On our own….

These past weeks have been very, very busy ones… my absence from this blog is a direct contrast to how hectic things have been.

I keep meaning to post up my gazillion images from each activity, but only seem to get as far as getting one up onto Facebook before I tumble into bed.

I have missed Christmas, New Year, some lovely damp weather and most of our branding… smack me on the wrist, will you?

Bad blogger!

Let’s work backwards (makes total sense to me!) and start with the branding…

We are without any outside assistance with our brand this year – no jackaroos, just the kids, Mr Incredible and I.  With me not riding (yet) – just helping in the yards and the shade as much as possible – apparently the sun and I are not great together just yet, post-chemo.

The kids have been amazing …

Bringing each mob in calmly to the yards with their Dad…

The rain we have had since just before Christmas has been lovely. Soft gentle falls mostly, perfect grass rain.

Not only has the countryside exploded into a riot of colour (mostly green which is heaven to look out on), but flower blooms have also highlighted the joy of the season.

Our cows seemed more than happy to bring their calves into the yards – not so much for the branding (I suspect) as to have treatment to keep buffalo fly from driving them crazy.  It’s a spin-off from the rain, with insects also breeding like (ahem) flies.  One of the great debates here we have (regarding whether to be organic or not) is that we will no longer be able to use our tried-and-true methods to help alleviate the fly biting.

We like contented cows here…

I love seeing the kids work with their dogs too – here is Violet with Stella. I am not sure Stella is doing what she is supposed to but at leasty she is near her mistress.

I love this shot of my husband and our firstborn… not sure what Mr I is saying here but could be along the lines:

Have you ever been picked up off a horse?

It’s just a traditional thing to ask – no-one ever wants to be picked up, but these blokes just like to keep everyone on their toes, and awake til they get to the yards!

I admit that we were so busy during the brand itself, that I didn’t get many action pics…

Dash and Violet shared jobs – either helping sort tags, load ear pliers with tags and inject each calf with their immunisations, or bringing the calves up the race…

Mr I branded, castrated, tagged and earmarked while I assessed, scanned tags and entered detailed info onto our portable database.

Cuddles and scratches were also handed out freely.

It was really nice to break for smoko and just check out our fresh-branded bulls, heifers and steers…

Within a couple of minutes of leaving the branding cradle, this was going on…

Mmmmmmmmm….

Grass!!!! Funny little possoms – it’s all about food with cattle.

My jobs also included ‘mothering up’ – probably my all-time favourite job!

Yes, you do belong to me. Let me clean that face!

L207 was a definite match for L119.  TICK

They were snapped snoozing together after L119 had a tummy full of milk.

This shot was during my mothering for the reds… yes we are ‘colourist’ with our cows!  This heifer was snoring, enjoying a kip after a big morning.

Soon after ensuring the right calf had been returned to them, the cows were soon contentedly munching the fresh grass in the holding yard too…

Meanwhile, the dogs just get to look on at the mothering up action – they really aren’t too much help in this department!

Hello Diamond (Dash’s dawg)…

Cruel is a old darling thing… (well that’s until she breaks into the bag holding the removed testicles – she’s a demon at that!)…

Dani just adores my husband… have you ever seen such soulful eyes?

She can do this without blinking for about ten minutes. I am sure here eyeballs completely dry out sometimes!

Actually all the dogs look at him like that…

It brings to mind this great quote…

Old Jet and Old Cruel.  They have loved him the longest.

And of course there is Stella. Violet’s pooch.  All hairy ears and gung-ho attitude…

That’s until someone asks her to climb into a vehicle…

Then she’s all: I seriously don’t think so… I am a flower!

Apparently a fireman’s hold is effective on non-compliant Stellas…

And at the end of each day, as I packed up tags, needles, electronic equipment and lunch eskies….

I see sights like this…

Moments like this…

Moments that make long hot dusty sweaty days TOTALLY worthwhile.

I have said it before, I will say it again: We are blessed to live here.  To do this. To have our family by our side.

🙂