Well, of course I forgot to bring my red camera to the office to upload some of the weekend photos to my computer. Saturday I spent mostly around the house and some out on errands, and got quite a bit accomplished. Even though it's not yet mid-February, I'm already feeling the need to freshen up the house in preparation for bright, warm sunshiney days. Yes, I know it will be three months before I get any green grass and can open the house windows, but I'm already starting to hurry along spring.
Here are a few things I accomplished. Photos to come:
- Organized/rearranged kitchen cupboards. I think my kitchen gets unfair attention compared to the rest of the house, but it is the space in which I enjoy spending most of my time, and that's how I justify it. After Scott and the girls left first thing Saturday morning to open water for the cows and go to the Association to work on the new flatbed for Snowflake, his little white pickup, I spent the first few hours of my Saturday organizing cupboards, weeding a few things out, putting some extra cupboard organizers in place and finishing filling my new shelves above my fridge with dishes, which ended up being mostly goblets. I also dusted my bottle collection that's on top of the cupboards.
- Washed all the couch pillows, pillow cases and couch cushion covers. There's nothing that makes a house feel cleaner than freshly-laundered couch accessories.
- Took down the sheer burgundy panels that have been on the big front window since move-in. They were dusty. And after taking them down I realized how much natural light they really did block.
- After taking down the panels, I also realized how dirty the windows were. It wasn't yet snowing, and the temperature hadn't dropped, so I cleaned them inside and out. That included the window pane where the neighborhood tom cat had climbed on my porch chair and sprayed the glass. And the wall. And the chair back. I think that's earned him a ticket out of town in a live trap. Window cleaning also took care of Link's nose prints on the inside of other front window, where he likes to sit on the ledge, which his furry belly now overhangs. I think his days spent snoozing in his chair this winter have resulted in a little weight gain.
- Swept, vacuumed and washed all the wood floors upstairs. Although there isn't much for square footage, it sure takes a while to chase down all the hair balls - we're entering shedding season, and Lucy has wasted no time - and the wood chips, chunks other remnants that accompany a wood-burning stove.
- Painted a set of dining table chairs red. They came from Salvation Army, were unfinished wood and had been drawn on by the previous owner's children. Or somebody's children. I had picked up a can of Rustoleum Satin Finish spray paint at Menards with the chairs in mind. The paint project I also did before the temperature dropped and the snow came. It was a little chilly outside, so I brought them inside to the basement to finish drying. Scott came home that evening and we were both in the basement for some reason. He saw the first chair I'd finished and brought inside, which prompted a 'So what've you been up to today, sweety?' Like any husband of a DIYer, he's learned not to ask too many questions, or be surprised at changes to the house. :-)
- Stained a set of three wooden shelves a dark brown. Also before the snow came. They're intended for Scott's collection of shot glasses, which right now are on top of the scalloped wood valances in the front room that will soon meet their end. Although I got the staining done, I didn't get the shelves hung this weekend.
- Hung up two more horseshoe hooks on the right side of the bathroom doorway upstairs. Several weeks ago I hung two on the left side of the doorway, near my newly-established coatrack station in the hallway to the sewing room, and they were already overflowing with scotch caps, cowboy hats and silk scarves, so hopefully the additional hooks will help spread out our collection. And they also already look full. I have more horseshoe hooks, but currently no good idea of where to put them where they'll be as handy.
- After all those projects I headed out to clean the Roundup office and return some useless off-brand Swiffer wet wipes to Walmart. They did more harm than good, leaving streaks all over my floors. I'll stick with the Swiffer brand of wipes, which work great. So much for cheaper.
- I also was on a quest to find a black dress for friend Emily's upcoming Missouri wedding. I found something at the mall that I think will work. We'll see if I still like it when I put it on again.
- When I got home from errands I started cooking food for our Superbowl gathering, which included the yeast rolls to serve as buns for the sliders, the S'more Brownies... and I forget what else. I was in the kitchen from 6 to 11 p.m., and got quite a bit prepared for the next day. Including cinnamon rolls for breakfast in the morning. Since the yeast roll dough can also be used for the cinnamon rolls I doubled the recipe. I baked half that night, and put the other half in the fridge to bake in the morning. I've never successfully done that, but it did end up working for me, although you have to be patient and wait for the rolls to completely warm up and for the yeast to become active again before baking. For all my yeast recipes - the rolls, soft pretzels and pizza dough - I turned on the oven just enough to warm it up, then set my bowls of dough inside to rise. In the apartment there was a perfect corner on top of the refrigerator that stayed warm from the motor, but I don't have such a good sheltered spot in the house.
- My KitchenAid mixer worked overtime this weekend. It's my most-used kitchen appliance.
- On Sunday Scott went with the girls to open water for the cows again, and I got back to work with some cooking and more cleaning that didn't get done Saturday, like the upstairs bathroom and vacuuming the rug in front of the couch, which is the dogs' favorite napping/chewing/wrestling area. I also moved the loveseat over by the tv and adjusted the tv for better viewing by a group, which caused the antenna to come crashing to the floor because the cord wasn't as long as I thought. I thought I might have to have Scott bring another home, but turns out everything still worked.
- Mother-in-law Shirley arrived at about 11:30, right after I'd finished cleaning the bathroom and washing the bathroom and kitchen floors and showering. I cooked and she and I visited while Scott went to get Bob, who needed a ride to the house while Becky dropped her new grandbaby off with her daughter. Baby Brooklyn and mother Emily ended up coming over to the house later in the day.
- The rest of the afternoon was consumed with visiting and nibbling and sampling my new recipes. Thankfully the soft pretzels turned out really well, and I enjoyed them with the mustard sauce. The cheese sauce I tried to make to go with them didn't turn out so good, and now I don't know what I'll do with that bowl of cheese mixed with green chilies. :-)
- And then everyone left when the football game ended. And I went to bed at 8:30. And it was wonderful. I didn't get my usual couple-hour nap this weekend.
Monday, February 7
Friday, February 4
Backing up a few days...
Since I was out of town for both work and play last week/weekend, I completely missed a post about Lucy turning one year old!
How could I forget?
She and her littermates were born Jan. 29, 2010. I first heard that there was a litter of red heeler pups when Scott and I were in his pickup with Bob and Nick. We were on our way to Riverton to order bits and spurs from Alan Taylor - when I ordered my birthday spurs from Scott - and Bob mentioned that there was a litter of pups belonging to our friend Francy. I immediately put in a reservation - I'd been wanting a dog for quite some time, and a red heeler was what I really wanted.
A mere four weeks later I went to Francy's with Heather to pick out my puppy, which turned out to be our spaz Lucy! It was so fun to have her so young, and I don't think she's any worse for it. Except that now she has to have her nose in everything, be in on everything and be in the middle of everything, and I think that's a consequence of taking here everywhere, and I mean everywhere, when she was young. She's not known anything else.
Her first few weeks were spent growing up in the Roundup office, as I was still living in my apartment and didn't want to leave her locked in a cage all day long. I loved the stage where her ears were half perked up. Pretty cute.
She went to feed my horses with me every day, so she never knew anything else than being around horses and livestock. She was soon introduced to cattle, and worked on the first opportunity I gave her at six months old. She remains a good, attentive cowdog, and she listens to either Scott or myself off horseback, so she's pretty handy to have around.
The thing I like most is she's got a good 'get back' on her, so that if she's going after a cow and has put it where it needs to be, or if shouldn't go after something she wants to, all we have to do is tell her to get behind, and she'll fall back behind your horse. For as much of a spaz as she can be at some times, she really pays good attention when we're working, and she tries really hard.
So far she's been pinned to the ground by a horned cow at least once, and has been kicked in the face a couple times, so come this summer she'll be all the smarter and all the better to work with.
Soon after I got her I bought my house and moved in, and so it was a good time to get a dog, which, as I said, I'd wanted for a long, long time. A couple months after moving into the house Scott got Foxy, and Lucy now has a sister and someone to make mischief with.
We're still working on being calm, especially when company arrives, and not losing her mind and spinning in circles on the floor when she's excited :-), but we'll get there. She is, after all, only a year old, and I think she's done quite well over the past year for being so young. She's well socialized and has been there, done that, including the horse camping and pack trips I took her on last summer. And she's protective of the house, and of Scott and myself, so we're hoping she bonds well to the baby and takes the same care with it as she does with us.
It's good to have dogs around the house, and I wouldn't trade my little red heeler pup.
How could I forget?
She and her littermates were born Jan. 29, 2010. I first heard that there was a litter of red heeler pups when Scott and I were in his pickup with Bob and Nick. We were on our way to Riverton to order bits and spurs from Alan Taylor - when I ordered my birthday spurs from Scott - and Bob mentioned that there was a litter of pups belonging to our friend Francy. I immediately put in a reservation - I'd been wanting a dog for quite some time, and a red heeler was what I really wanted.
A mere four weeks later I went to Francy's with Heather to pick out my puppy, which turned out to be our spaz Lucy! It was so fun to have her so young, and I don't think she's any worse for it. Except that now she has to have her nose in everything, be in on everything and be in the middle of everything, and I think that's a consequence of taking here everywhere, and I mean everywhere, when she was young. She's not known anything else.
Her first few weeks were spent growing up in the Roundup office, as I was still living in my apartment and didn't want to leave her locked in a cage all day long. I loved the stage where her ears were half perked up. Pretty cute.
The thing I like most is she's got a good 'get back' on her, so that if she's going after a cow and has put it where it needs to be, or if shouldn't go after something she wants to, all we have to do is tell her to get behind, and she'll fall back behind your horse. For as much of a spaz as she can be at some times, she really pays good attention when we're working, and she tries really hard.
So far she's been pinned to the ground by a horned cow at least once, and has been kicked in the face a couple times, so come this summer she'll be all the smarter and all the better to work with.
We're still working on being calm, especially when company arrives, and not losing her mind and spinning in circles on the floor when she's excited :-), but we'll get there. She is, after all, only a year old, and I think she's done quite well over the past year for being so young. She's well socialized and has been there, done that, including the horse camping and pack trips I took her on last summer. And she's protective of the house, and of Scott and myself, so we're hoping she bonds well to the baby and takes the same care with it as she does with us.
It's good to have dogs around the house, and I wouldn't trade my little red heeler pup.
To the previous owners of Odds and Ends..
I miss you.
For several years now the thrift store Odds and Ends here in Casper, on the corner of 12th and Beverly, has been my guilty pleasure, my relaxing lunch break, my curious stop after work or on slow Saturdays. It was a store full of quality used furniture at great prices - the kind of prices that make you say, "Yes, I like that enough to spend XX dollars. It's definitely worth that."
It was the store that contributed to overcrowding in my apartment, and the store where I found several key pieces of furniture for my new house last spring. I loved making good finds at Odds and Ends, and most of my current furniture has come from there. More than once did I stop by in my car last summer, only to return after work with my truck to pick up my purchase and bring something new home.
But those days are over.
Sadly, the store sold last summer. It stayed the same for a little while after the sale, as the old owners stayed on to break in the new ones. I thought maybe things would go smoothly, and hoped that the new owners would have the same vision and understanding for thrifting and used furniture that the old ones clearly did. It's now clear to me that I should have bought the shop!
All this has been brought on by my visit yesterday, while heading to the house from Hobby Lobby on lunch break. I had stopped in several weeks ago, and was disappointed to find that some piece of crap fake poinsettia had a price tag of five dollars on it. In any self-respecting thrift store, it would have been 50 cents. That was an indication of the direction the store has chosen to take.
So yesterday I walked through the door once again, thinking maybe that was a fluke, or that maybe they'd seen how wrong they were going with the business. My first impressions now upon walking in is that it's gotten white trashy, and the new owners seem to be going for quantity over quality. The front room is much more crowded now than it used to be, and it's hard to get around and see everything. I noticed their upholstered chairs are way overpriced. A decent chair that would suit a living room used to go for $80, and most of the prices I saw yesterday were pushing $250. Really. Who shops at a thrift store because they're looking to spend that kind of money. I could go to Furniture Row and get a brand new piece for not much more than that.
I don't think the new owners have the knack for finding the classic old pieces of furniture, either. It seems like they're just filling the store with whatever comes their way. There were a couple dressers that interested me, but at $150+, I didn't even consider purchasing them.
Add to all this - the new owners, or whoever it is that's working in there now - are not friendly. It used to be that, upon walking in, a customer was warmly greeted by whoever was working the counter. Now it's got the Walmart effect, where they pretend you don't exist.
So anyway, that's my sad tale. I no longer have a favorite thrift store in Casper. There are many others, but none of them are as consistent as Odds and Ends used to be. The others either have a bunch of cheap junk, with the occasional score, or overpriced furniture, with the occasional, "Well, I guess I could pay that much for that."
Sad times! But my spending money is much more intact now that I'm not tempted by furniture, so I guess that's one good point.
For several years now the thrift store Odds and Ends here in Casper, on the corner of 12th and Beverly, has been my guilty pleasure, my relaxing lunch break, my curious stop after work or on slow Saturdays. It was a store full of quality used furniture at great prices - the kind of prices that make you say, "Yes, I like that enough to spend XX dollars. It's definitely worth that."
It was the store that contributed to overcrowding in my apartment, and the store where I found several key pieces of furniture for my new house last spring. I loved making good finds at Odds and Ends, and most of my current furniture has come from there. More than once did I stop by in my car last summer, only to return after work with my truck to pick up my purchase and bring something new home.
But those days are over.
Sadly, the store sold last summer. It stayed the same for a little while after the sale, as the old owners stayed on to break in the new ones. I thought maybe things would go smoothly, and hoped that the new owners would have the same vision and understanding for thrifting and used furniture that the old ones clearly did. It's now clear to me that I should have bought the shop!
All this has been brought on by my visit yesterday, while heading to the house from Hobby Lobby on lunch break. I had stopped in several weeks ago, and was disappointed to find that some piece of crap fake poinsettia had a price tag of five dollars on it. In any self-respecting thrift store, it would have been 50 cents. That was an indication of the direction the store has chosen to take.
So yesterday I walked through the door once again, thinking maybe that was a fluke, or that maybe they'd seen how wrong they were going with the business. My first impressions now upon walking in is that it's gotten white trashy, and the new owners seem to be going for quantity over quality. The front room is much more crowded now than it used to be, and it's hard to get around and see everything. I noticed their upholstered chairs are way overpriced. A decent chair that would suit a living room used to go for $80, and most of the prices I saw yesterday were pushing $250. Really. Who shops at a thrift store because they're looking to spend that kind of money. I could go to Furniture Row and get a brand new piece for not much more than that.
I don't think the new owners have the knack for finding the classic old pieces of furniture, either. It seems like they're just filling the store with whatever comes their way. There were a couple dressers that interested me, but at $150+, I didn't even consider purchasing them.
Add to all this - the new owners, or whoever it is that's working in there now - are not friendly. It used to be that, upon walking in, a customer was warmly greeted by whoever was working the counter. Now it's got the Walmart effect, where they pretend you don't exist.
So anyway, that's my sad tale. I no longer have a favorite thrift store in Casper. There are many others, but none of them are as consistent as Odds and Ends used to be. The others either have a bunch of cheap junk, with the occasional score, or overpriced furniture, with the occasional, "Well, I guess I could pay that much for that."
Sad times! But my spending money is much more intact now that I'm not tempted by furniture, so I guess that's one good point.
Thursday, February 3
Homemade English muffins
Does it get better than this?
The photo alone is enough to inspire me to make some tonight, and enjoy them with eggs, bacon, cheese and some leaf lettuce. The recipe calls for all white flour, but I like the store-bought whole-wheat English muffins so much that I'd probably change the recipe to whole-grain.
Here's the link so you can have the recipe for yourself: Tasty Kitchen Blog - English Muffins.
I found the recipe and photo tutorial on a rabbit trail from my main goal of finding a Superbowl menu. Here's what I've settled on for Sunday, although it's subject to change on a whim or inspiration. :-)
- Pizza Rolls - a recipe of my own devising, as I didn't find one that I liked. Fashioned after the Old Chicago appetizer. I'll let you know how it goes.
- Mushroom and Swiss Sliders with Spicy Fry Sauce - from Pioneer Woman Cooks
- Tomato/cheese/Rotel/ground beef dip - Again, nothing that has a specific recipe. Throw it all together and heat!
- White Chocolate Party Mix - from Taste of Home. Because I'm pretty sure Scott can still taste the recipe my mom made at Christmas time.
- S'more Brownies - a definite favorite, good for taking to brandings, that I haven't made in a couple years. From Food Network.
- And... perhaps soft pretzels with mustard sauce? If I have the time and/or ambition come Saturday. Mostly, I'd make them because they sound really good to me, and I know I'd eat one or two. Or more.
Wednesday, February 2
Baby growing update
So, there's not a whole lot new to share on this front, but I thought an update might be timely, as I haven't really said anything about it since sharing the news...
So far, so good, pretty much sums it up. I have been slightly sick on more than one occasion, but nothing I can complain about. One night I didn't eat enough food along with my prenatal vitamins, and was sorry for it. Scott ended up bringing me a slice of bread to nibble in bed. Otherwise, as long as I keep fed I'm almost good to go. I bring Oatmeal Squares cereal with me when I'm traveling and in meetings, and it makes a good snack to tide me over.
I've been eating a lot of whole grains, vegetables, lettuce salads, sandwiches, yogurt... really nothing different than usual. I did get some sweet potatoes and roasted them in the oven with a little olive oil, salt and pepper - the way my mom fixed them when we were in Iowa and they were so good - because sweet potatoes are supposed to be really good for you, as well as black beans, which I also like, and have a favorite salad recipe with a vinegar, lime juice and honey dressing. It's so good.
There are too many things that women aren't 'supposed' to eat when they're pregnant for me to keep track of, and I found myself forgetting until halfway through a meal, so I've thrown out the list and am just trying to eat healthy and carefully. Yes, *gasp* I am eating deli meat, some seafood like tuna and salmon, and the other weekend I did eat a couple eggs over-easy for breakfast in Thermopolis. And there was bleu cheese on that steak salad at Old Chicago, which didn't occur to me until I was halfway into it. Don't tell the pregnancy diet police.
At first I had an aversion to all things sweet, and to large quantities of meat, but I'm over that now. Still keeping away from the sweets, just because I don't need them in my diet, but have added meat back in and am enjoying eating steaks and pork roast again. :-)
When left to my own devices, I usually don't eat a lot of fruit, but many vegetables, so I have tried to make an effort to eat more fruit. Despite that, I still haven't consumed a banana on its own out of the last three bunches - good thing Scott likes to eat them - but I have used them to make banana flax waffles, which were delicious, and banana chip muffins, which I made whole-grain, sugar-free and added flax. Scott liked them, too. They're already all gone.
So with those slight diet adjustments, so far I've tightened my belt two holes... I think the majority of that came from the first weeks of January when I wasn't consuming much food at all. No noticeable weight gain yet, although the scale says it's happening somewhere, with just a pound or two added back at nine weeks now.
I have been back to Zumba several times, though with last week's travel, and yesterday's long trip to Worland and back, I haven't gone recently. Looks like I should be in town for a couple weeks now, unless I go back to the legislature in Cheyenne, so I'm hoping to get back into going consistently, just to keep up my exercise.
So that's pretty much all the baby news to date - the doctor appointment is still a couple weeks out yet, and Scott says then we'll know 'for sure.' I guess he won't believe it till he sees it.
So far, so good, pretty much sums it up. I have been slightly sick on more than one occasion, but nothing I can complain about. One night I didn't eat enough food along with my prenatal vitamins, and was sorry for it. Scott ended up bringing me a slice of bread to nibble in bed. Otherwise, as long as I keep fed I'm almost good to go. I bring Oatmeal Squares cereal with me when I'm traveling and in meetings, and it makes a good snack to tide me over.
I've been eating a lot of whole grains, vegetables, lettuce salads, sandwiches, yogurt... really nothing different than usual. I did get some sweet potatoes and roasted them in the oven with a little olive oil, salt and pepper - the way my mom fixed them when we were in Iowa and they were so good - because sweet potatoes are supposed to be really good for you, as well as black beans, which I also like, and have a favorite salad recipe with a vinegar, lime juice and honey dressing. It's so good.
There are too many things that women aren't 'supposed' to eat when they're pregnant for me to keep track of, and I found myself forgetting until halfway through a meal, so I've thrown out the list and am just trying to eat healthy and carefully. Yes, *gasp* I am eating deli meat, some seafood like tuna and salmon, and the other weekend I did eat a couple eggs over-easy for breakfast in Thermopolis. And there was bleu cheese on that steak salad at Old Chicago, which didn't occur to me until I was halfway into it. Don't tell the pregnancy diet police.
At first I had an aversion to all things sweet, and to large quantities of meat, but I'm over that now. Still keeping away from the sweets, just because I don't need them in my diet, but have added meat back in and am enjoying eating steaks and pork roast again. :-)
When left to my own devices, I usually don't eat a lot of fruit, but many vegetables, so I have tried to make an effort to eat more fruit. Despite that, I still haven't consumed a banana on its own out of the last three bunches - good thing Scott likes to eat them - but I have used them to make banana flax waffles, which were delicious, and banana chip muffins, which I made whole-grain, sugar-free and added flax. Scott liked them, too. They're already all gone.
So with those slight diet adjustments, so far I've tightened my belt two holes... I think the majority of that came from the first weeks of January when I wasn't consuming much food at all. No noticeable weight gain yet, although the scale says it's happening somewhere, with just a pound or two added back at nine weeks now.
I have been back to Zumba several times, though with last week's travel, and yesterday's long trip to Worland and back, I haven't gone recently. Looks like I should be in town for a couple weeks now, unless I go back to the legislature in Cheyenne, so I'm hoping to get back into going consistently, just to keep up my exercise.
So that's pretty much all the baby news to date - the doctor appointment is still a couple weeks out yet, and Scott says then we'll know 'for sure.' I guess he won't believe it till he sees it.
The heifers at home at Thermopolis
Last Friday evening, en route back to Casper from Powell, I met up with Scott and Bob at Jerry Lake's place on Owl Creek, near Thermopolis, to spend the night, visit, look at our replacement heifers and pick up a load of hay.
Saturday morning Scott and I headed out to the feedlot, where the girls are staying, and while we were there we fed the few pens of cattle that Jerry's keeping over the winter. The red heifer second from left is the one that Scott gave me last spring, and she looks small next to the girls from Iowa! She didn't look that small when we weaned last fall, but Scott says that's because her mother is also little. A little cow is just fine, as long as she produces.
Here Scott is giving the hay to our heifers. They will stay here until late spring, when they'll be moved back to the green grass on the Association before being bred this summer. It's best to keep replacement heifers - the females that will join the cowherd as producers - in a situation like this overwinter so they can keep growing and be in good shape come springtime. Being out on pasture would be enough to maintain their weight, but not necessarily gain and grow.
After the calves were fed we went across the road to start Jerry's truck, which was already loaded, and put some straps on the hay before Bob and Scott headed back to the Association with it, and I headed back to Casper.
Friday, January 28
Another Friday already?
Well, here we are again, a week has gone by and I haven't posted anything! Perhaps that because nothing much has been going on around here....
Except traveling, I guess I have driven quite a bit this week, and have been out of the office for four days - that might have contributed to my lack of updates in blogworld. On Monday I drove to Cheyenne for an early Tuesday morning meeting of the House Ag Committee in the Wyoming Capitol, where they were discussing a bill concerning the beef checkoff in Wyoming, among other topics. The meeting started at 7, and I arrived at the capitol building at 6:30 and was locked out in the dark and cold! Things got better from there, though, and I ended up with a little time, amidst my other tasks for the day, to visit Sierra Trading Post outlet and purchase a pair of Cruel Girl jeans for myself, and a really warm-looking shirt for Scott.
Then, I was in the office Wednesday, and left first thing Thursday to head to the northwest corner of the state, to Powell, where Northwest College is located. That's where I'm still at this afternoon, attending the Spring Roundup, which I've found very interesting and educational. Last night I also had dinner with good friends in Cody, and tonight I'm headed to Thermop to meet up with Bob and Scott at Jerry and Robin Lake's place to visit and spend the weekend.
Amidst all that, I haven't really had a chance to do much else this week except for make sure I'm on top of legislative things, make sure the apporpriate updates get put into articles as the bills move through the chambers, as well as the other normal news we always have going on that affect the state, like some bills before Congress demanding wolf delisting, and the recent deregulation of Roundup Ready alfalfa and the hoped-for deregulation of Roundup Ready sugarbeets.
I would have some photos to share but *ahem* Heather borrowed my card reader earlier this week and I forgot to get it back form her, so I have no way to get the photos from camera to computer. ;-)
And, on Monday I took Baby Seehusen's gift to Cheyenne with me, and it's all finished up, so soon I will get it sent to Iowa, and then I can post photos of that project.
And I did my taxes! Good news that I'm getting a refund this year, for the first time in several. It's really nice to not have to worry about paying the IRS.
I guess one image I could share with you is the cover of this week's paper, which I thought turned out really nice.
This week we featured that beef checkoff bill, a University of Wyoming study on whether or not it's possible to increase omega-3s in grassfed beef, the reappointment of the director of the Wyoming Department of Agriculture by our new Governor Matt Mead, and a review of the implications of Secretary of the Interior's "Wild Lands" executive order, and what that means for BLM lands in Wyoming.
The lead photo came from a correspondent in western Wyoming. The two draft horses are pulling what's known as a sheep wagon. Sheep wagons have been used for decades by sheepherders out on the range - the guys who look after and tend to the sheep while they're out grazing. They're one of those things that, even with all the modern technologies, some things just work better and more efficiently the old-fashioned way. They're essentially a little camper, with a bed, benches, a fold-down table, drawers, shelves and a small wood stove for heat. They're used more and more rarely, as sheep operations themselves are also becoming more rare, so it's unique to see them out on the job in the parts of Wyoming that still use them.
Except traveling, I guess I have driven quite a bit this week, and have been out of the office for four days - that might have contributed to my lack of updates in blogworld. On Monday I drove to Cheyenne for an early Tuesday morning meeting of the House Ag Committee in the Wyoming Capitol, where they were discussing a bill concerning the beef checkoff in Wyoming, among other topics. The meeting started at 7, and I arrived at the capitol building at 6:30 and was locked out in the dark and cold! Things got better from there, though, and I ended up with a little time, amidst my other tasks for the day, to visit Sierra Trading Post outlet and purchase a pair of Cruel Girl jeans for myself, and a really warm-looking shirt for Scott.
Then, I was in the office Wednesday, and left first thing Thursday to head to the northwest corner of the state, to Powell, where Northwest College is located. That's where I'm still at this afternoon, attending the Spring Roundup, which I've found very interesting and educational. Last night I also had dinner with good friends in Cody, and tonight I'm headed to Thermop to meet up with Bob and Scott at Jerry and Robin Lake's place to visit and spend the weekend.
Amidst all that, I haven't really had a chance to do much else this week except for make sure I'm on top of legislative things, make sure the apporpriate updates get put into articles as the bills move through the chambers, as well as the other normal news we always have going on that affect the state, like some bills before Congress demanding wolf delisting, and the recent deregulation of Roundup Ready alfalfa and the hoped-for deregulation of Roundup Ready sugarbeets.
I would have some photos to share but *ahem* Heather borrowed my card reader earlier this week and I forgot to get it back form her, so I have no way to get the photos from camera to computer. ;-)
And, on Monday I took Baby Seehusen's gift to Cheyenne with me, and it's all finished up, so soon I will get it sent to Iowa, and then I can post photos of that project.
And I did my taxes! Good news that I'm getting a refund this year, for the first time in several. It's really nice to not have to worry about paying the IRS.
I guess one image I could share with you is the cover of this week's paper, which I thought turned out really nice.
The lead photo came from a correspondent in western Wyoming. The two draft horses are pulling what's known as a sheep wagon. Sheep wagons have been used for decades by sheepherders out on the range - the guys who look after and tend to the sheep while they're out grazing. They're one of those things that, even with all the modern technologies, some things just work better and more efficiently the old-fashioned way. They're essentially a little camper, with a bed, benches, a fold-down table, drawers, shelves and a small wood stove for heat. They're used more and more rarely, as sheep operations themselves are also becoming more rare, so it's unique to see them out on the job in the parts of Wyoming that still use them.
Friday, January 21
A wintertime trip to Jackson
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| Source: Daryl Hunter, Flickr |
"We" being Scott and myself, along with Bob and Becky and friends Rick and Shannon from Meeteetse. I don't remember exactly when the plan was hatched, but we've had our rooms booked at the Antler Inn in Jackson for quite some time.
I'm excited to go. My four-and-a-half years spent in Wyoming have led me to Jackson on several occasions, but always just passing through, or there on business, so I'm looking forward to going on a trip for "play." Although, I guess the managing editor is coming out in me, because I have three interviews in mind that I'll try to schedule for while we're there. Two will go in our upcoming Horse Edition, and the third will be a feature for the cover of our regular weekly.
The "cutter races" are actually no longer run with cutters, but rather with lightweight chariots pulled by a pair of racehorses over a quarter-mile, and they're a big deal in some circles in Wyoming, with races held around the state all winter long. I tried to find a great photo that sister Melissa took for an article in the Roundup about the races held in Riverton, but I'm not sure I even have it in my files. I'm looking forward to taking my camera and hopefully getting some dramatic race shots to share.
Also coming up in February is a potential Superbowl party, and also a snowshoeing/hot chocolate party on Feb. 13 to celebrate both my birthday and Valentine's Day. Looking forward to all three events!
Thursday, January 20
Things accomplished so far this week
Well, I haven't really done or taken pictures of anything too great or exciting this week, thus the lack of posting. This is a little bit of the everyday things we've been up to around Casper and 1406 S Lincoln:
- Scored a tree's worth of firewood when I arrived home one afternoon to find the neighbors were taking down one of their trees. All we had to do was pick it up and stack it in our yard.
- Cleaned the basement. That was a task long-postponed, after the dogs decided to de-stuff their two dog beds, which resulted in pink and green polyfill fluff all over. I finally had to clean, as it was started to encroach into the bedroom and even up the stairs to the kitchen.
- Cleaned the refrigerator. It occurred to me that I hadn't deep-cleaned that kitchen appliance at all since I moved in - just the surface wipes now and then - and it feels much better to know the entire thing has been cleaned in hot, soapy water. It needed it, turns out, and I had lots of help from all three of the kids.
- Made BLTs last night for dinner. Scott's been craving them, and they did turn out quite tasty. I'm not a fan of the Lewright's Meat bacon from our pig, though. It's sliced too thin, and really shrivels up when cooked. Williams Locker is much better, although the smoked pork chops from Lewright's are really good.
- Watched Biggest Loser. It's become a Tuesday night tradition, and I think Scott's even getting involved now. In the new season that just started, Rulan Gardner from Star Valley in western Wyoming, the gold medal Olympian, is participating, so it's fun to watch him and his naturally competitive spirit. I heard him speak once at a banquet in Cheyenne, and I liked him.
- Went back to Zumba class. It had been since before Christmas that I'd last been. Despite seriously sprained toe from kicking puppies on Sunday morning, I went and jumped around for an hour, and was sorry for it. After a couple days' rest I'm going to attempt it again tonight. The toe is still sore, but not like it was.
- Meetings this week for work. Monday was Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming (ICOW) in Douglas, Tuesday afternoon was Roundup staff meeting, and Wednesday was the Wyoming Weed Management annual meeting here in town. Next week I'll be gone a lot, with a trip to Cheyenne on Monday afternoon/Tuesday for a hearing about the state beef checkoff before the House Ag Committee, and then driving to the other corner of the state for a two-day event that Northwest College is hosting in Powell. Then I'll stay up in the Big Horn Basin for the weekend, as Scott and Bob are also going up to load hay from a friend north of Thermopolis.
- Almost done with Baby Seehusen's 'welcome to the world' gift. :-)
- Right now just waiting for this week's proof of the paper to arrive so I can print it off and take a look.
- Scored a tree's worth of firewood when I arrived home one afternoon to find the neighbors were taking down one of their trees. All we had to do was pick it up and stack it in our yard.
- Cleaned the basement. That was a task long-postponed, after the dogs decided to de-stuff their two dog beds, which resulted in pink and green polyfill fluff all over. I finally had to clean, as it was started to encroach into the bedroom and even up the stairs to the kitchen.
- Cleaned the refrigerator. It occurred to me that I hadn't deep-cleaned that kitchen appliance at all since I moved in - just the surface wipes now and then - and it feels much better to know the entire thing has been cleaned in hot, soapy water. It needed it, turns out, and I had lots of help from all three of the kids.
- Made BLTs last night for dinner. Scott's been craving them, and they did turn out quite tasty. I'm not a fan of the Lewright's Meat bacon from our pig, though. It's sliced too thin, and really shrivels up when cooked. Williams Locker is much better, although the smoked pork chops from Lewright's are really good.
- Watched Biggest Loser. It's become a Tuesday night tradition, and I think Scott's even getting involved now. In the new season that just started, Rulan Gardner from Star Valley in western Wyoming, the gold medal Olympian, is participating, so it's fun to watch him and his naturally competitive spirit. I heard him speak once at a banquet in Cheyenne, and I liked him.
- Went back to Zumba class. It had been since before Christmas that I'd last been. Despite seriously sprained toe from kicking puppies on Sunday morning, I went and jumped around for an hour, and was sorry for it. After a couple days' rest I'm going to attempt it again tonight. The toe is still sore, but not like it was.
- Meetings this week for work. Monday was Independent Cattlemen of Wyoming (ICOW) in Douglas, Tuesday afternoon was Roundup staff meeting, and Wednesday was the Wyoming Weed Management annual meeting here in town. Next week I'll be gone a lot, with a trip to Cheyenne on Monday afternoon/Tuesday for a hearing about the state beef checkoff before the House Ag Committee, and then driving to the other corner of the state for a two-day event that Northwest College is hosting in Powell. Then I'll stay up in the Big Horn Basin for the weekend, as Scott and Bob are also going up to load hay from a friend north of Thermopolis.
- Almost done with Baby Seehusen's 'welcome to the world' gift. :-)
- Right now just waiting for this week's proof of the paper to arrive so I can print it off and take a look.
Monday, January 17
Keeping the livestock comfortable
In addition to my previous post about how we care for our hogs in Iowa, while we were visiting for Christmas Scott and I also got out to help with other day-to-day winter farm tasks, which include giving more bedding/feed to the calves, now almost a year old. This is the group of calves from which we brought seven heifers back to Wyoming to add to our breeding herd.
The first step in bedding the calves, and also getting two more bales for the cowherd to eat, is to find the cornstalk bales under the snow. In this photo my brother Nathan has the snow bucket on the loader tractor to dig out the bales.
Iowa gets a lot of snow, and it stacks up everywhere. Unlike Wyoming, Iowa does not get mid-winter thaws to clear out some of the piles and mounds, which only melt in springtime, when they all melt at once and rivers flow down the driveways and ditches, the ground turns into a sponge filled to capacity and large ponds form in the fields.
After digging out the bales Nathan switched to the tines attachment on the loader tractor, which spears the bale and easily carries it into the lot where the calves live through the winter. They stay locked up for the winter months so they can be fed and cared for to ensure that they grow well and stay healthy. There's really no reason to leave them out in their pasture, as the ground is covered in snow and there's no shelter from the wind and driving snow. They're really much happier where they have a shed to block the wind, cornstalks for bedding and a daily feeding of corn.
Scott is also much happier when he's in a shelter and warm, with food, rather than standing out in the Iowa winter weather.
The bale is set down right under the roof, on its end, and the tractor then pushes it under the overhang. This lot the calves are in is a repurposed outdoor hog lot, where my family used to keep a portion of our hogs before the new confinement buildings were built. The larger, much taller part of the shed is used to house various farm equipment, grain wagons filled with corn for the calves, trucks, tractors, etc. The calves get this separate shed to themselves for their shelter.
Getting the bale clear inside the shed ensures that the most cornstalks will stay where they will be best used, both as feed and as bedding, and not wasted. The bales are composed of cornstalks - a popular way to get more value from leftover corn stover in Iowa. The stalks are baled up each fall following harvest, and along with the dry forage they also contain some of the ears of corn that were missed or dropped by the combine - a special treat for whatever calf finds them first. The indigestible, more tough parts of the cornstalks become the bedding.
These calves were very happy we were getting them more to eat. Talk about service!
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