Spring in Montana

Mother Nature isn't letting up.  April Snow Showers will bring May flowers, right?  Snow in May? Sure, why not!

 Now, why were are truly grateful for the moisture she is giving us, couldn't Mother Nature at least warm up by 20* and send us this much needed moisture in the form of warm spring rains?

Here is a few snapshots I have taken in the last couple of weeks.  Sadly, this is the most snow we have had all winter.

Wet, cold horses begging for some hay

Mama taking care of her brand new baby

Hubby filling hay feeders for the heifers calves

Snow covered hay bales kind of makes for a pretty picture

Black and white

TC enjoying the snow and helping do chores

nom nom nom 

slushy, watery muddy mess

Tearing into the bales before they got put into the feeder  

Heyyyy Bossss!

Ok, let's try posting this video once more so it can actually be viewed.  Sorry!

TC is (so she sometimes informs me) mine and papa's cowboss.  She's learning at young age, though honestly most of her time is spent catching an nap while we are out feeding cows.
This morning I had to stop and capture this little video of her.  She cracks me up.    Enjoy!

Beauty Swap

I seem to be suffering a little bit from the winter blues.  I blame Mother Nature and the fact she keeps throwing extremely extreme cold temps our way with out any forgiveness.  When I noticed that Crystal Cattle and Cowgirl Crush were teaming up for a beauty Swap I signed up thinking it would be fun and get my mind off of our freezing temps.

Some of my friends shook their head and were confused, me and a beauty swap??  Didn't seem like something for me.  I agree, I am not the biggest makeup user, but I like to learn and try new things.  Though I'm not huge makeup wearer, theres something about painted toenails (that no one sees but me) and mascara that can lift my spirits and turn an attitude around.  That being said, I am not going to admit how old I was before I was able to properly apply and wear mascara!

I was team up with Jenn, from New Mexico.  It was fun getting to know her through email and what we did and didn't have in common.  She sent me a fun box with products that I was interested in, products I hadn't heard of and things I never seem to buy for myself.

Through our correspondence, Jenn and I learned about products we like to try, need and want.  She sent me two different pore minimizers that I am excited to try.  Having kids really messed up my complexion and pores being one way.  She sent me 'The Pore fessional' and Maybeline's Baby Skin.  I have started using the Maybeline Baby Skin, and love the way it feels on my skin.  

Also included was some fun vibrant colored nail polish and lip gloss!  After doing my toes the other night, I hid the polish from my oldest daughter as she was on the prowl to steal it!  It's fun and I can't wait to use it for when I head to Mexico next month.

Some Garnier Fructis Glossing Spray was included in my goody box also.  I used it last night before we headed out to the basketball tournament.  Where has it been all my life?  Loved the results.

Rounding out my goody box was 3 different makeup brushes.  Score!! I received an eyeshadow brush, defining eye brush and a brow brush.  I was in need of new brushes.  I often wonder why it's so hard for me to buy new makeup brushes.  

I had so much fun with this Beauty Swap.  I enjoyed shopping for Jenn, researching different things and getting excited to send it her way.  Thanks Crystal Cattle and Cowgirl Crush for letting me participate and can't to wait for any future swaps.  

Checking on the Horses

We caught a glimpse of the horses the other day and headed on over to the corral to give a look over and a scratch on the head.  All of our horses, besides ol' Fred, are kicked out to pasture during the winter to take care of themselves.  If the snow is deep, or weather is bad we will take pity and go roll out a bale of hay for them.  They do have to come all the way into the corrals at home to water which makes it easy to keep tabs on them.  

TC is all smiles as Fred says hello.

It was a nice day right after the first of the year, and T had been out enjoying a ride on Fred.  We had TC in the stroller just messing around in the yard when the herd came in. TC was all laughs as the horses were being curious and sticking their noses into her stroller checking her out.  I ran back into the house to snap a few pics of the girls with their dad and our horse herd.

Preacher was very interested in the stroller and TC.

Preacher is kind of a camera hog/poser!  

Just a little bit closer.

Dusty, my good ol horse who is in retirement.  Man I love that horse.

Squirt and 6pack (brother and sister) were quite curious of the stroller also!

No Need For Coveralls

Is it really February out there?  Because I know for a fact that T was outside splashing in mud puddles and playing in the mud.  In February, in Montana!  It's crazy.

This years heifers, taking a month ago.  No Snow.  Just Dirt.

I can honestly say I haven't even pulled on the ol' Carhartt coveralls at all this winter.  Or last fall.  The only other winter that I can remember not wearing any coveralls by this time of year was last year.  And I that was because I was really pregnant and there was noway I was going to fit my coveralls.

After last years harsh cold winter, with its record breaking snowfall, this mild winter is nice.  But maybe a little too nice.  We need moisture.  Bad.  We got dust flying everywhere.  It would be nice to have a little snowfall to settle the dust out there and clean things up.

Out helping do chores.

Winter Fun without any Snow

Snow has been quite scarce in North East Montana this winter.  I would go as far as to call it nonexistent this winter.  And the temperatures have been incredibly warm.  What I am trying to say to is it is the end of January.  There is no snow.  It's been 40 degrees out.  AND did I mention it is January in North East Montana!!  

But since we aren't doing any sledding or snowmobiling....  Course even if there was snow I, myself, wouldn't be doing any snowmobiling; we're are still doing some fun winter stuff around here.

Fun stuff like riding Fred.  Course, the little Cowgirl is thinking it's fun, but Ol' Fred has given me the look a time or two that I read as "Really????  I thought I got to spend my winters with my head buried in the hay feeder."  But as tough as he may want to be, Fred sure does take good care of his little cowgirl.

And off they go.  Nothin' like saddling up and stickin' the spurs to him!

If you look hard enough you can see the big grin on my Cowgirl!

T and Fred.  Fred and T.

Yes.  You are seeing things right.  Fred has his ears pins back because he is not happy!

Her sled hasn't even left the corners of the garage this winter.  But, her saddle isn't sitting around getting dusty!

April 14th, 2011

These pictures were taken about 7:30 pm on tonight, April 14, 2011.  And its still snowing!

Will It Never End?

I now dub thee 'The Longest Winter Ever'.

Today's date is April 14th, 2011 and it's snowing out.  Right now, as I type there are snowflakes falling from the sky.  And by the looks of the sky to the west, Mother Nature isn't messing around.

In fact, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for our area, with areas of blowing snow.  We can expect upwards to 3 to 5 inches of snow.  And the with the way the wind is blowing and the big flakes falling, one could expect the driving visibility to be poor.

Some more straw was laid out for the cows and calves, everything has been fed.  So I guess we just get to sit back and see what Ol' Mother Nature is going to drop this time.  I think I may go pour myself a drink and then get ready to check heifers.

Stay warm, and if you see Mother Nature, slap her upside the head for me.

A River Runs Through It

'It' being my yard!  Here's a few photos of the water running through our yard.  Everywhere you look there is water.  We can be thankful that it is thawing slowly, and so far we haven't had too much flooding.

The view out my bedroom window

A river between the house and shop!

Water rolling through the yard

Tally posing near whats left of a snow drift.

This makes for some fun driving!

The field east of the house.  The culvert was still froze.

Scott checking out the situation down by the county road

Just off the county road

Mother Nature

Mother Nature sure has it in for us.  I woke up this morning to snowflakes falling.  Not a pretty sight after 8 long months of watching it snow.  Mother Nature sure isn't screwing around either.  The first picture below were taken about 10 minutes before the last two pictures.

The snow just won't quit.  I think we need to send Mother Nature a bottle of wine or two to put her in a better mood!

The road to the Bjorge Place

We took a drive the other night over to the Bjorge place to see if we could get our tractor out of the field and home.  This is what we found:

That Tractor isn't going anywhere right now.

Anderson Flat under water on the way to Bjorge place.

The fence is almost under water.

The water is getting close to running over the road.

And there is still lots of snow to melt.

I am guessing we won't be planting all that field.

I think there are going to be lots of spots in numerous fields that we won't get to seed this spring.  With the field pictured above, we almost planted some alfalfa in it last fall.  We are thankful we didn't, as that seed would have been a loss with all that water sitting.

Splish Splash!

After our recording breaking year of snow fall we are slowly beginning to thaw out around here.  Though the forcast is calling for rain and snow for the next three days!  Below are some of Tally playing in the yard.  The next couple of posts I have some incredible pictures of the water running through the farm yard, fences buried in water, water running over the road and more.  And there is still a ton of snow to melt off!!

One of our first nice days that didn't require coveralls and a coat!

JUMP!

I love this photo!  Lots of fun!

'Just how deep is it mama?'

It's getting pretty deep!