Back off, Brother!

Yikes! This is when 2-Man Ranch Sorting gets really nerve-wracking! Right behind the cowboy on the right is a 12 foot gate that he is guarding, trying to prevent the herd from running through it. The cowboy on the other side of the pen is supposed to only be driving the one cow with the correct number on its collar out that gate. However, he has just given his brother the really tough job of stopping several cows. I couldn't stand the suspense, so I looked ahead and not only did he stop those cows, but the one on the right was the correct cow and in the next picture he was heading out the gate, while the others turned back to the other side of the pen. Whew!!

Charlotte

Teeny, tiny Charlotte is practically our team penning mascot. She is always at our events because her whole family helps out while her 'mother' rides. She is just the sweetest little thing, everyone is always threatening to put her in their pocket and take her home with them - I know that I would in a heartbeat, if I didn't think it would break her little heart. I've never seen a dog that was so devoted to its owner! She roams all over the grounds, keeping an eye on things, but if her mama whistles, she's off like a shot, running to find her. I took the cutest picture of her last year, sitting tall in the saddle...

Cattle Handler

This gentleman is one of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet. He is one of the cattlemen that helps manage the herds during our penning events. Doesn't he look like he's having fun?!

Homecoming Queen/Penning Princess

Sorry about the lack of posts over the weekend - I was at a team penning event and forgot the USB cable to my camera, so I had no way to upload images and get them posted to my blog, even though I did have a computer & Internet connection. Today you get a bonus - 3 posts!

You've seen the cowgirl on the right here and here, but this week, our 'Penning Princess' was crowned 'Homecoming Queen' of her high school! We are all so thrilled for her, although we missed her Saturday night when she had to go to the Homecoming Dance, and missed our evening festivities. She is such a sweet girl - she always has a smile on her face. This photo was taken Saturday morning after her team won the Open Sorting class. The woman on the left is her mother and the cowboy in the middle is her cousin. Congratulations!!

Please excuse me for a moment, but I'm going to pat myself on the back here - a photo that I took in July of the cowboy in this picture, is on the cover of the October 2008 issue of The Horse's Maine, a local equestrian paper!!!!!! You can see the image over here on my personal blog...

Season's end...

These wildflowers are enjoying one last gasp before fall sets in with its freezing nights. We've had several frosts already, but these are hardier than our garden varieties and are still blooming away...

Silly Squirrel

I call him silly because he thought that if he froze, then I wouldn't be able to see him! In the second photo you can see where he is - he had scaled the stucco wall of our house and was headed for the roof! What amazing agility!!

Sunset...

Not quite as spectacular as the sunrise, but these clouds were pretty, nonetheless. I took this from my back deck yesterday evening...