Spring Rush

 (A big thank you to my mom for taking the only branding related photos of the year last week)

We've been running, literally it seems, around here for the past few weeks. Allow me to explain what I've been up to in my blogging absence:

May 23: Branded at my Uncle's
May 24: Gathered stray pairs out of the neighbors. Including three that were in a 4,800 acre pasture. Prepared to brand.
May 25: Gathered for our branding, got rained out. Played cards and visited with the family.
May 26: More rainy weather! Fed steers and worked on trailer house.
May 27: Fed, drove up and gathered for my Uncle's second branding.
May 28: Branded at my Uncle's again. Mom took above photo.
May 29: Shampooed trailer house carpets, more than once.
May 30: Hauled cows for neighbor. I fixed fence, searched for potential escapee cows, caught up with a good friend over coffee, primed bedroom in trailer house.
May 31: Finally branded our big bunch.
June 1: Oh, that's today... So far we've gathered up our dries and they are on their way to the sale. Decided to try to cancel D.C. trip (contingent on conversation with lady in charge of trip) . Fed, and now I am impatiently waiting for the computer repairman  (my new laptop is falling apart, physically) while doing laundry and dishes and preparing supper in my head. So far this repairman has put multiple cramps into my busy schedule over the last week (he seems to think I have plenty of time to sit by the phone and wait for him to call). This afternoon we are gathering up the few pairs we somehow missed yesterday and branding them. Assuming the computer repair man is on time...

And, while that was fairly busy, here's what's coming up next, and is totally subject to change based on weather, attitudes, vehicles breaking down etc...

June 2: Sort first round of pairs to haul to summer pasture. Possibly go to town.
June 3: Possibly go to town, depending on how the 2nd goes. OR, fly out to D.C.
June 4: Shipping first round to summer pasture, and trailing a couple miles to pasture due to recent rain. OR, first day of meetings in D.C.
June 5: Sort second round of pairs. OR, more D.C. meetings in a.m., then flying home in p.m.
June 6: Haul second round of pairs to summer pasture and trail in. Did I mention this summer pasture is three hours away, one way?
June 6, 7, 8 or 13: Sell yearling steers? Otherwise you can add feeding them to every day.
June 6-9: Haul my Uncle's stuff to summer pasture. Ride, sort pairs.
June 6-15: Haul hay from ND (this isn't me, but it will affect my schedule too)
June 15: All bulls turned out with cows, including hauling some the three hours to one bunch of cows.
June 16: Photographing first wedding of summer
June 17: Run errands, drive home from wedding.
June 18: Checking into rehab to sleep.

I truly love what I do, and this is one of my favorite times of year. But, I must admit that I'm also glad the entire year isn't as busy as late May and early June! Bear with me, and I'll be back to posting more regularly after I'm out of rehab bright and early June 19 : )