Seven hundred and eighty seven elk today. We fed one hundred and seven bales. I was dragging when we got home.

My laptop is wireless, finally!!!

Hey...seven minutes, and I'm wireless on my laptop. I'm getting pretty good at this.

Counted spikes and calves at the feedground today. One hundred and thirty seven calves and forty one spikes. Add that to seventy six branch antlered bulls, and subtract from eight hundred head...we have 546 cows. Anyday the Game and Fish are going to do their transister implanting...we haven't heard just when. One problem was the transisters weren't in.

I'll post a picture of Thad and his grandma Gina from the Rock Springs tourney. Was such fun to see those kids.

Why worry!

This was one of those days that nothing is ever going to go right! So why worry. We got to my snowmachine this morning...it was -12, and it started beautifully. So did Bob's. I got the cargo sled loaded with the horse water, and Bob announced he'd forgotten his snowmachine pants and coat. Ohh, not good. I loaded the water back in the truck, so it wouldn't freeze, and we headed back to the house. Gathered up his stuff, and went back. Then his snowmachine would NOT start. The air got a little blue to say the least. Then...he remembered he'd taken the key out when we left them there. He grinned and said "Well, at least it wasn't the machine's fault this time!" Seemed like the bales were awfully heavy today. We're feeding 106 as of today. More elk seem to be coming in all the time. Bob is plowing at the airport as I write this. Also forgot about Brent's surgery. Got an email from Betty that all went well, they're home, and he's spent the afternoon on the phone. Way to go Brent. This photo is one Nancy took at Rock Springs the other night. I love it.

Hockey in Rock Springs

Last night was a hoot. After feeding almost 800 head of elk, 99 bales of hay, we came home, ate lunch and headed to Rock Springs. There we met the Eberhardts, some of who play on the Cheyenne Capitols, and some of who coach the Cheyenne Capitols. That would be Troy who is one of the coaches, and Thad who is a player # 30. Got to see Thad make a great backhanded goal against Jackson, and also be put in the penalty box against Riverton.

Another plus was watching the Pinedale Glaciers play against Jackson. Will was # 33, and is becoming quite an asset to the team. If you look in the team "box", Troy is the coach on the left. Thad is the closest player on our right. I'll post more pictures later of Tana, Thad, Troy, and myself. Nanc was left out of being in the pictures. However she had a great camera, and I hope will send me pictures of the Grassells and Tana. The girls all had fun together. Lynn looked gorgeous in spite of the long day. Chopper was showing the hours he'd put in.

The Master Plower

It's time you met Honda

We're feeding almost 100 bales of hay to the elk. Today 2 of the Wyoming Game and Fish personnel came up to check out the feedground. Next week, if all goes according to plan, they begin their radio implanting in the cow elk. They plan to tranqualize 50 head, and hopefully find 40 of them that are pregnant...hummmm...a 30% calf crop, usually...well anyhow, and then implant the radios that are supposed to come out if they slough a calf. Today they were just scoping out the situation. I am hoping they don't run all our elk away when they begin the tranqualization process. The plan is for around 15 people to be there doing the workup once the elk are down.

Bob's at the airport plowing snow as I write this. Our trails have hardened up, and are getting good. Also my trails around the feedground, and I'm coming home in much better shape. Maybe I'm just in better shape...do you suppose.

Hey, tomorrow I get a grandkid fix. More on that later. :):)

Jan 4th

Today it's been snowing and sunny alternately. Each beautiful in it's own way. We're feeding 89 bales of hay to the elk, and I can see that number increasing. We also lost a bum calf up there the other day. Bob suspects it wasn't old enough to digest the hay properly, or something. One day he couldn't get up, the next day he was frozen under the snow. Mother Nature can be a cruel momma sometimes. The snowmachining up there is getting easier, as the trail is being packed out better. We're now shoveling the south end of the east stack, which is big time work. I haven't gotten in on that pleasure in the past.

Betty just called to let me know that Bobby Sweddler died of a bleeding ulser. He's awfully young for that. She said he'd gotten awfully heavy.

Happy New Years!

As we left for the feedground, after saying goodbye to Barry and Nancy, it was a gorgeous drive. The further up we got, the more snow. We wound up unloading Bob's snowmachine at the turnoff from the county road, and riding double to where mine was parked. There was almost eight inches of new snow at the feedground. Oh it was so beautiful, it was awesome. Nelsons, we wished you were with us again. We fed a few more bales of hay today to make 83 total.

We brought my machine down to the county road where we left it. Oh, I forgot, some kind soul..yeah right! left a dead coyote on my snowmachine yesterday. They left it curled up on the back end, so it looked as if it just got up on it, and went to sleep. However, all the blood in the snow was sort of a dead give away...no pun intended. There was over six inches of snow on top it it.

Bob is plowing at the airport, and I'm planning to take down the Christmas decorations.

Oh, and I forgot to mention a p.s. to last night. I left my purse up at White Pine. Well, I got out of buying dinner, which I'd intended to do! When we got home, there was a message from Stuart Thompson that they had it at their house. We ran up there and picked it up, and in doing so had a nice visit with Mary. She's such a neat gal. And also, I took a great photo of the torch light parade, with I know not who's camera last night. Bob was dying, but this lady had a camera like mine, and was trying to photograph it. (Of course, I'd left mine home!) All she was getting was snowflakes. I told her she needed to turn off the flash. She didn't know how to do it. So I did it for her, and took a couple of pictures, one of which was great. I gave her my email address, and she said she'd sent it to me. However, I haven't gotten it. If I do, I'll post it here.

The next day :)

Which was New Year's Eve! We took Barry and Nancy to the feedground. It was a warm overcast day, softly snowing, and several inches of new snow. It was a joy to seem them react to our feedground full of elk. I think they truly enjoyed every minute. I have lots of pictures. Barry feeding, Nancy feeding...then photographing every step, but this is the best photo that just shows them. Guys, we loved having you, and hope it won't be your last time here. Barry, if you click on the picture it brings it up full screen.

That afternoon, late, we drove up to White Pine in a ground blizzard to watch the torch light parade. Jim and Charm were skiing in it. Last year, we missed it, and were so sorry. On the way up, the road was icy, and the visibility was terrible. We considered turning around, but forged on. Bob did a good job of driving the horrible roads. The torch light parade was awesome. It was a thrill. We hooked up with Jim and Charm, and we all met at Stockman's for a terrific evening of visiting, drinking, and fine food. It was a joy, for sure, and a great end to the year. As there was no music to be found, we all gave up and went home. That wasn't a bad idea for us old fogies, either.

Happy New Year!

Well, this had been an eventful last several days. The 30th...Barry and Nancy Nelson came on their way from northern Montana back to southern Colorado. Barry and I went to Wasatch and graduated together...eons ago. Or maybe not that long ago. Anyhow...it's been a darned long time since I've seen them...once in Tucson in 2001 for a short visit. Before that it was 1959. It was wonderful to see them. That afternoon we worked on my wireless system that is slowly coming together. Barry was able to understand the "support person" who was in India or some god forsaken place, and totally un-understandable to me. Bob held the phone..Barry talked to that guy, and I followed instructions. What a team. If you notice on the photo, the side is off the cpu..I just installed an ithernet board...and I have the instructions which are sketchie at best in my hand. Nancy is the photographer with her new camera here.