Workin'

                                           I built a gate across our driveway with my dad yesterday, and of course, we put our initials in the concrete. 

                                                           

                                                       

     This afternoon I finished putting up the wire. This is kinda different way of doing it, but after all, you are supposed to work smarter not harder, right?

                                                               Welding a brace. Welding is not really my forte, but practice makes perfect.

                                                                     I LOVE using the torch. Nothing like blowing red hot metal everywhere.

                            And, two of my most favorite things. My dog and my motorcycle. What better companions could you ask for? :)

New Mexico Highways

              Yesterday I decided to go for a little road trip just for the fun of it and these are some pics I took along the way.                        

                                                                         

Daily Doings

                                                                                      Danny Boy=Best dog in the world.

                                                                             

                                                       Grandma came to spend the weekend with us. I guess she decided to bring her own house.

                                                                             

                                                                                       THAT'S HOW COUNTRY BOYS ROLL!!!

                                                                                    

                                                                My little Ford. My grandpa made me this when I was a kid. He completely rebuilt and restored it.                               

                                                                                  



                                                                                                 Building on the barn some more.

                                                                                 

                                                                                   

                                                                                Still banging and sawing away. Can't wait till it's done.

Daily Doings

                                                                           Just a couple pics I took while I was out and about today.

                                                                                         ^Looking out toward the Magdalena Mt. Range.

                                    ^I finished with the fence today. I loved the crisp mountain air. It was a very quiet and peaceful morning.




                                    vMy little brother made me laugh out loud today. He came running up to me and yelled, "Look at my Obama face!"

Daily Doings

Today was just a normal work day, got lots of work done. I'm building a fence for our neighbors across the road. It's coming along much faster then I thought. All I have to do is finish tying stays tomorrow and then I'm done. I love hard outdoor work. Office job for me? No way!!! 

Catron County=Home Sweet Home

                                                                                           Yeah, this is where I live.

                                                                           "Our houses are protected by the good Lord and a gun,
                                                                             and you might need um' both if you show up here not
                                                                             welcome, son." ~Josh Thompson            

             Catron County, New Mexico has an area of nearly 7,000 square miles and a population of only 3,600 people. That's larger then a few eastern states and a population density of one person for every two square miles! We're still the wild west out here with the history to prove it.

           
                       I believe Catron County had so many famous outlaws because there are SO many places to hide! Even I could lose myself out here and nobody would ever find me.

                      I know of a few caves, but this is certainly the largest. But if you don't have somebody to tell you where it is you'll NEVER find it. If you ever have a need to get lost let me know. lol You could even brings some friends, because you could fit 5 full size houses down there. 

                                 You know what the best part of Catron County is? The cowboys of course!!! Haha....

Just so you know, all the pictures on my blog are taken by me. I'm not sure how this copyright thing works, but I'm gonna figure it out. No stealing them!!! *attempts meanest face possible* 

                                        

On My Highway

                                                                                                       St. Augustine Plains  
       
                                                                                             "Oh what a feeling chasing the sun,
                                                                                              living my life like a shot from a gun,
                                                                                              laughing a little more with every mile,
                                                                                              oh what a freedom racing the wind,
                                                                                              dying to know what's around the next bend,
                                                                                              smiling as I watch the years roll by,
                                                                                              I'm learning how to take it day by day,
                                                                                              on my highway." ~Jason Aldean
                                                                   

Daily Doings

Cowboy Church

 

       It was cold, winter Sunday.  A blizzard was blowing through the small town.  The town preacher hurried down to the cold little church building to stoke the fire.  The minutes passed by and not a single member came to the service.  The preacher waited for nearly an hour.
   Soon, the lights of one lone pickup truck shone through the chilly storm.  Excitedly the pastor rushed to the door to let in the cold rancher.  He shook his hand and greeted him enthusiastically.  Then he went to the pulpit.
   The old rancher came in and sat on the front row.  The preacher chose three songs to sing, having the rancher stand and sit alternately.  He said a lengthy, heartfelt prayer.  Then he began to preach.
   The sermon stretched to thirty minutes, then to forty-five.  Before long, the sermon had surpassed an hour!  Then the preacher had an invitation.  When there was no response, he had another alter call.  Then another.  At last, he ended the service.
    The old rancher stood to make his way back down the aisle.  The pastor rushed down the side of the church so that he could shake his hand on the way out.
     "Thank you so much for coming," the preacher exclaimed.
     The rancher offered him a bewildered look. "Why all of that?  It was just me there."
     "When you go out to feed, and only one cow comes in, you still feed it, right?" the pastor asked.
     "Well yeah," the rancher said, "but not the whole load!"

        This story was told in the Datil Cowboy Church.  Rewritten by my sister Julia.

                                                                                           Datil Cowboy Church

Pic from the past/Daily Doings

Since I'm going to be doing this every day, I must admit that whenever the writing train came through town I must have been taking a nap. I've had the privilege of being apart so many adventures that most people in the world only get to dream about, but when it comes to putting my stories to words I might as well leave my horse unsaddled and stay home. So if you'll bear with me, maybe the pictures I share can help tell the story in a way that I can't.


                                                                                                           Pic from the past.

                

That's the Moore Place. I called it home for about 4 months out of the year because the ranch I was worked on leases the bunkhouse to a bunch of hunters September-December. It was so peaceful and quiet. No internet, no tv, no noise. And the phone worked only on rare occasions. Being out in the middle of nowhere is nice, but I also love being around people. So, I guess whether I end up living in town or 100 miles from town, I'd be happy. I moved into the Moore Place again this past September, expecting to stay until next year. But God had a different plan. I really enjoyed working on the ranch, but for about a year now I've known that I wasn't going to cowboy for the rest of my life. It's very difficult to make a living, and that just isn't the way I see myself providing for a family. "Tis a romantic life, if it tain't rainin' or snowin'." I may have quit the cowboy job for a while, but I'll always have cowboy blood running through my veins, no matter where I may end up.

                                                                                                    


                                                                                                       Daily Doings                                          


Still chugging away on the barn.  Finished the roof and siding, put the floor in, and started the middle wall. By the time we're done I'll be able to build one myself if I'm a mind to.

                                                               





                                                                                   Thanks for reading! See you tomorrow.