My Baby Isn't A Baby Anymore...

My baby... I mean my almost 2 year old, Blaze is growing into an adult right before my eyes.

Where did my baby that fed every 2 hours, could cook up the most horrendous diapers, and that would snuggle up to me while sleeping and never wiggle go?

My baby... I mean, Blaze now won't touch any food that resembles the texture of baby food, is trying his hardest to convince me he can drink from a glass, talking up a storm, has had 4 haircuts and is developing his sweet but sometimes touchy personality.

For me, since I have gotten into photography, I am so sad to say that I have neglected snapping pictures of my own child. I am missing out on so many wonderful opportunities... if he stays still long enough for me to take a picture that is.

This Sunday when Clint came home from a horseshow in Tulsa, he decided that it was time for Blaze's summer haircut. You know, so the dudes can be low maintenance and cooler while they work during the hot summer.

Clint has given Blaze all of his haircuts and I do not dare take him to a barber. Clint thinks that it's a Daddy's job to fix his boy's do.

With every swipe of the clippers, I realized more and more that I don't have a baby anymore... I now have a boy. A crazy, dare-devil, accident prone, dirt lovin' little boy.

Here are a few pictures that I snapped. Don't you just want to eat him up???

Blaze showing off his new do.
Please ignore the scrape on his head...
and his bare feet...
and the ketchup on his face...
and the fact that he doesn't have a shirt on.

He's trying to tell me to hop in the passenger
seat. He doesn't realize "hop" is not in my
 vocabulary anymore.

Blaze loves riding horses. This is his attempt
 of saying "cheese". It sounds just like "shoes". I just love
Clint's expression. If that's not love and adoration, I don't
know what is.

This is our life in a nutshell. Dirt. Boots. Jeans.
Horses. Dogs. Baseball caps. Snacks.

This is my little "Sarge" overseeing
the dirty work.

Mama Mare & Sweet Little Red

Since we moved to the ranch, my afternoons have consisted of loving on as many animals as I could before I had come back to the real world and cook dinner, or do laundry, or load the dish washer, or give bath time...

A couple of the horses that I have become close to are Mama Mare & Sweet Little Red.

Clay & Colleen have bred Mama Mare to a stud and that's how Sweet Little Red came along.

Springtime is my absolute favorite time of the year. New life pops up all around us and we relish in it as long as we can because we know the harsh summer is upon us.

Just like any new mama, Mama Mare is very protective over Sweet Little Red. And Sweet Little Red doesn't know enough about the world yet to trust a weird two legged thing wanting to touch her.

I have gone out there every single day.

Some days I would hand feed Mama Mare alfalfa.

Some days I would just sit on the other side of the fence admiring the grace and beauty of these two creatures.

Some days I would get inside their pen so they would get used to my smell and let them know I was just there for lovin'.

A few days Mama Mare would sniff me over like I was being checked out to board a plane. She would sniff my hands, my shirt, and even my hair to make sure it was ok that I was in their pen.

A couple of days I spent a good hour brushing Mama Mare's mane and tail, scratching in between her ears, and giving her robust belly a good massage.

One day, Mama Mare stood face to face with me as she rested her giant cheek against my cheek while I just stroked her neck and took in her smell. It was magical. I felt like we bonded. All the while Sweet Little Red would poke her head from behind Mama Mare, still unsure of me but somewhat getting used to my presence.  

Sweet Little Red got lost in the trance of Mama Mare being pampered one day and let me stroke her fluffy, skinny neck until she realized it was my hand. Then she scampered away with her gawky legs to the other side of Mama Mare.

I will cherish those days forever.

Mama Mare and Sweet Little Red just left this morning for Oklahoma where they will live on a friend's calf horse ranch for a while until Mama Mare comes back to raise another baby.

I will be waiting. I can't wait to see that beautiful red roan mare back in the pen where I can do it all over again.

Here are just a few pictures Mama Mare and Sweet Little Red let me snap. They weren't really sure about the camera, though.

Sweet Little Red looking at me from under
Mama Mare's belly.

Mama Mare trying to show Sweet Little Red the ropes.

I'm going to pretend this isn't personal.

Mama Mare. Such a beautiful being.

Weekend at the High Oaks Ranch: And They All Ride In

On the last day of the spring gathering at the High Oaks Ranch, The Big Hat Roping is held.

There are a few rules to the Big Hat but we will get to that a little later.

Before they could get started filming the Big Hat, a little intro needed to take place.

I decided to give these pictures their own post because I didn't want them to get lost in another post. They are too entertaining to not have their own home.

Again, I have no words. Words could never prepare you for the hilarity that is about to take place.

I will leave you to gather your own thoughts and comments on these pictures:

Weekend at the High Oaks Ranch: Day 3

Just in case you have missed any of the previous posts, here are links to their pages:

Weekend at the High Oaks Ranch: Day 1

Weekend at the High Oaks Ranch: Day 2

Weekend at the High Oaks Ranch: Around the Camp


Friday morning the alarm brought me out of a dead sleep suddenly at the same time as it did the day before.

I hate when I wake up from a dead sleep. I usually don't know where I am or what day it is, and I have been known to forget my own name. It didn't help that I had my fair share of silver bullets.

The night before, I put my dollars down on the dice table for several hours as I joined in on the fun. After observing and learning the rules, I was ready to join the big boys. Being the competitive person that I am I talked alot of trash, hooped and hollered when I won, and kept playing until I had twice as many ones as I had when I started.

I live for the competitive spirit that thrives inside of me. I love the adrenaline. I love the game. More than anything though, I hate to lose and I usually don't stop until I'm back on top.

A few more people gathered around the camp for breakfast this day and we did our usual routine. Eat. Saddle horses. Hit the trail.

This day was a little different because we were gathering and working cattle in a different pasture several miles from camp in a different set of pens. To get there, we loaded all of our horses in the trailer and drove to where they were.

As the grey clouds loomed over our heads teasing us with droplets of rain, we unloaded all the horses to set out on the trail.

When you are in the livestock or horse industry you never curse the rain. Ever. Even if you get rained out and can't do your work for the day, you welcome rain with open arms and let it do it's business. Rain is the essence of the profession.

The camera guys got a little nervous though.

Oh! I forgot to tell y'all the reason for this spring gathering. Well there are actually several reasons. One is so that the calves and cattle on the High Oaks Ranch can be worked with plenty of help from friends. Two is so we can gather as friends and have a good time. And three is so our gathering can be captured on film for the All Around Performance Horse show.

Scotty, Sean and John are the head honchos for the show and they do a wonderful job of showcasing the western way of life and keeping it alive with an honest stand point.

While we are on the subject, don't miss the annual All Around Ranch Rodeo which will be held in Glen Rose Expo on June 7,8,9, 2012. Clint and I will both be there helping. I can't wait.

Ranch rodeos are my favorite events to go watch. I just love it when Clint enters into the annual 4th of July Ranch Rodeo in Granbury. I'm a good cheerleader.

A ranch rodeo is similar to a regular rodeo but they have teams of cowboys that compete in events like branding, sorting, bronc riding, wild cow milking, and mugging. If you are wondering what in the heck I just said, it is all the more reason for you to come watch. These are all events that ranchers back in the day had to do to get work done. It's pretty interesting and fun stuff to watch. You can get more schedule and ticket info here.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch.... (I love that book)

The grey clouds demanded the sky with the exception of sporadic rays of sunshine trying to break through which made for the most beautiful setting. The air was damp as it anticipated a down pour.

All the guys, and gal (Sandy, Bolivar's wife came along that day) headed out to gather the herd. Since there wasn't that far to go to push the cattle in the pens, I walked in hopes I could get some good pictures. That and I figured it was the least likely place for me to get in trouble again.

The cattle were ushered in the small pens and the work began. First you have to sort off the mamas from the babies. Neither party likes this not one bit. They both let out their moos of protest every step of the way and the entire time until they are reunited.

After the sorting, the heifers and the few bulls are ran through a chute where they are wormed with a topical solution that is poured on their backs and given their yearly injections to ward off common cattle sicknesses.

What is very interesting to me is that there are only a few carefully selected bulls that are put with a given herd. The reason for that being that they have been tested and are engineered to produce low birth weight calves.

This is very important because low birth weight calves are obviously easier to calve naturally and it lowers your risk of losing any livestock during calve birth or needing the assistance from a vet if needed. Both are expensive and are to be avoided if at all possible.

After all the heifers and bulls are tended to, it's the calves' turn.

A few cowboys on their horses are to rope the hind legs and drag the calves to the fire where they are branded, vaccinated, and castrated if they are boys. They have to be drug because they don't exactly go willingly.

All of these actions are necessary to maintain a healthy cattle ranch. I know, I know.... I would rather just love those calves into submission, too, but that's just not feesible.

Enjoy these pictures from another part of the lovely High Oaks Ranch! Oh but I'm not finished yet!!! Stay tunned for the Big Hat Roping!!!

Good thing Clint is in a good mood so early in the morning.
This is a very good sign.

This is JP, the High Oaks Ranch ranch manager.

Clint on ol' Gravy

John Mitchell on grey

Bolivar, Slick and Greg getting ready for the day.

What a beautiful landscape.

I love grey horses.
Noble steed comes to mind.

Leggins, boots, spurs and a ranch brand
are also some of my favorite things.

Sean is the official brander man.

Scotty sorting a few calves.

Just because we are working cattle, doesn't
mean the real world stops. Trey Trey has to
take a phone call. Hope he can hear over the
cattle mooing.

This is Kel. He is laughing, just in case you couldn't figure
that out on your own.

JP again making sure things are
going according to plan.

This is one mad mama expressing herself.

Mr. Muscles.

Baby calf isn't happy either.

Love this one.

"What you lookin' at?"

Clint and Bolivar about to drag a few calves.

Bolivar

Pull, Grey, Pull

No words. Just love.

Getting a little branding done.

Greg.

John Klam.

Clint and Grey are still at it.

Slick

Sandy is getting in on the action.

That looks like alot of work. I'm tired just looking at it.

I love this picture of Scotty. If I had one word it would be:
regal.

Bolivar

I heart this picture too.

Sean waiting on the guys to bring him
another calf.

Mr. Muscles #2

DJ doing a little work.

Kel again

Bolivar, are you tired yet?

The whole group ready for their camera time.

What a lovely bunch of cocnuts!

The work is done for the day, boys.... and girl.

JP and the Noble Steed

It was hard for me to just pick a few pictures for this post. There was so much about this day that I just loved on camera.

If you are reading out there, I wanna know what you think. Show me some love, people.

There are still more cool and funny pictures to come! Don't miss them!

-Kaci