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 Freemont Street Light Show in Las Vegas Well, we finally took a mini-vacation. Six days away from the Double Circle. Jeremy is here and able to watch the ranch, feed critters, check water, all the usual chores, so we decided to go visit my niece in Las Vegas. We took back roads through national forests checking out trails, campsites, and lakes along the way. There sure is a lot of beautiful open country in the American West. I doubt any other country has better parks and public lands than the USA.
We left the back country and went into Las Vegas. Now there is a culture shock! Going from no electric for 30 miles to the lights of Vegas is like traveling to a different planet. And the traffic – we can drive for hours and see anywhere from 0 to 10 vehicles – in miles – unless it is deer season when we actually have traffic for a short time. Vegas is bumper-to-bumper 24/7. Lucky for us that Steve – my niece’s husband – drove us around to see the sights of Las Vegas.
 Vegas Night Scene on the Strip And there sure are some strange sights in Las Vegas! There are only 4 full time ranch wives and 2 wives who mostly stay in town on all of Eagle Creek. The average age is well over 50. I am 99.9% sure that none of us owns a string bikini about the size of a third of a wild rag. And I am positive that our husbands would rope and tie us if we went out in public shaking our tops and bottoms for tips. I wouldn’t want to be the drag queens with the showgirl outfits and tall feather hats either on Eagle Creek. Someone might shoot at the feathers before they knew it was a real person under all the glitter. Different strokes for different folks I guess.
We did have a great visit with Rachel and Steve. But next time they will need to come see us at the ranch. Then we can do the culture shock in reverse – no air conditioning, no hair dryers, no shopping, no bars or restaurants, dark starry nights with coyotes and owls for serenades. Just peace and quiet. Sure is good to be home!
 Summer Monsoons Will Bring Needed Rain to the Ranch July 25.
We are still awful dry here at Double Circle Ranch. We have had a total of about ¾” of rain all monsoon so far. But it is supposed to rain today and tomorrow. We have our fingers crossed. Actually the eastern part of the ranch has had a little more rain and is greening up some. But everything else is still not growing.
We do have more critters than common. Along with the ever present antelope and deer, we have a lot more elk than common for this time of year. There are a lot of black bears too. Either the lack of food north of us with the Wallow fire burn or the dry dirt tanks and creeks is driving wildlife to Eagle Creek. There have been a few bears displaying aggressive behavior – unusual in black bears here. All have been thin, so I suppose they are just plain hungry.
As soon as we get rain things will improve. It will go from golden brown to emerald green almost overnight once we get the needed moisture. I will be glad and so will the cattle, bears, deer, elk, and everything else on the Double Circle.
 Preparing to Install a Water Tank Our ranch hand intern Jeremy Balderrama has come back to give us a hand before his college classes start up this fall. We are glad to have the help. We have lots of work on our headquarters to do while we wait for the rain this season. Looks like Jeremy will get to sharpen his concrete working skills, mechanic skills, painting skill, texturing walls skill, wildlife ramp building skill – and more. He will be ready to start riding and gathering these scattered cattle after all the construction, remodel, and repair projects we are working on. A saddle gets looking better after a week or so of cleaning barns and workshops!
The fire/drought restrictions are finally lifted. That means we can work on our Forest Service permit as well as our headquarters. The rain is sure slow getting here though. We have has less than half an inch and that was spread out over four days. The ground is still dry. Rain has been all around us though. We can see it falling just past all four sides of the Double Circle. Rain close enough to smell – but just off of the ranch. I guess our turn for water is coming – and hopefully soon.
Meantime – hang in there Jeremy – bound to rain sometime!
 Jeremy Setting Cattle Watering Troughs
 Antelope Crossing a Barbed Wire Fence Double Circle Ranch is happy to have the Arizona Antelope Foundation (AAF) working on a habitat improvement project on the ranch this August. Volunteers will come here to Eagle Creek August 12th and leave Sunday the 14th. We have 4 miles of old fence with the bottom wire being barb wire right in the heart of antelope country. The low barb wire presents a hazard and obstacle for antelope since the antelope go under fences instead of jumping them like the deer do. AAF will be bringing a wire roller machine as will Arizona Game and Fish and possibly the Forest Service. What we need are volunteers to remove the old barb wire and replace it with antelope friendly smooth wire.
So – come on out and lend a hand. It is beautiful country, you get to meet and work with some great folks, and the Pronghorn Antelope are truly majestic critters. RSVP to Arizona Antelope Foundation at azantelope.org . Tools will be available – plus they serve a great free supper Saturday night. It is definitely a win-win deal. Hope to see you in August!
Download the AAF’s Fence Modification Project flyer.
 American Bald Eagle in Snag July 3
I can’t believe it is almost the 4th already. There won’t be any fireworks in this part of Arizona – too high a fire danger still. We go to Tucson tomorrow. Gene and Bernice are putting us up AGAIN so I can have surgery early on the 5th. Thank goodness for good friends!
Thank goodness for some brave early Americans too. If not for them we wouldn’t be celebrating Independence Day tomorrow. In fact we might be having afternoon tea, eating blood sausage, and drinking warm beer. Yuck!
We drive through Morenci, Clifton, Safford, and Willcox before hitting the interstate to Tucson. Maybe we will get to see some 4th of July parades. Guess I had better find something red, white, and blue to wear tomorrow. God bless America!
 Wallow Fire Fighting Helicopter and Well Operators July 2.
One part of the Wallow fire that gets overlooked in all the disaster is the great work and cooperation between the folks fighting the fire and/or dealing with fire-related issues. Think about it – whole towns could have been wiped out – Eager, Springerville, Nutrioso, Blue – and whole subdivisions as well as isolated ranch homes. With thousands of houses to protect, only 32 were lost. And there were no deaths, which is amazing, plus only 16 injuries. Just 16 out of almost 5000 personnel plus lots of residents.
People have really worked together on Wallow fire. Both the San Carlos and White Mountain Apaches, the Forest Service, Dept. of Interior, Dept of Agriculture, New Mexico and Arizona state and local agencies and fire crews from everywhere. Some help has come from the private sector. Here on Eagle Creek, Freeport McMoran mine put tanks in next to their wells and provided – free of charge – water for around 75 helicopter water dumps. Their two employees – our neighbors – worked long shifts manning the wells. The water helped stop the south and east expansion of Wallow fire. It was instrumental in saving the Blue area – and Eagle Creek. People from many places have worked to provide meals – even a hot shower in their homes- to tired firefighters.
Wallow fire is definitely a disaster – but the people who worked on the fire and behind the scenes are real heroes.
 Stream Erosion Control Structure at Work July 1.
It looks like Wallow fire is just about burned out – 95% contained after 538,049 acres have burned. It is a huge natural disaster and the problems are far from over. We have lost so much vegetation and the soil has gotten so hot and packed that floods – and big ones – are expected. There is nothing to slow and hold water – it will be like pouring water down a sink drain.
One of our ongoing projects here at Double Circle Ranch is to build erosion control dams. We have put in over 120 one rock and other small rock structures designed to slow water so it can infiltrate the soil. We manage our livestock with intensive grazing followed by long rests so we have abundant and healthy forage to trap sediment and slow water flows. We are fortunate that Wallow fire stayed north of us. One big, hot fire can undo years of work and take years, maybe decades, to heal.
There are a lot of experts working on ways to reduce further damage in the burned areas. They will do all they can – and they really do work hard. But nature is the ultimate healer – slow but consistent. People can help the process. But healing from the Wallow fire will be slow.
Speaking of helping- we have another Erosion Control Workshop at the Double Circle on October 14,15,16. Check out our programs page and sign up – training is free, meals and camping are free and the ranch is beautiful. With so much wildlife habitat burned in the area, it is more important than ever to keep our small piece of the landscape in good condition. Come join us.
 Monsoon Clouds - Our Summer Rainy Season is Close June 26
Today we have clouds to the north of us. Not smoke and ash clouds either – good ol’ monsoon precursor clouds. It looks like they may be getting a light rain toward Strayhorse and the Blue. That is the fire hot spot on the south line. Rain would be a real blessing for the firefighters working there. Actually everywhere in the forest is bone dry – rain is needed everywhere. But I think everyone up here would donate their share of rainfall to our friends in the path of Wallow fire if we could. I sure hope the clouds I can see from the cabin are raining on the fire! The fire is over 70% contained. A good soaking rain might end the biggest fire in Arizona history. Come on clouds – rain for us!!!!
 Wallow Fire Back Burn Along 191 with ADOT in Foreground June 22
Wallow fire is over 529,000 acres and still burning- 61% contained. Here on Eagle Creek we can see smoke and fire plumes, but nothing on the creek itself. We did get an email from some friends on the Blue. People in houses closest to the fire evacuated to other Blue houses farther from the fire. Now that is a good example of neighbors helping each other. Thank goodness for rural America. The fire crews – bless em – saved every house on the Blue – so far. I guess all the danger isn’t over there yet.
There have been 32 homes lost in Wallow fire. It doesn’t help the unfortunate souls who lost their homes, but really that is a VERY small number given the size of the fire. There have been several towns- Alpine, Luna, Eager, Springerville, Blue – plus lots of ranch homes and some subdivisions directly in the path of the fire. Fire crews saved all but 32 homes. I think that is amazing. Let’s hope there are no more homes lost – and NO more injuries. I think the report we get every day from the Clifton Ranger District of the Forest Service said there were 12 injuries. 12 out of 4600 + people in such a dangerous situation with the dry conditions, remote locations with limited access, and 60mph wind gusts seems like a miracle to me. Good work fire crews!
 Missing Texas Longhorn Steer June 21
I hope I didn’t jinx us on Wallow fire. We went from no smoke to lots of smoke and a big smoke plume not far from the NE part of the Double Circle. The fire reports say crews are trying to keep the flames east of 191. The fire breached the fire breaks and crossed 191 north of us. I think the Blue is all evacuated. The WIND is a big part of the firefighters’ problem. Today the wind is much calmer and hopefully will stay calm.
About a third of the Double Circle is east of 191. The buildings and water systems are all west of the highway, but I may have cattle still east of 191. When we got the no riding order I still had 10+ head missing in our NE pasture – closest to the fire. I just opened gates so they could drift following the smell of the gathered cattle. But without riding – and riding many long days – I don’t know if I am still missing steers or not. One good thing is that we have the only Texas longhorn cattle up here. So if a neighbor sees big horned cattle, they know they belong here and will let me know. You don’t have to be close enough to read a brand to identify Double Circle cattle.
I do worry about the steers that may be in the path of the fire. I am not the only rancher worried about his livestock. But it is out of our hands. We can only wait and see.
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