Thoughts from the Middle of Nowhere

We got in one of the neighbors braidings that was missed due to all the rain. Here you see the cattle streaming towards the corral. It sure was a nice day. Taken 5/29/2008.

I'm real tired of people.

SKoreans protest against US beef deal

Thousands of protesters marched through Seoul against a U.S. beef import pact that has renewed fears of mad cow disease. Police said Tuesday that 30 demonstrators were arrested after scuffling erupted.

What, do these idiots think, Americans are dropping over left and right from Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease caused by bse? Maybe they need to check the facts out about the incidence of bse and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease ibn the US. Slim to none. What idiots.

It has rained now for about 3 days now. We have got around 3 inches of rain. How nice. Two neighbors have canceled brandings because of all the rain. I'm sure glad mine is done. I am reminded of something I heard an old timer say a while ago.

"The way to make money ranching in Montana is to sit in the house and watch it rain." How true.

We managed to get all the pairs cut out that I want into the high country before the rain hit. It kept spitting on us this day but never started raining until nightfall. This is the last bunch we kicked down to the gate.

Boy, it has been raining for a couple of days now and it is supposed to rain at least another day now. Flood warnings in effect in the area and creeks and streams rising. Isn't it great. This is really what the hay and grass needed. Moisture. I should have enough grass now. I was a little worried earlier but this should solve those worries. The alfalfa is young enough that this should really cause it to grow.

I guess I had better get the haying equipment out and look it over so I can get it ready to cut all the hay. I always enjoy cutting hay when there is a lot of it. When it is real skimpy is when it is a pain. Not any fun at all. That shouldn't be a problem this year.

The wild plums are finally blooming. It sure seems late for them but I guess they won't freeze this way. I could make a fortune if I could bottle the smell of these plums. My was it sweet. Taken 5/19/2008.

There are lots of stories about Obama's visit to Crow Agency yesterday in the Gazette so I thought I would add my memories of the event here.

I had been putting off doing some business in town until after I got the calves branded. I still have things to do but i could take an afternoon to run in and do them now. I had planned Monday afternoon for this for the longest time now. I get to town and start doing the things I need to do with no problem and then end up at the County Courthouse.

The damn place was like a ghost town. I wasn't even sure if anybody was in the building for a while. There was nobody at the Clerk of court office, county assessors office, and a couple of other offices I went to. They were all out at the Obama rally at Crow. I finally found the County Clerk and Recorder in her office and manged to get her to do a couple of the things I needed for me since the other people weren't in their office. These things weren't her job but she was helpful in getting them done. It might have helped that she is an old friend of mine.

This whole thing was really upsetting though to me. Why can county employees all run off from their jobs and leave the courthouse vacant when real working people around town have to stay and do their jobs? What makes them so special? Are they going to pay for my extra trip to town and lost work hours since I have to go back in to finish what I should have got done yesterday afternoon since they were playing hooky? What a bunch of bullshit.

That's how I will remember Obama and his visit. A big bunch of bullshit that screwed me all up. Thanks Obama.

Where is the $1000 a year supposed to come from? Larger Deficits? I like to hear real solutions, not have shit shoveled at me.

Got the calves branded up yesterday. Usually I try to do two different bunches but it didn't work out this year so we did them all in one day. I can say it went excellently.

My oldest daughter got some kids out to wrestle for me and it made all the difference in the world. Without them I have a great crew. With them I had a great, big crew and really ran through the calves and got them done in good order. I love it when a plan comes together.

Lots of other brandings coming up now too. The weekends are pretty full branding up neighbors cattle. It's always fun to go to brandings and visit with people. I didn't get much of a chance at mine since I was so busy but I will at other brandings.

Now I need to get the cattle split up into thier summer pastures so I can get bulls out shortly. It's all ready getting to that time of year.

I haven't seen many flowers this spring so this flower set in these Yucca caught my eye. Taken 5/11/2008.

The neighbors bull that got in last year sure threw good looking calves. I'll have to compliment him. Taken 5/11/2008.

Gathering some late calving cows to the branding pasture. It was beautiful out. Taken 5/11/2008.

Boy yesterday was a beautiful day. Sun was shining, it was warm, and the grass was growing. You could hear it grow. I rode and cleaned out the spring pasture towards the branding pasture so I could be ready to brand. When I was done with that it was nice enough that I ran over to where the late calvers are at and gathered some pairs out of there and put them in the branding pasture too. It made for a long day, but it was productive. The only real problem was all the fence I found that needs fixed. When I will get to it I don't know, but I will one of these days.

I wondered with the high price of gas when we would start seeing this.

Gas costs deflate prices on used SUVs

High fuel prices are causing the value of used SUVs to plummet, often below what's listed in the buying guides many shoppers use to negotiate with dealers.

As a result, some new-car buyers think they're getting cheated by dealers who are offering them little for their SUV trade-ins.

"The dealer is going to offer a price, and the customer is going to be ticked off," says Tom Webb, chief economist for Manheim, operators of auctions where car dealers buy their used-vehicle inventories. "The guidebooks have not caught up to the market," he says.

Shopping guide Kelley Blue Book updates its values weekly at kbb.com, the online version, says Kelley's Robyn Eckard, so they should be up to date.

Webb's figures show wholesale prices on big SUVs such as Chevrolet Tahoes, Ford Expeditions and Toyota Sequoias are down 17% from a year ago. Full-size pickups have fallen as much as 15%, Webb says.

It took a little longer than I expected but it is starting to happen. Consumers are looking for a little more fuel efficient vehicles. I know that is a real concern for me here on the ranch. Maybe it's time to go back to horse and buggy. That is a lot more fuel efficient, except for the price of oats is sky high. If it isn't one thing it's another.

What's new around here. Not really much. It rained yesterday and it's supposed to rain a little more today. It's great. After the snow we had earlier the grass really started perking up and now with the rain yesterday you could just literally see the grass grow. What a good feeling. I would say that I have my grass crop for the year.

Not enough moisture yet for the hay to be made but it is a real good start. The only problem with the rain was i was going to try to brand the little bunch today. I've had a little bunch ready to brand now for a couple of weeks and with all the happenings it hasn't happened yet. I'm supposed to do the big bunch next Saturday and I'm hoping I have enough help that day that I will run up and do the little bunch too. It makes for a lot longer day, but I will get them all done that way. I should have enough help, if the high school kids my oldest rounded up for me all show. I've had High School kids back out before on me but I don't think this bunch will.

Not much else new. Moving cattle to the branding pasture, gathering the last few pairs to brand, Mother's day, son's birthday. Lot's going on as usual and not enough time to do it all.