Adventureous Days at the Ranch....

LLANOJOHN (deceased) · October 31, 2005, 01:58:51 PM

Hey, you are paying attention!

We took the calves in last nite, got them unloaded and then had supper at the Mexican resturant at the north end of town (can't remember the name--drat!). The Beef Enchalada dinner was terrific. Didn't get much rain here (0.10) but the north winds brought some cool temps.....gotta love that! Hope your dad can join us for the lunch this week. Give me a hollar when you have a mind too!

Ol' John:D

RatherBHuntin · October 31, 2005, 03:47:54 PM

Very clear, I feel like I live next door, minus the distinctive aroma that smells like wholesome goodness. We had some thoroughbreds once, a couple herefords, goats, chickens and some rabbits at different times. Nothin on this scale, but your stories of the cattle sure bring back memories, specially the recurring one of mom saying to get some meat out of the freezer for dinner and having my choice of every cut you could imagine. There is something to say for having an entire steer in the deep freeze. Hehe, also the fine memory of mucking out stalls, also recurring. Dont miss that part.

Dragonfly · October 31, 2005, 04:22:49 PM

OH my what great looking calves John Boy!!! Well fed and well bred.

I'm betting you get a great price out of all of them just going by looks.

Course I like the looks of a Dutch Belted and they won't bring anything much at all. But I like to see them around so...:D

RatherB I have to agree with mucking out the barn but I sure do love the smell of cattle and horses, mules being in a barn. And fresh hay...Hummmm (sigh)

drinksgin (deceased) · October 31, 2005, 05:15:16 PM

Just remember what all that smelly stuff does after you till it into the garden, there ain't nothing tomatoes and corn like better!

Dragonfly · October 31, 2005, 05:31:41 PM

And don't forget my flowers!!! Great stuff!! Better than anything you can buy for sure!!

Gmoney · October 31, 2005, 06:14:21 PM

John, Zavalas is the place and you should try the guacamole enchiladas next time.....incredible!!!.....but for breakfast go to Willow Creek on the square....mmmmmm!!!!

LLANOJOHN (deceased) · October 31, 2005, 07:30:37 PM

Quote from: GmoneyJohn, Zavalas is the place and you should try the guacamole enchiladas next time.....incredible!!!.....but for breakfast go to Willow Creek on the square....mmmmmm!!!!

By golly, Zavalas is the place and you can bet I will try the guacamole next time and thanks for the tip! I dearly love guacamole!:D Need to make a run into Fredericksburg tomorrow and maybe Llano on Wednesday. Need to p/u some of the 200# protein blocks for the cattle this winter and want to get it placed in the pasture before the hunting season starts this Saturday--also need to get the round bales out in both pastures. Lordy, I am having fun!!:D :D

We used my '95 Dodge 3/4 ton to haul the calves the last two times and I had my cousin drive the truck to get used to it. That Cummin's Turbo-Diesel sure do haul nice....nary a squeak or a bobble! Cuz said he didn't even know he was pulling a trailer loaded with calves. The amazing part was that after I filled with fuel........the mileage was 21.6 MPG. Now if they would get the price of diesel back to where it ought to be...life would be good again. We took the county road up thru Loyal Valley to US87 to Mason to the auction yard and according to my odometer it was a 50 mile round-trip. Mason is closer to the ranch than Fredericksburg...........thought it was farther. Thats what I get for thinking.

:o

Cuz just placed an order for 300 square bales (horse grade coastal) and should be delivered this Thursday. We use those to get the cattle into the pens along with range cubes now and then. I sure like this P/U truck and range cube cowboyin'.

Draggy & Don...........yeppers..cowpies are definitely good for the garden. Gotta dig a trench in the garden for the 'tater plantin' this next spring and for the 'maters also. I have a little cart behind my riding mower and have starting collecting selected "cow-pies" to put in the ground this December. Gotta collect some of the hay leavin's out of the barn to put in the trench/holes and add the cowpies. Them store bought 'maters remind me of eating cardboard.......no flavor what-so-ever.:frown If we can manage to put 10 deer in the freezer this season...we gonna be eatin' better than the rich folks. A hog or two or three and maybe some turkeys would be nice also!
Guess I had best make sure the Win-'70 carbine is sighted in..but plenty of time for that as we don't start hunting until after Thanksgiving.

Y'all take care now......more pic's to come this week. Best y'all stay outta trees and offa windmills now, ya hear!:D

Ol' John:)

drinksgin (deceased) · October 31, 2005, 07:44:53 PM

If you do go up a windmill, at least make sure the tail is tied back and the platform boards are not rotten!
Oh yes, I fixed fried shrimp, french fries[done in the oven] and guacamole with fresh tomatoes and green onions from the garden.
It would be nice to get some of the Valley giant slick skinned aguacates, but the only way I know is to drive down there and buy at the orchard, they should be coming off about now!

LLANOJOHN (deceased) · November 01, 2005, 05:49:43 AM

Quote from: drinksginOh yes, I fixed fried shrimp, french fries[done in the oven] and guacamole with fresh tomatoes and green onions from the garden.

Golly gee whiz that sounds good! I just might have made a special trip to Trinity, Texas to set at yore table, amigo! BTW, how far are you from Toledo Bend Lake? There is a possibility I might be in that neck of the woods come late February of next year.

Ol' John;)

drinksgin (deceased) · November 01, 2005, 06:08:45 AM

John;
We are a little over 100 miles from Rayburn and 175 or so from Toledo Bend, they are both east of us.

sakorick · November 03, 2005, 03:37:44 AM

Hey Hondo....Have you ever been to enchanted rock? Did you know it is the second largest granite monadnock in the United States after Stone Mountain in Georgia? When the sun warms it up during the day and it starts to cool off in the evenings, the rock crackles. I've heard it really spooked the natives years ago. A few friends of mine and I went down there some years ago and scaled to the summit. A real nice view if you like Texas! http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/%7Ermr/E-rock/ERgeneral.html Regards, Rick.

LLANOJOHN (deceased) · November 03, 2005, 04:57:24 AM

Sakorick,

Enchanted Rock, you say! Oh yes, many many tiimes! In my youth I did a little 'spelunking' and there is one break-down cave near the summit of Enchanted Rock. The little rock just south is the more interesting to explore. Little nooks and crannies and shelter caves, one shelter cave has a small oak tree growing "horizontally" (see pic) out of the cave mouth. There is a sheer cliff on the west side of Enchanted Rock that aspiring rock climbers practice their craft quite often.

I had a distant cousin, Hermann Lehmann, who was a captive of the Indians for nine years and in his book, "Nine Years with the Indians" he makes reference to Enchanted Rock. More interestingly to us here at the ranch is the local landmark, House Mountain, which is about a mile north of the ranch. He referred to it in his book also as that is where he and his Indian companions camped many times. We find many arrow heads here on the ranch and my cousin has quite a collection started. We always check Hickory Creek and Left-Hand Creek which run thru the ranch after heavy rains and never fail to not find an arrowhead or two. I will be posting pics on these areas as time and enviromental conditions allow.

Speaking of pics here are some of that cousin that was captured by the Indians........hope you find them interesting.

Ol' John..

Kit · November 03, 2005, 09:34:49 PM

Yes, John, the photos are interesting and thanks for posting them! I love looking at photos!!

It is also cool to hear you are having such fun! I am so glad your Cuz is feelin better'nuff to join you in the fun as well!

LLANOJOHN (deceased) · January 22, 2006, 07:27:58 AM

AND THEN THE RAINS CAME...............................!!!!:D :D

At last....some precipitation...started about 5AM...slow rain and no wind! And boy do we need it! I have some updates to post and will do that later...but this thread is getting mighty long so I will start a "Adventureous Days at the Ranch, Part II."

Deer hunting was slow this year....hot, hot, hot! The first 10 days of January set new all time highs.....our average temps are in the 60's and 75* to 85* days were what we experienced. A few nice bucks were taken but nothing exceptional...one of the hunters did bag a "stag", that is the antlers still in velvet. Here is a not-to-good pic but the best one I have.

I will start the "Part II" later today. I have some pics to download from the camera and its in the truck and its "RAINING"!:D :D :D

Ol' John..

Adventureous Days at the Ranch....

Dragonfly

Dragonfly

Kit