Tree Thinning

Around Wyoming, you hate to cut down any live tree. Especially a Cottonwood, the state tree. However, half-dead trees will hang on for a long time, making you think they are going to rebound. Such was the case with our seven Cottonwoods that line Mom's boulevard. Probably five years ago they winter killed, but every spring a few limbs show some life. We've trimmed them and babied them, but they are just never going turn into more than a bush. So we made the call to cut them down and replace them with new trees. 

It's tough to grow a tree on our hilltop. A lot of gravel and the only water they get is what you run to it. These guys looked good until a tough winter. Not sure what the circumstances were, but it zapped the life out of them. 

Cottonwoods are notorious for never fully dying. They taunt you with a few green branches, while 75% of them are dead. 

Our removal tool of choice was the JD 450. Not having been run this year, we checked all the fluids before she touched off. 

If your going to do any logging, the proper chain is critical. This is a US made 3/8" that hasn't been cut or spliced. 

The smaller trees we knew we could pull over. We just hooked the chain a few feet up the trunk for a bit of leverage, but not too high so that it might break off instead of uproot the stump. 

Then gave it a go. 

We tried our best to knock off all the dirt we could before dragging them to the pile.

The two taller trees we pushed over so they didn't land on the cab over the dozer. When pushing over a tree make sure and ease into it. If you hit it with impact at the base, the top of it can't react as quick and it can actually snap up high and land in your lap. 

Worked out. 

We drug them all over to the North 40. 

And piled them up so we can burn them once they've dried out. 

The clean up wasn't too bad. I did the best I could with the dozer. 

And Dad put the final touches on with the farmhand. 

Mom and Dad already have new trees planted in between where the old ones stood. They are Honey Locust.

We've had good luck with them in other places. They grow up quick and nice, and really seem to handle a Wyoming winter well. 

Mission accomplished. 

Everyone's happy. 

The only thing worse than a dead tree is a half-dead tree. It's amazing how cleaner the yard looks now. The little bit of green didn't out weigh the protruding dead branches. We could have trimmed them out of there better, but a Cottonwood shrub isn't what we were looking for. Trees along hilltop not only look good from the yard, but also from the road. There's a season for everything, a time to live and a time to be uprooted. 

Jesus' Farewell

Our Lord teaches us how to say farewell well.

           https://youtu.be/BdYH49mrxms         

John Paul II

One of the funnest aspects of being around St. Matthews in Gillette is our St. John Paul II Catholic School. Such great folks and such great memories. Every year I like to bring Chief by to say hi, and this time they surprised me with some creative farewells. 

The three amigos: Mr. Paul Casey, Fr. Bryce Lungren, & Mr. Tony Schamber. Good bunch. It's been a great run, boys. Thanks for the friendship. 

In honor of this farewell visit, Tony had some shirts made up for myself, the teachers, and all the students. A lot of great symbolism going on here. Love it!

Usually I pull up on my bike and Ms.Vanessa Gemar and I welcome the students and shoot the breeze. Today we surprised the kids with Chief. 

Afterwards, all the different classes, pre-k thru 6th, came and got their picture with us.  

At the end, we got one big all-class and teacher photo. Definitely one for the books. 

To top off their farewell surprise they gave me a specially embroidered two sided vest. So good. Y'all be good and have fun!

How great. My involvement with the school has been a win win. No doubt it's good for the kids to be around a priest who is also a man. But, boy have they inspired me. Such sincere faith. Once a week I'd rotate through the classrooms listening to the kids and answering their questions. No duplicity there! These kids truly love God and want to know more about Him. St. John Paul II Catholic School has done an exceptional job in instilling this wonder in them. Keep up the Good work! 

Special thanks to all the teachers and staff, both past and present, who have gone out of their way to support and encourage me over the years. I'm going to miss you. But that's the beauty of the Church. We are never far apart. Our memories remain deep in our heart. And if we take time to thank God for them, they come back alive. That's Eternal Ranching, 24-8 !

Love Your Enemies

By laying down your life for them.

           https://youtu.be/4Pl5UHmHM8E         

Preg Checking

Spring isn't your usual time to preg check cattle. But if you know of a guy who is capable of it, why not. Once the big rush of calving is over, you always have a few stragglers that make you wonder if they are pregnant or not. This being the case for Randy and Sheila Burggraff, and knowing that Fr. Zane Pekron was in the neighborhood, they set up a mid spring preg checking party. 

There was 17 girls who hadn't calved that needed checking. 

So they called in Fr. Zane and newly minted Dcn. Lee Noel. 

Zane's no stranger to the rear-end of a cow. If I have my facts straight, he started leaning the trade as a young lad from his grandpa. As the years went by, he'd pick the brains of the local vets who'd come to check their herd and they would let him arm a cow or two and give him pointers. Lately, he's even attend some clinics that are geared to teach ranchers some of the tricks of the trade. Needless to say, he's a sought out commodity to his Catholic Cowboy parishioners. 

Having the right set up is key to a smooth operation. 

Randy and Sheila, along with other members of their family, ranch off of Oak Creek, northeast of Aladdin, WY. They first met Fr. Zane when he was associate pastor in Belle Fourche, SD, which is their closest parish. After learning of his preg checking abilities, this has been an annual event for the past several years. 

Preg checking is not for the faint of heart. A brave soul reaches up the rectum of a cow to be able to palpate their uterus to determine if they are pregnant or not. 

There are four basic features that will determine whether a cow is pregnant: You can feel the actual calf; you can feel the cotyledons attached to the uterus; you can feel the artery pulsating, which is feeding the calf; and, if its very young, you can feel the small fetus slip by your fingers within the uterus wall.

Zane is also a good teacher. Little Ezra is a ranchher at heart. 

Not being her first rodeo, she knows what to look for.

Meanwhile, Dcn. Lee keeps the other cows from sneaking down the chute. 

Fr. Zane even got him gloved up to take a feel. 

In the end, the verdict was 12 bred, 5 open. 

Just ranching.

Fun time. I'm always game to see beautiful country and learn a trick or two. I played it safe with my clerics and was able to just be the ranch photographer. I'm a big fan of priests’ healthy extracurricular activities. Palpating cattle keeps Fr. Zane in the saddle of sonship. From here, he is not only able to help preg check his parishioners cattle, but he can also relate to them on a human level. Kind of like Jesus. Keep it up, pard. 

Back to Eden

Jesus redeemed our human nature by His life, death, Resurrection, and Ascension. 

           https://youtu.be/TkS9rHtiSrU         

Encourage

Don't listen to discouragement. It never comes from the Lord.

           https://youtu.be/y_QBMhbySGQ         

Feeding Horses

With three horses in possession, we are burning through a lot of hay. More than my little square bale pile can keep up with. Thankfully, I have access to some round bales and am equipped to handle them. 

You ain't no Catholic Cowboy priest unless you have a bale feeder flatbed on your truck. 

Chuck and Joanne Tweedy have some two year old Crested Wheatgrass that they have been donating to the cause. Much obliged. 

White Horse's Hydra Bed is built to load and feed round bales. However, I put arm extensions on it to string up cows. She still works to load bales, but the extra length makes for a lot of leverage. Got to take it easy when breaking over center. 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the horses were out of hay. The recent storms this week have dropped about 3" of rain in this area. Beautiful moisture, thanks be to God!

With rain comes mud, though. Not really sure why I didn't think it would be muddy in the corral. But all White Horse did was slip and slide until we were up against the fence with no where to go. 

The gumbo mud just caked the tires and took away all our traction. 

So we had to bust out the iron. When chaining up a truck, make sure the cross-links have the open ends facing up when you throw the chains on. This allows for more slack when hooking them up. Also, if your connecting ends are one hook and one cam lever, make sure the cam lever is facing the outside. 

If you're smart, and stop spinning before you get stuck, you can roll over the chains and get the ends in front of the tire, which makes for easier hooking up. However, in cases like this, you can still hook the chains up from the bottom of the tire. It's just harder and dirtier. Often you'll have to dig around the tire to get enough slack to just barely grab a link. 

Then you can roll the tire around a bit and re-hook your chains tighter. 

Once chained up, we were able to crawl away from the fence and aim up the hill. It definitely got western. But with a limited-slip rear-end, White Horse is an animal with chains on. After we got to the feed ground we unloaded the bale. With net-wrap, you want to cut it off the bottom before you set it down. 

Then we rolled over our new feeder and placed it on the bale. I usually tip the bale on end. But with this mud, I was just thankful to get it off my truck in the right place.

Mission accomplished. 

Happy Horses. 

Sometimes I think the Lord clouds my good judgement just so I can have a little cowboy fun. It would have been nice to be in and out of there like I planned. Then I wouldn't have been late for my next appointment and have had to come in all muddy. But what fun is that? Having to chain up warms my heart. 

I hope these horses appreciate what it takes to keep them alive. However, their turn to earn their keep is coming. With branding smoke in the air, we'll be pulling Chief out of the bunch to go drag some calves soon. Get ready Ol' son. It's Ranch:30 !

A Little While

Don't be discouraged, but wait with faith.

           https://youtu.be/viTQ4cbK8NQ         

Truth

Truth is when my mind conforms to reality. 

           https://youtu.be/pM1tQTeCkHo         

 

Desolation

Just wait in faith.

           https://youtu.be/ipw-n-H6GKE         

Go West Young Man

Springtime in the priesthood is always a bit uncertain. Depending on your rank, you may or may not be asked by the bishop to pull up your stakes and head to a new assignment. Usually guys in my position as associate pastor have a two year stint. I've had three bonus years on top of that here at St. Matthew's in Gillette and surrounding missions. It's been a great run, but Bishop has said that it's time to go. 

If you'd asked me where I'd like to go in my next assignment as a priest, I would have said Buffalo. Northern Wyoming is a land I'm familiar with and Johnson County is a people I'm sure I can relate to. I'm thankful to Bishop Steven for this new assignment and I'm looking forward to meeting the People of God at St. John the Baptist parish and adjoining missions starting in July. But until then, let the farewell tour around Gillette begin! This has been a great ride. With five years in Campbell and Crook Counties, there are many stories to revisit and people to reminisce with. I thank God for my time here. I came in a newbie and am leaving a parish priest. Let's ranch.