the table with. Boy- I tell you what though, if you are going birding with serious birders, you better have well broken in hiking boots and lots of energy. These people start before daylight and finish at dark and sure put in some miles in between.
I hope they come back soon. They certainly are great guests at the ranch.
 Cowgirl Erin and Blackie the Horse We had a great visit and lots of saddle time with our new friend Erin from Ohio. Erin and I rode everyday- sometimes in rough, brushy country moving cattle to fresh grass. She is absolutely a natural cattle handler. The first ride I left her moving about 100 head of Texas longhorns by herself while I made a circle to gather some strays. I figured I would have to help regather her cattle- but she took them all to water and met me with the original 100 head plus a few she picked up in route. That doesn’t happen often on someone’s first cattle gather experience.
Erin rides well too. That is surely a big plus on this big a ranch. There is no way to work the Double Circle other than horseback. She and Blackie made a good team. Blackie is one of those good horses who has to be ridden easy. He can’t tolerate heavy handed or rough riders. To watch Erin and Blackie loping down a dirt trail, you would assume they had been a working team for years. They sure made a good team and got the job done.
I hope we will see Erin again. We all enjoyed her company – and appreciated the help she was.
 Cowgirl Erin rides Blackie the Horse
 Participants at the April 2012 Erosion Workshop I have been so busy gathering cattle that I completely overlooked writing about our April 20, 22, and 23 Erosion Control Workshop. I sure don’t want to forget the workshop! These workshops funded by Arizona Water Protection Fund Commission have been doing an incredible job on the Double Circle Ranch. The structures built by volunteers under the tutelage of Craig Sponholtz of Dryland Solutions, Inc. are slowing erosion by slowing runoff and water flow. So we reduce sediment into Eagle Creek, protect wildlife dependent on the water, promote forage growth, and save valuable top soil. We have over 120 erosion control structures now thanks to many hours of volunteer labor.
Craig is an excellent instructor. Everyone learns a lot. But it is the people who come here as volunteers who really make the big difference. We always make new friends and get to welcome old friends back at these workshops. And we have a lot of fun in the process. Plus thanks to Ed and Edie we eat like kings – no one goes hungry for sure. Also, a great big thanks to the AWPF Commission for their foresight and assistance and double thanks to all the folks who work so hard here to preserve the land and water. You can’t find better people anywhere.
 Wild Turkeys Crossing Eagle Creek It must be a good year for turkeys. It seems everywhere I ride and even in my yard there are the familiar sounds of gobbling toms. They are really strutting. I have been seeing lone toms and groups of up to 15 turkeys. I like to listen to the turkeys and watch them.
I believe youth turkey season is coming soon. I hope some of the big toms live to mate and keep the population growing – both for future hunters and folks like me who just enjoy watching all the critters on Double Circle Ranch.
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