Although there have been some cold days we are really feeling like spring is here. There is excitement and enthusiasm on the ranch as we continue to get calves on the ground and the foaling has started.

Monday was definitely a Monday for the books. School bus did now show up, the rumor was it was missing. Our friend Maria came and picked up Kade and Jaxsen on her way with her kids, Kaine and Anna were getting physicals so they could start sports first thing so they were not riding the bus anyway. CBHA called and there was a mix up scheduling with the Dr, so their 8:30 and 8:45 appts for their physicals were now at 9:30 and 9:45, dad was taking them in for that. But, I did get to talk to someone at CBHA, and get it all prearranged for dad to take them in. The freezer FINALLY showed up, BUT, we paid extra for a lift gate to unload it, since we don’t own a forklift. Guess what, no liftgate. Toni called Ben and had him come home from work to unload it with the Trojan loader, and the driver had to call dispatch and get it approved. Kaine texted me from school that they want him to come in on Wednesday for extra projects, due to COVID the Jr High does not have AP classes and this is their AP, I emailed his teacher he has enough projects at home, he is not going to school. Anna came home to tell us how her science teacher said if you breed a red angus to any white breed of cattle you get a roan shorthorn. This is a teacher I had in 8^th grade, she is been in the Connell community for a long time, it is not like she is from the inner city. Anna, Mark and Edie tried explaining she is mixing up breeds and colors and explaining the difference, but they did not get very far. It is now a running joke in the family- if we breed a Char to (whatever fill in the blank) we can get a shorthorn. Then we all laugh.  Jaxsen, who thinks he is a genetics and science expert, really thinks it is funny, he asked if he should go in and teach the class. The likelihood that he will have this teacher as well prevents us for encouraging him with this plan.  I hope she does not try to talk about horse color coats today, that is way more complicated and it might drive Anna over the brink. Ben and Kicker set up the freezer Monday night and Toni, Anna, Kade and Jaxsen fed the cows. Kade and Anna had gone up after school to feed grain, so dad, Jaxsen and Toni did horse chores and then went up to do cow chores. Kaine started football practice Monday night, he said they are going to play 3 games and have 10 practices. Better than nothing.

Tuesday we had another foal, Shasta had a palomino filly by Sagebug. Dad had a Dr appt, and then he went to pick up the rest of our meat in at Bryans. Dad, Anna and Kaine filled up the new freezer with meat. We had a few cows calve as well on Tuesday. Toni took Kaine and Aram into football practice on Tuesday, and then she told me it was take out Tuesday, so I took that to mean she needed pizza payment, so I went and got Papa Murpheys for everyone. Dad took Anna’s pickup and took Kade and Totie to basketball practice, and then Toni went and picked them up. Kaine rode home on the activity bus. Toni, Anna and Jaxsen did chores, and then went out and fed the mares.  Toni feels like she is a little short handed now that the boys have decided to play sports. But it is really good for Jaxsen because he has to step up his game and can’t make excuses about not helping. The first day he wasn’t great, but now he is going to help without too much complaint. Toni wants to start building fence again next week, so it might be a battle of wills to get Jax to help more than he is now.

                Wednesday Mocha had a FANCY filly by Sagebug. Toni was out checking and called Anna who raced out to see it. They both got to pet on her and get her imprinted. We don’t have a black with a blaze so we think we should keep this one. She was born on Sam’s bday so her barn name is Sam.  Loud had twins, a bull and a heifer. I guess chasing the cows around to put bulls out worked. Dad went to work mowing wheat for Luke on Wednesday.  Mom and Anna took Kaine to football practice on Wednesday, Anna drove and mom was her supervisor. Wednesday night it looked like Loud’s calves had not nursed, so Toni, Anna, Kade and Jaxsen got them in, and then I met them down in circle 3 with the trailer. Loud is doing a great job keeping track of them.

Thursday Toni checked the cows and 116 and 805M calved. Then she took the boys to dentist appointments, then they went and had lunch. Kaine had football after school, Anna went up to help Ben and Kicker get cows in. Toni, Kade and Jaxsen did chores, then dad took Kade up to basketball practice. 

Friday Anna checked cows and then Anna and Kaine got the cows in to sort to put CIDRs in when Ben got home from work. Anna and mom drove Kaine to football practice. Mom, dad and grandma got their second COVID shots. Anna, Ben and Kicker put the CIDRs in.  Toni and Marlo went to check horses and got stopped by one of Toni’s clients for a bit. Then they went out to find the mares and feed and had a heck of a time finding them.  Once they did find them, there were not any new foals. Marlo went up to Toni’s for dinner and to watch a movie.

Saturday we checked cows and horses and then I ran up and got Kade and Anna, Kade and Kaine caught steers and heifers and washed them. We ran to Othello at lunch to get supplies to make a pig pen and posts so Toni could start building fence again. We had lunch while we were in town.  After lunch Anna, Kaine, Kade and I got the pig pen done and moved the 4 pigs up. They were happy to have a bigger pen. Because they are so tame and we couldn’t get the trailer into their current pen, we had to pack them to the trailer, meaning I packed 3 and Anna packed 1. Squeakers squealed the entire time. These things are way too big to be this gentle. Mike and Jordan Regan showed up to get meat out of the new freezer. Then the kids and I headed down. Toni and Jaxsen had most of the chores done by the time we got there.  Toni also watched the Central Washington Livestock Horse Sale online and told me how high priced everything was.  Kaine and Kade went back to my house after chores and Ben and Kicker helped then let everything go, and Anna, Toni, Jaxsen and I went out and fed the horses in the desert.

Sunday morning when we checked. We got there right in time to see Ro foal, she had a beautiful dunalino filly. Then we went back to the house to check cows, 636 had also calved. Then we tagged calves.  Anna and Kaine rode after that.

For lunch we went up to Toni and Kicker’s house to celebrate Kicker’s birthday. Then we went home and did some final touches to the pig pen and went and did chores.  We named Ro’s foal Gunz N Dolls (or Dolz?). We received a deposit on the first foal, Chic, so sales have started.

Although there have been some cold days we are really feeling like spring is here. There is excitement and enthusiasm on the ranch as we continue to get calves on the ground and the foaling has started. The kids are feeling very positive about the Spokane Jr. Show and are getting out there to work on their steers. We have some really high-quality meat in the freezer if anyone is looking for beef. Our beef website is: https://got-beef.net/ to see what the prices are.