What is your typical day like?

This weeks show us how you live topic is, What is your typical day like? Well this fits perfectly into my new idea that I will share what life is like on a ranch. At home my day would go something like this; Get up around six, stumble to the kitchen table and listen to the weather (my parents have 300 channels and yet the weather is on five hours a day). Finally wake up enough to eat some breakfast, then get dressed. Dress would include long johns, heavy jeans, t-shirt, long sleeved shirt, sweater and heavy socks. Before going outside I would add carhart coveralls (except, sadly, mine are little kids and green since I'm so short) carhart coat, a silk scarf (mine are usually pink to keep the guys from stealing them), cotton gloves (they're easy to layer and switch out if they get wet) warm boots and a hat. Being short I look like a fat kid or a black and green marshmallow when I exit the house. First on the agenda outside is starting the feeding pickups to let them warm up. Then I would take care of any corral chores, such as chopping ice and feeding the old horse his grain for the morning. Feeding is next. I would select either the 1996 Dodge with the hay feeder on it or the 198? GMC with the cake feeder on it. I prefer the Dodge, but since both have a heater and a working radio I'm fine with either. Let's say I get in the GMC today. That would mean I would drive under the cake storage bin, and weigh 600 pounds of cake into the feeder (It sets on a scales so we can determine how much we're feeding everything). Then I would cruise a couple miles down the road to the Hitchcock pasture and feed our calves. These calves are almost one year old right now and are fed hay and cake every day. I would use a siren that sounds similar to those heard in cities to call the calves and believe me, you want to be ready to feed when you turn on the siren because here they come! Following that I would drive home and re-fill my feeder with another 600 pounds of cake, then drive about 5 miles to the Over East pasture to feed the sheep. They are a little trickier to find sometimes. They come to the siren if they can hear it but sheep travel a lot, so it's difficult to determine where they are in a pasture that is about 2 miles by 2 miles in size.
After finding and feeding them I would probably call the person feeding hay in the Dodge on our CB radio. There is no cell service within 50 miles of the ranch so most people use CB radios to communicate. We would determine who was checking water where. I would probably be checking the calves water since they are on my way back home. Water is a BIG deal to ranchers. I will have a post on it sometime. Since it's so cold I would probably have to chop ice with an ax, then use a shovel or pitchfork to scoop the ice chunks out of the tank. The entire time I am feeding I have the radio blaring and my camera (the nice one) sitting within reach in case a photographic moment presents itself, which is often. I would also most likely have a couple dogs with me and would be entertained by them as well. Upon returning home I would feed anything else around the house that needed cake, such as the bulls or other horses. Then I would return to the house to warm up and probably eat lunch. After lunch I would plan the rest of my day. In the winter I spend a lot of time working on pictures or helping my dad and brother. During the winter months the men spend a lot of time in their shop, working on various equipment, doing maintenance and repairs on our vehicles or designing and building new items. I might help them with something or be given a task by them in the afternoon. There are also the house chores such as laundry, cleaning and cooking supper to be done. Never a dull moment for sure. In the evening I would take a shower and watch House Hunters :) We would sit down as a family to eat dinner. We also eat lunch together and most of the time breakfast too. Dinner is eaten somewhere between six and eight depending on what's going on. After dinner we watch TV and I might read a book and will probably be in bed by ten at the latest. I would be physically exhausted and mentally rejuvenated, it's a wonderful feeling you can't explain to someone.

This is what we do

Cows trailing in to eat. The snow visible on their backs is a sign that they are in good shape and have a layer of fat protecting them. If they were thinner the snow would melt as more body heat escaped.



Reading Bell of the Blogs latest post got me thinking. As an individual who is knowledgeable about certain aspects of the agriculture industry, what can I do to provide accurate information to people who don't know about our great industry?
This lead me to the idea that I love reading about people whose lives are different than mine. Someone from Hawaii could write 300 words about sitting on the beach and I would be enthralled and take their every word to heart. With that in mind I have decided to explain what my family does daily on our ranch.
I have time to do this because I have a desk job these days. But I have spent the better part of my life at our ranch, and it's what I love to do, so sharing the experiences should be easy. Furthermore, if you happen upon my blog and don't know about ranching, this will be the real deal straight from someone whose family has been doing it for multiple generations. Feel free to leave comments, questions or ideas.
First a little background information. My family is from the most rural part of Wyoming, on the eastern side of the state. Lets just say it doesn't get much more remote than where I'm from and it's wonderful there. Our closest neighbors are 2 1/5 miles away cross country. If you have to drive to their place its about 5 miles. It is 56 miles to the closest high school and about 200 miles to a Starbucks, Walmart or hospital.
We raise commercial cattle that are mostly Angus with some black baldies. We also raise commercial Rambouillet sheep. Ultimately we market pounds of beef and sheep raised. We work hard every single day of the year to take care of our livestock, our land and the lifestyle we live.
This time of year we spend a lot of time feeding our animals because the snow and cold temperatures increase their nutritional requirements. We feed hay and cake (not the birthday variety, please scroll down on the link to see the photo and info.) to ensure livestock get enough protein and energy to meet their daily needs.
We have special feeders on pickups, the hay feeder looks like this, that are used to feed and the entire process takes from seven or eight in the morning until noon roughly. Sometimes it turns into an all day event if something unexpected happens. While feeding we also check water, fix water problems and chop ice. We observe the livestock to make sure they aren't getting too thin and that each one is healthy.
If there is a problem we determine a course of action, such as increasing how much we feed. Much as humans can count calories to lose or gain weight, we can monitor how many pounds each cow is eating and how much protein or energy is contained per pound of feed. We can make adjustments to her ration based on the weather, her body condition or if she is nursing a calf.
One of the things that really baffles me is how animal activist groups call ranchers hateful people who don't care for their animals. My family spends more time with our cattle and sheep each day than most people spend with their pet. My dad and I have been known to sit on a hillside for hours watching the cows trail in to the feed ground, commenting on each one and taking note of anything we aren't satisfied with. We even have cows we call "cake munchers" because they will eat right out of our hand.
We want them to be healthy and happy and work hard to ensure they are. If we don't take care of them they won't perform and we will go out of business. There are a multitude of reasons for us to care for our animals, and we do care for and about them.
More on winter ranching activities next time.

The Younger Brothers band

Yesterday I interviewed Chancey Williams and Travis DeWitt of the Younger Brothers Band. It was fun and since I am a true-blue Younger Brothers fan I was thrilled to visit with them.
I know, I know, I've seen them play more times then I can count and most of you probably have too. The shiny edge should be worn off them by now. But, the Casper band scene leaves a lot to be desired and with each passing week I have missed them more.
So last night I guilt-tripped the boss into coming to the Beacon with me on a Tuesday to listen for a while. All I have to say is that I can't wait until this weekend when there's someone to dance with!
It also reminded me of my college years...that makes it sound like they were a long time ago, which they weren't. Anyway, as they started their first number I was having serious flashbacks to the first street Cowboy Bar in Laramie. Much smaller, smokier and almost always packed. It was always fun when they played. It seems like everything has changed since then, which is a good thing for the most part.
But some things are the same, some of the good things. Much like Laramie I am sure I will run into random people I know this weekend at the Beacon (that's just part of the joy of living in Wyoming), at which point we will attempt to yell over the music for a while before giving up and enjoying our drinks. I'm pretty sure of this because I already have people facebooking, texting and calling me to ask if the Younger Brothers are in Casper this week, or to say they'll be here and will see me out.
There will be whiskey and dancing and even a Darryl Worley concert thrown in for the heck of it. Who knew Casper could provide so much entertainment? I know I was starting to doubt the town's ability to show someone a good time. I'm sure I will be giving an update after I recover. You can also catch the article in the March 5th Roundup**
**Disclaimer- I am in no way guaranteeing the story will be this particular edition. It's more of a rough estimate than set in stone.

Foriegn cows and steak

I have some time this morning while waiting for people to return my calls and emails. I am also ahead for the week (yay)!
I started this blog with the intention of it being fairly educational and the result has been almost purely my opinion. I have realized that after thinking up ideas, calling people, writing articles and editing the paper I've had about enough of informative writing.
Now that I have that off my chest...
The latest Happy California Cow commercial features "Canadian Kirsten." The California cows marvel at her perfect English and Kirsten mentions how thrilled she is to be a "Happy California Cow."
This bothers me, maybe I'm overreacting but didn't Canadian Holstein cows result in a lot of "Unhappy" California and U.S. cows in general? Uh, yes!
Canadian dairy cows infected with BSE have caused massive amounts of frustration and financial loss for U.S. cattle producers. The first case of BSE found in the U.S. was in Washington state and the cow traced back to Canadian origin. The resulting upset of the general public and lack of knowledge regarding BSE had detrimental effects on the beef industry. When the Canadian border was re-opened it lowered the price of U.S. Beef again.
We strive to produce the highest quality, safest beef product in the world and do a great job of it. I don't think having another Canadian dairy cow in California is going to improve beef or milk marketability. I also don't like the way they portrayed the Canadian dairy cow, especially in light of all the problems that have stemmed from "Canadian Kirsten's" in the past. I think the next California Cow should already be a U.S. cow.
On a more upbeat note, all the talk about beef makes me think of steak :) While Ribeye's are almost always great my personal favorite is the the Sirloin, grilled medium rare...mmm. You can really tell the quality of the animal by the flavor and tenderness of a Sirloin steak. This is the first thing my family samples when doing quality control on our latest beef.
For steak and other beef recipes click here or here.

Why I don't watch the news

Last night I found myself watching the national news, which is something I typically avoid because it usually makes me mad. Last night was no exception. Maybe it was because I ended up on ABC. I was just waiting for the local weather to find out if I needed to plug my truck in or not.

The first story was on billboards in prominently black neighborhoods in Atlanta. Diane Sawyer talked about the higher pregnancy and abortion levels in black women as billboards showing black children and slogans saying black children were an endangered species and going extinct flashed on the screen. (A little extreme perhaps) The point was that out of about 31,000 abortions in Georgia last year, around 21,000 were in black women. The billboards were encouraging black women to rethink abortion.

Then they interviewed some black women. My blood pressure started to rise as one after another they told ABC news how they felt targeted and discriminated against solely because of their race. One even mentioned how this all led back to slavery. But...every woman started almost every single sentence with, "As a black woman I.." or "As a black woman this..." and most strayed off the topic at hand to make their race-related point. So who is it that discriminates and separates by race?

These women couldn't even get past their racial identity for a single sentence in most cases. And the real kicker, the billboards were designed by blacks as well. The designers explained that this was targeted to black women, just as other ads may be targeted to teenage mothers, and they were meant to be educational and thought provoking. It was based on statistical data and not designed to pick on them.

When people are so racists they can't function without dragging ethnicity and the "poor me" bit into the conversation it really ticks me off. As usual, someone was trying to help and these women couldn't see past the color of the situation.

The second story was on the hot dog. Apparently it's the leading food choking hazard in kids with 17,000 (I think) going to the emergency room each year. The discussion included the possibility of changing the hot dog shape, or that additional warnings might be put on labels. So, perhaps this isn't politically correct, but if you're too simple to realize your child may choke on a long, cylindrically shaped item, you probably need more help than additional warning labels will provide.

After that it went to local news and finally the weather, which was predicted to be cold. I changed channels, marched outside, plugged my truck in and wondered about society while I literally and figuratively cooled off.

Emmie Lou & Pearl Ann

Since I talk about my dogs constantly I decided they should be properly introduced. They are polar opposites and my primary source of entertainment.

Emmie Lou is a 9 lb toy Aussie and I have had her since my college days. She is kind, listens well and has been described as "a vets dream" for her ability to wrack up a bill there. She bounds out of bed before my feet hit the floor each morning, bouncing around and happy as a lark. She is all kindness and willingness to please and enjoys being the center of attention. I get asked about her name a lot and it stems from Emmy Lou Harris, who my parents listened to when I was growing up.

Emmie's loves:
Being scratched, held, pet, loved in any way.
Eating.
Pleasing anyone nearby.
Chasing rabbits, birds, sheep, deer, etc.
Snow.
Playing fetch.

Emmie's hates:
Water in any volume larger than her water dish will hold.
Baths, since they involve water.
Getting in trouble.
Other dogs picking on Pearl.
Being picked on by my brother.
Birds.

Pearl is my mini Dachshund. I acquired her when I left NM and she is a 9 pound ball of personality. She doesn't give a crap what anyone says and the only thing getting after her accomplishes is scaring Emmie. She sleeps in and usually jumps off the couch, stretches and gives a half-hearted wag of the tail around 7:00 each day. If something scares her she just leaves the situation and good luck finding her. I wanted to name her Penny, but that sounds too much like Emmie, so Pearl it was.

Pearl's loves:
Killing any new toy or ball and breaking her previous time record in the process.
Racing and chasing people around the house.
Wiggling in next to you on the couch and sleeping.
Digging.
Playing.
Looking tough.
Faking deafness.

Pearl's hates:
People, particularly one guy from NM that was my good friends bf.
The Akbash sheep guard dog, he chased her and she ran into the herd of sheep and got run over. She blames him for the whole incident.
Birds.
Cold weather.
New situations.
Did I mention people?

Together they love to chase just about anything, with their specialty being birds, cats and livestock. Pearl is personally responsible for killing 18 chickens, and one cat that I am aware of.
They also love to go anywhere I am going. Pearl spends the drive wandering around, shoving Emmie off her seat or curling up in the cleanest available coat. Emmie prefers to hang out the window, curl up in the second cleanest coat, or sit on the center consul. However, she also spends a lot of time trying not to puke since she gets car sick.
They fight like two kids and every night sit on the floor until Pearl puts her front paws on the couch and they both give me the, "please mom," look. At which point I almost always give in and let them up. After some petting and scratching Emmie stretches out on the opposite end and Pearl digs under my blanket and roots in as close to me as she can get.
Both have been kicked, stomped on and beat up and Emmie usually goes to the vet and Pearl comes out without a scratch. They don't care much for town, but hey, were all in agreement on that one. I love my little dogs and like I said, they provide a lot of entertainment.

What do you collect?

This week show us how you live is asking what people collect. Now this is something I do.
I traveled a lot in high school and college and have a pretty good collection of mugs from various cities and towns across the U.S. Most are glass with the location on them with a few shot glasses and coffee mugs mixed in. That's the boring collection.

My other collection is a set of Australian comics books called The Footrot Flats They are a HILARIOUS and based on a ranch in Australia and told from a border collies point of view (That's him sitting over there to the right). I have been known to scour EBAY for the editions I don't own and am very protective of them, but also willing to share the humor they contain. If you grew up around sheep you will find them especially entertaining.


And that's it for my collections, I've seriously considered taking up diamond or car collecting, but the overhead kills me. So, for now I'll stick with foreign comics and tacky drinking glasses.

The Friday Countdown

Friday is dragging this week. Between not feeling 100% healthy, another big paper and beautiful, ski perfect weather outside it feels like I will be trapped at my desk with two printers and a headache as my only company forever.

Perhaps that's dramatizing things a bit, but it's been a long week.

The cool layout of pictures are courtesy of the boss. I took them at Booth's bull sale Tuesday and she made them look pretty in Indesign. You can also view them on a nice green background at the bosses blog.


One of them also graced the cover of this weeks Roundup, in addition to another cattle photo I took last summer. These long papers are starting to kick my butt, and I'm sure the boss is getting her fill of them too since she's the one that does most of the work (that's why I'm the assistant :)

The paper also features stories on the strong Wyoming seedstock market, Bryant Honeybee's, the grasshopper, winter horse health and some legislation information.

Come on, I know at least one of those had you leaning forward in your seat, begging for more. ;)
As for next week, it's looking like a 24 page paper at this point. Lots of advertising this time of year. Look for articles covering other Wyoming crop pests, features on Wyoming people and guest editorials covering current issues.

For now I am keeping my eyes on the prize of the weekend. In a few more hours I will be curled up on the couch with the dogs, watching TV or finishing my latest book, (I know, I have one hell of a social life, you don't have to tell me)

Saturday night might include a little poker with some friends. Unfortunately they don't play holdem (which aside from 5-card is poker in my Wyoming, LCCC influenced world) but I am always up for a gamble.

One other noteworthy event. It snowed yesterday and today in Casper and there hasn't been ANY wind!! It's beautiful, perfect winter weather with several inches of wet snow on the ground and warm (for February in Casper) temps! Big sigh for being trapped inside most of the day :(

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

A day full of bull

It was a beautiful 45 degree day with no wind or clouds north of Torrington yesterday. I was there for the Booth Family Bull Sale
Buying bulls is one of my favorite activities! I am fascinated by genetics and the potential to change a herd through genetic selection. Since my family doesn't AI, we do these things through selecting bulls. I spend hours each winter and spring pouring over catalogs, deciding if there are enough bulls that meet our specifications to attend a sale. I thoroughly enjoy this time spent researching producers and bloodlines, it's fun for me.
Then there is the day spent wandering through pens of bulls, looking at them, bidding on them and being outside. If my dad attends there are discussions and comparisons.
By the way my dad is awesome and I am so grateful he isn't one of those dads who was hesitant to let me do something because I'm a girl. He's actually quite the opposite and I've thrived thanks to that attitude. He's often said, "Most girls might not be able to that, but Heather isn't most girls." Every girl should be so lucky to have such a great dad who believes in them!
Anyway, my point is I had an awesome day yesterday and was fully in my element and am very thankful that my father let me take over the genetic selection side of our operation. It's what I love to do and yesterday was a blast!

A few of my favorite things

Gathering cattle

Working Cattle


Feeding cattle :)

What a great state!

I love Wyoming! Certain parts better than others but overall we have it pretty dang good in this state. I drove home from Casper much earlier than expected Friday afternoon because the great people I work with kept asking me when I was going to leave until I finally did.
All the way home I kept meeting people who waved at me. This is a gesture I have found to be very unique to our state. In NM very few people waved, even if they knew you. It's such a nice thing to be driving along and have someone raise an appropriate finger or all-out wave at you when you meet them.
When I say all the way home I mean up to the last 30 miles. For that part of the drive I didn't meet another vehicle and the only witnesses of my fast driving were some yearlings and mule deer, all of whom apparently remembered me and wisely got out of the way. When I reach this part of the drive it's as though I've been holding my breath and can finally release it.
Here are some other things I love about being from this state and living here. I have to remember these things sometimes when I'm in Casper, which doesn't always feel so appealing.

I love that if you're stopped on the side of the road for any reason (my reason is usually to take a picture) and anyone does happen by they will stop and ask you if you need help. Regardless of your answer it will be another 10 minutes before you continue on your way because your conversation will take at least that long.

Weather isn't an excuse here. Most places shut down when it gets too cold, windy, snowy or hot. I used to hate the winter weather, especially some of those particularly nasty Laramie days. But after living in an area that is perpetually in one season, I love the weather changes here.

I love the nice people in Cheyenne. I don't know why but whenever I'm in Cheyenne I constantly run into nice people who let you go in front of them in line, or back up at the gas station so there is room for my truck. Nice things like that always happen in Cheyenne and consequently I like to go there.

I find it humorous that people always place you based on your last name and where you're from. Just off that they can come up with somebody they know that you know. It's about two degrees of separation in this state (This is assuming the person is one of the 10 you haven't already met)

We actually have wildlife here. Which I credit largely to ranchers management practices and they land the keep out of development

There is a coffee shop and bar in practically every little town. I can even get a great latte at Mule Creek Junction (population 1 rest stop and 1 coffee shop) and a beer in Powder River or Lance Creek.

And many others that I will add later.

Tuesday in Sheridan

I was shipped to Sheridan for work Tuesday and was thrilled. These trips are one reason I love my job. After the last post I figured I should throw in something upbeat.
I arrived Monday evening after holding a Roundup paper under Emmie from Kaycee to my brother's house near Ucross.
Imagine me driving, blocking the gap to the backseat so Pearl can't jump on Emmie and quite possibly cause her to throw up, while also holding a newspaper under Emmie as she turns from her normal color to green and back again. I said a prayer of thanks when we all arrived without incident, despite it being touch and go for the last 50 miles.
Kyle's roommate made amazing chili and we caught up while watching the Sackett Brothers. Those guys have more westerns than a museum!
Tuesday morning the dogs and I headed into Sheridan with only a couple screeching halts on the side of the highway to take pictures of the first photo-worthy scenery I had seen in weeks! Nothing turned out very impressive, but I have been playing with the settings the boss left on the computer and this is something I came up. I don't think it will make any further than this.

My first interview was with Don Butler and will be in the upcoming edition of the Roundup. He was very interesting to visit with (I spent two hours talking to him over coffee in his shop) and he told a great story.
After that I had time to kill but not enough time to get in another interview before my next scheduled meeting. So I had to entertain myself and immediately bee-lined it for "Best out West" (sigh of happiness). This is a wonderful shop on main street filled with booths of jewelry, signs, home decor and a basement full of old furniture, paintings and other misc. antiques. I perused the treasures and came away with a couple new items. One was a turquoise necklace that I didn't get a picture of. Then there was this great print! I still have to clean the glass and possibly find a better frame, but I love it.
Met a friend for lunch at Los Agaves for wonderful mexican food then headed to Sheridan College to interview the machining department.
I am not a mechanical person, but I love the college's machining department. It's so cool what they make and how it's done. I got to wander around, taking pictures and looking at projects after the interview. My brother went through the program so it's one of those situations where I'm known as "Kyle's sister," which is fine by me. There's only a couple things you want to be known as in a room of 15 guys between the ages of 18 and 20.
My final stop in Sheridan was Photo Imaging Center, where I drooled over lenses and bags and flashes.
Next up was an interview with Dale, a hilarious guy that I saved for last because I knew it would take a while. He is a carpenter, among other things, and was busy working at his daughter's place south of Buffalo. He is also a distant relative and it was wonderful to walk right into a group of people who share my sense of humor. We laughed and caught up and told stories for an hour before heading to Dale's pickup for the interview. The truck was chosen because it was about 15 degrees in the building and I wasn't decked out for a day of hanging sheet rock and insulation in the cold! After the interview we continued with the stories, laughing and catching up. Two and a half hours after arriving (20 minutes of that was the interview) I left with a huge grin, feeling special to know such great people.
While at Dale's I also met a guy who sells worms (the kind you fish with) to local convenience stores. Want to talk about a business that makes you the brunt of all jokes!
On the way home I called my friend from NM and spent another 40 mins laughing and telling her about all my interesting experiences in Casper. She has the greatest sense of humor and is one of those people who makes me laugh so hard I cry.
Upon arriving home the hyper dogs shot out of the blazer and we called it a day.

Beauty Tips-Favorite Hair and Makeup products

I was inspired by Life of an Accidental Rhinestone Cowgirl to list my favorite beauty products. Her blog will likely be much more entertaining to read than mine so I recommend visiting it.
I don't spend a lot of time on beauty products, but after living with a girl whose mom cut hair I discovered the great world of hair products.

First, I LOVE Biolage products. I use their shampoo, conditioner, leave-in tonic (I was told this is especially good for blondes, maybe they just knew I would fall for that line) and various other styling products. It makes my hair feel like I just left the salon.
Catwalk hairspray works good for me too. It certainly doesn't make me taller or give me the legs of a supermodel, but I suppose nothing will. If you have seen me having a good hair day I have probably used it. Not that good hair days are common, mind you.
Treseme styling products work well for me too. They're cheap and add curl, volume or whatever else they're supposed to do. I don't like their shampoos and conditioners though, my hair feels like an oily mess whenever I try them.


My other top choice is Dove soap. I have incredibly dry, sensitive skin and it works for me, even in the windblown town of Casper. I use it instead of a body wash and have been kindly told by my brother that I smell like soap after showering...so it does block any other odors I guess.
As for makeup I always have Covergirl very black mascara and eye shadows. The brown/tan ones with 3 or 4 shadows in one compact are my favorite.Not that any of these products actually help me look better or will help you. But I like them and use them all the time.

When did the code of the west become a code?

My bank gave me a book for getting my mortgage through them titled, "Cowboy Ethics, What Wall Street Can Learn from the Code of the West." It was written by James. P. Owen, who coincidentally worked on Wall Street. Photography was done by David Stoecklein.
My first thought was when did these basic practices become a "code." To me it is obviously a book written by some person that sits behind a desk for a living. If he hasn't heard these things by his age he probably isn't fit to tell others about them
It is filled with words like courage, resolve, integrity and character. Things that certainly fit agriculturalists almost to a tee, but cowboys, come on. After cruising around Mr. Owen's website I found this famous painting of a man on his horse carrying a calf and a lantern.What Mr. Owen would consider a cowboy I would definitely call a rancher.
Almost every "cowboy" I've ever met is broke, lazy and shirking some responsibility or another. They scrounge around just enough to pay the next entry fee and use whoever they can along the way. A few weeks work or selling one horse and they will lay around until they can't afford another beer. Then start the whole cycle over. Sure they're charming, but Idealistic? Maybe in the mythical sense, but the codes expressed in the book are almost laughable when demonstrated as "cowboy" ethics.
Ranchers, farmers and other agriculturalists are a far more likely group. They stuck around long enough to not only make something of themselves, but to hang on to in today's world. It takes a lot more nerve to purchase land and try to make it work through production methods than to work for an operation for a few months.
The author includes always finishing what you start and taking pride in your work in his code. Businesses can adopt the code as something they follow in their place of work. I certainly hope businesses I shop at do these things regardless of whether they follow a code or not.
But maybe they don't, perhaps that's why this man was so fascinated by the west. The things he lists are so common and expected where I'm from they would never be separated and highlighted. It's just what is done and even as small children if it wasn't done the consequences ensured it was the next time.
So, if you need a physical reminder of what you should do and how to conduct your affairs based on a man who worked on Wall Street for decades, give the book a try. It does have beautiful pictures. Beyond that it is a series of noble sounding words and famous quotes. Words are easy to say or write, but until they are actually practiced they're just words.
I do believe Wall Street can learn from the west and how we conduct our affairs on the whole, ut, reading a book isn't going to do it.

Hello Monday, goodbye weekend

This weekend I moved into the new house (pictures will be coming soon) and right now have piles of stuff everywhere and only one card table to stack everything on. It's wonderful and I love it!
My wonderful parents were here Friday with all my stuff and helped unload. Saturday morning we organized, did minor repairs and maintenance and they headed home.
Saturday night the previous owner stopped by with a BBQ'd chicken. Me being the genius I am decided to invite people over, despite being exhausted and only having the chicken to feed them on the little card table. So I invited my boss, her bf and another guy.
Oops on the last part. The guy was ridiculous and stayed long after the couple, telling such an amazing string of stories I dozed off to the point he actually noticed and finally left. Boy can I find winners! I will never hear the end of that one from the bosses bf.
The previous owner also invited me to Highland Park Community Church. I agreed and was prepared to attend the 10:30 service. At 9:30 some friends from Sheridan texted and one of them asked if he could go with me. Met him at 10:15 and arrived at the largest church I have ever been in at precisely 10:30
This thing is enormous. There were hundreds of people pouring into a multitude of rooms from a main lobby that was huge. After finding the correct room, my friend and I joined the boss, her bf and another friend for the worship music and sermon. Liked the sermon, don't think I could make it through another round of the music. Just wasn't my thing. But, if you're used to large churches and lots of live music that breaks into verbal praise at times, this would be a great option.
After church my friend at I had lunch at Guadalajaras, which was very good, then met up with his ride and parted ways. After debating for several minutes in the WalMart parking lot whether to change out of the most uncomfortable shoes I own before going furniture shopping I decided to tough it out.
I proceeded to scour Big Lots, Target, Rosses, JC Penny, Sears and Oak Express for the entire afternoon.
My finds included a 47" 1080P Vizio TV. They quit making the model in 2010 so I got a great deal, it was less than the 32" TV's I was looking at. After that I was floating so high my miserable shoes couldn't slow me down. I promptly went back to WalMart and purchased a DVD player. I also ordered this table with slightly different chairs at Oak Express.
Sunday night I had a drink and tried to get the mammoth TV working. So far all I can get is a black and white picture, pretty sure I need a different cable. Yay for the weekend!