Contents

Introduction

1.Stirrups, Sage and Shenanigans
Trailing into the Blizzard 11
Powder River Romeo 15
Lunch for Lawrence 19
First Hunt 22
Riding the Ditcher 25
The Goose That Stayed 29
Move to Brink Ranch 34

2. Horses We Knew
Rider Over Backwards 39
Facing the Fast Freight 42
Buck—Mr. Personality 46
Hung Up in the Stirrup 52
Corralling Spooky Horses 57
Loading Horses on the Range 60
Horses We Knew and Loved
—Most of the Time 61
Wild Horses 66

3. Trailing Cattle
First Time Trailing 73
Finding the Way 79
Spring Creek Canyon 83
String ‘Em Out 86
Trailing Troubles 91
Third Horse High Jinks 97
Sleeping in the Open 99
Jerky and Beans 105

4. Creating Ranch Fun
Fishing the Yellowstone 108
My How Hot 113
Taxidermy Aromas 119
Prairie Dog Pets 121
Tight Fit 128
Feedlot Rodeo 130
Cutting the Christmas Tree 134
How We Celebrated Christmas 137

5. Riding Summer Ranges
Comet Runaway 141
Snake Bite 144
Chuckwagon Camp 147
Riding the Wide Open 151
Stallion Attack 157
Prairie Fire 162

6. Hunting—Rancher Style
Roadkill on the Rez 169
Elk Firing Line 172
Lucky Shots 178
Game Warden Dilemma 181
Rangeland Hunting Ethics 187
Crow Rock Antelope Flight 188
Lively Skunks 192
Two-Fifty Savage 195
Seven Deer in Seven Days 200

7. On the Home Front
Amazing Cherry Pie 203
For the War Effort 206
Garden Bountiful 208
Frog Egg Breakfast 212
Saved by a Whirling Dervish 215
Echoes in the Kitchen 218
Three-Legged Kitchen Help 224
The Gutsy Bug 226
Gathering ‘Round the Piano 229
Rangeland Hospitality Code 230
Pioneer Storytelling 236
Running the Tumbleweeds 243

8. Working Livestock
Wild Heifer 246
Working Cattle 248
Coyote Attacks 250
Purple Coyote Carcasses 255
Bringing Home the Cows 258
Branding 260
Milking Antics 263
Cream Separator Do’s and Don’ts 268
Patrolman Thomas, Always Vigilant 272
Feeding in Winter 274
Bloated Livestock 276
Sally Was No Lady 282
Mangled by the Greyhound Bus 285

9. Rural School
Long Walk Home 289
Playground Creativity 293
The School Trek 299
Horseback to School 304
Intensive Learning at Tusler 307
Three Students on Deadman Road 314
Nothing as Fearful 319

10. Field Work
Wheatfield Fire 323
Prisoners of War on our Ranch 326
Overturned John Deere 332
Child Truck Drivers 335
Hayfield Highs 337
Bee City 341
Rattlesnake Risks 344
Tractor Driving Beats Milking 351
Rat Trap Harvest 355
Blowing the Spring 357

11. Neighbors
Matchmaking Horseplay 362
Yellowstone Ice Jam 364
Red Ribboned Skunk 369
Neighborhood Fun 373

Brink Ranch Legacy
A Good Place for Cattle Ranching 380
Our Ranch House 382
Ranch Ownership 385
Major Roads and Trails
across our Ranch 386
Celebrating Travelers, Events and
Routes through this Land 391
Historical Timeline 392

Ranch maps

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About the Authors