Back to the Ranch...

Last weekend we headed out camping, right after work on Friday.  It was a very busy week, and a challenge to get everything packed up in time.  We let Hailey pack for herself, only to later find out that she forgot pants.  She had shorts and T-shirts, but no long pants.  The mosquitos were absolutely awful and swarmed all over us whenever we stepped out side.  Hailey quickly learned the value of careful packing.  Fortunately it stayed breezy for most of the weekend, helping to keep the mosquitos at bay.  

Once again we headed back to the ranch in the badlands.  The girls just can't seem to get enough of horses.  I don't really mind taking them out repeatedly over the summer as we just can't afford to own horses of our own.  And, it is a wonderful, relaxing, quiet spot in the badlands and the cottonwoods along the river.

The girls all went out for a trail ride on Saturday morning.  This was Margarits first visit to the ranch so far this summer.  As this was my fourth visit of the year, and I had already been out on a couple of trail rides, I let her go, and stayed behind at the trailer with little Helena.  Helena is getting close to ready to go for a short ride in a buddy saddle, and we may give it a try later this year.  For sure by next year.

On Saturday night we headed up north to the nearby town of Elnora to take in the 13th Annual Brahma-Rama.  This is a typical small town rodeo that features only Bull Riding.  It's always great to see an event like this at a small venue as you are right on top of the action.  We tried to talk the girls into entering the "Mutton-Bustin" competition that allowed the young kids to try and stay on a sheep.  But despite their interest in livestock they would have no part of it.  But we stayed into the evening and watched the bull riding.  There were a couple of families out from the local Hutterite colony, and some of the young boys looked pretty cute in their big black hats and suspenders.  I noticed that the Hutterite families were wandering about amongst the crowd and enjoying the action, and didn't hesitate to enjoy a cold beer too... even the women.  We left the rodeo just before the finals and just made it back to the campsite as a heavy thunderstorm was rolling in.

The next morning the ranch was very busy.  It was the annual charity ride for Stars [Shock Trauma  Air Rescue Society] Air Ambulance.  We joined in for the big pancake breakfast, the charity auction, and later the roast beef dinner.  There were no horses available for riding so we couldn't take part in the trail ride.  During the afternoon Hailey and I wandered off into the badlands and took a few photographs with my big camera.  It was pretty muddy and slippery from the showers overnight and in the morning.  We finally packed up and left in the early evening, arriving back home just in time to put the girls to bed.

A very busy weekend, but packed with a lot of fun and interesting stuff.  The girls are already talking about heading back to see the horses yet again...