Corral Lights

Now that we have a working set of corrals, it's time to polish our game with night lights. Having ran new electrical wire around and needing to get it hooked up properly, we took time to mount some LED flood lights. Worth the effort.

We're not down here a lot at night. But with power so close and good lights so available, why night get some good corral lights set up. 

These 19,000 lumen fixtures were suggested to us by the boys at Big Horn Electric. Good call. 

This is some of the mess that needed cleaned up. Not as bad as it looks. Just recently laid underground 10/2 wire. This area will serve as our junction spot for the main feed, with the heated water tank, power to the saddle room, and feed to the lights. 

For a job such as this, it was all hands on deck. 

Our idea was to use the upright gate post as a conduit for the wire to the lights. 

We mounted a junction box down below as well as up above. We just welded the light brackets on, once we found the right place and pitch. 

Then we fed some 12/2 wire down to Dad down below. 

Then started hooking up the copper. 

These wire clamps are the way to go in situations like this. 

Once tight, wrap them in friction tape and then with electrical tape. 

And mount the junction box cover. It'd be nice to have conduit on these wires coming out of the ground, but we didn't have any on hand. They'll be fine, being buriable wire and all. 

Dad did the technical hookup with the switch. 

Good work. 

While I finalized everything up above. 

Should work.

Turned out pretty clean, I think. 

Giddy up!

That's all. Now just wait for nightfall. 

That's what I'm talking about!

They actually work better than I hoped for. I thought there might be a dead spot east of the gates, but there's not. Really, it's just amazing. Not sure what we'll have to do down here at night, but we're ready when that day comes. Thanks be to God for the gift of technological advancements that have made ranching so much more accommodating. This is impressive lighting for not a lot of effort. Thanks to all who have helped make this dream come true. We ranch on. 

Winterizing

It's best to be ready for winter before winter hits. This includes a lot, but most especially draining irrigation systems. Dad has got through winterizing everything except draining the pump and mainline. 

This pump site on the Bluff Canal feeds the irrigation on the entire ranch. 

The ultimate destination of the water it supplies is the pivot sprinkler, just to the south of the barn. By the time the underground mainline gets there, it is almost a 1/2 mile of 6" pipe.

To drain it sufficiently, Dad has a system. The hose side of this valve leads to the pivot point, which the pipe is still full of water. Step one, close the valve and unbolt it from the pump filter housing. 

Once free, drop it in the canal, opening the valve on the way down. There is plenty of fall to push the water out through gravity. But as the line goes along the highway, there are some flat spots that don't drain out by gravity alone.

By throwing the line in the canal, it ensures that this is the lowest point. By doing this while it is full of water, it creates a siphon as it is flushing out. When the end of the water gets to these flat spots that won't drain on their own, the vacuum of the siphon sucks all the water out and keeps it going to the lowest point, which is the canal. Good game plan.

The last step is to pull the inline, screen filter that comes off the pump. Dad will pressure wash this and put it back for the rest of the winter. 

That's it. We won't be back down here until next spring when it is time to fire back up. By doing a thorough job of winterizing, we shouldn't have any problems when we go to do so. Not our first rodeo. We ranch on. 

Confident Encouragement

Amen.

           https://youtu.be/f09HUiAa7cw         

Simon and Jude

Pray for us!

           https://youtu.be/Mey64dxd5vM         

Hauling Cattle

My brother Luke has been hauling cattle for past 20+ years. Starting with just around his feedlot in Worland, he's now graduated to a father/son operation that travels the State and then some. The Clear Creek drainage east of Buffalo is a common run to bring fall calves to the feedlots around Worland. Coming through Buffalo midmorning, and me having a few free hours this afternoon, Luke slowed down as he drove by the Church and I jumped in.

Spring and fall are heavy hauling times around Wyoming. Cattle are either going to summer pasture or coming back from it. Luke has ran hard this fall in his 2026 Kenworth. 

Hauling cattle is functional, but it 's also cool. I'm a Peterbilt guy, but Luke likes his Kenworths. He runs his blue truck and his boy Carter runs his own red counterpart. Often they'll run together, but today one truck would do. 

Herefords, were the cattle going over the mountain today. This iconic western breed continues to paint a cowboy lifestyle that still lives on today.

This crop's calves are going to the Geis Feedlot, south of Worland.

Once the cows and calves are separated, the driver calls for the first number of critters to fill his deck.

Horses are used for what they can, but in the alley it's all hands, feet, and hotshots. 

Being a little more timid that most cattle, these Herefords needed encouragement the whole way up the chute. 

Once in, Nick closes the gate behind each bunch. 

After he was loaded, Luke backed up and we repeated the process. 

No dillydallying here. After both trucks were loaded, they hit the trail. Only slowing down to kick me back out at the Church. 

Good run. Long cattle drives still happen these days, but more often on top of 18 wheels. No longer is summer pasture or winter backgrounding just down the road. It's state line to state line. If it involves cattle, count cowboys in. Whether its horseback on inside a Kenworth, Luke will be there. Ranch on, brother. Ranch on. 

Submission

Co-responsibility 

           https://youtu.be/kpRi_GXi1wU         

Not Compassionate Charity

What we have here is a failure in compassionate charity! 

           https://youtu.be/F2t1amyIqoI         

Compassionate Charity

Proactive love.

           https://youtu.be/ngX0rmZYnbc         

Side Pocket Sewing

Cellphones are handy to have, but not to carry. With cargo pants, there is usually a side pocket to pack them. But not with Wranglers. When cowboying, I have to revert to my back pocket or shirt pocket to carry my cellphone, which is really unhandy. But not anymore!

I've sewed a pouch on the side of my pants before, giving me a pocket to carry my phone on the side of my thigh like cargo pants. Works great. However, I can never do it to new pants because all I have is old britches to work with. 

However, I have some new Wranglers that got some nasty motor oil on them this summer that won't come out. So I decided to donate them to the scrap pile and use the good material to make some cellphone side pockets on some new pants.

18" to the bottom of the pouch should work.

Then cut at 8"x6" piece of denim from old pants. I'm using the cuff, so the hemmed edge can be the top of the pocket.

My old Kenmore is a work horse. I can take the front nose off and allow room to stuff material underneath, like a pant leg. 

Then I pinned the pocket on, centered over the leg seam with side material rolled under about 3/4" for a finished look.

Denim isn't easy to sew, but it is possible. When stoping to turn a corner and reset, make sure you leave your needle in the material so you can get a seamless start. 

When you start and end, it is always a good idea to back-tack. 

I made two passes for durability. 

Not bad for a welder. 

Should work!

Problem solved. I don't know why all pants don't come with a side pocket from the factory. Everyone has a cellphone and none of them are easy to carry. How many phones I have lost ranching, I can't recall. Aside from that, they are clumsy to carry even when you do find a place to pack it. Not anymore. This cellphone side pocket is ranch ready. Giddy up.

SJV Theological Seminary

With my delayed flights causing me to miss the last plane to Gillette Thursday night, I hitched a ride to the seminary and enjoyed a good night’s rest and a little walk down memory lane.

I spent from 2012-2016 here at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary in Denver CO. Inspired by Pope John Paul II's visit in 1993, they call the grounds the Center for the New Evangelization. 

About every 2 years I find myself down here. Always fun to walk around.

Christ the King Chapel is where we celebrated daily Mass at noon during the school week. Most beautiful stone work in here. 

There have been many changes recently, most notably in the Tower Chapel. Beautiful, but hardly recognizable since I lived on this floor. 

The seminarians were on retreat. When they get back tonight, they are going to have a mystery night in the library. This year's theme is the Wild West. 

This was always a great place to land in between classes. Tamara and team do a great job keeping it up.

To my surprise they even have The Catholic Cowboy Way on display for tonight's festivities. 

These grounds look beautiful no matter which angle you look from. 

The Prophet Elijah retirement house for retried priests is new since my time.

The Monsignor Michael Glenn Center is brand new. Msgr. Glenn was the beloved rector when I first came. 

Pretty impressive basketball court.

Combined with a fitness room.

Which looks out onto an astroturf soccer field. Impressive.

Good stuff.

Fun to have a little leisurely time around my alma mater. The school still goes strong. I'm thankful for my time spent here. I do have to tip my hat to them for helping me become the priest I am today. They drilled into us that the foundation of our priestly identity was to be a beloved son. Ranch on.