The 6 Bears: Branding 2018

Terry took the day off on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 so he could help his folks brand. And what's more, he brought Mormon missionaries along! He and his friend Aaron had been regularly getting together to have spiritual conversations with a couple of "elders" and even though the two they knew best had recently moved on, he brought four new guys.

I was inside helping to get together the vaccinations and cow lists when I noticed a certain new addition to the ranch: Baby chicks!!

Meanwhile the kids were just sitting around waiting for the action to begin.

Time to begin!

Jerry and Alice's old renters, Jessica and her kids, came especially to help. No one wants to miss it!

Terry brought David over to help hold onto some calf legs.

MOO!

David and Clayce looking on.

Bekah thought it was very interesting too.

Those calves constantly got their heads stuck between the bars of the adult table.

We also invited Steven and Prae out to help. Poor Steven got absolutely soiled with cow excrement.

Prae took a cute selfie. I love how you can see the kids in the background - Ezra, Noah, Grace, and Sydney.

Moo!

Shari had her hands full of vaccinations.

Here's the whole operation.

Some video footage.

I always think the ones with white eyelashes are pretty.

Steven and Prae trying to keep those calves in order.

I love that tree and the calf was just walking off after it had been branded.

Cute Prae.

Steven figured out that he could direct the calf's direction if he yanked on their tail like that.

There are the guys hanging out around the tub where they press the calves into the shoot.

Pressing down with the brand.

P/F is for Poor Farm. 😂

David taking a photo.

There were two boy calves who avoided being banded when they were born so it had to be done while they were on the table. Unfortunately the calves leg let fly and kicked Jerry in the face!

We were so worried his jaw and/or teeth were broken...

...but it was just a scrape. And a lot of inflammation.

Look at all those kids.

Evie!

Moo!

The second time they had to band they made sure to keep a very tight hold on that leg.

Steven and Prae look so happy despite him being filthy and having a bit of a rough time.

I love this spring view.

So when we were done with the calves, it was the mama cow's turn for their shots. Unfortunately, the guys overloaded them into the shoot so that they didn't have enough room. They began to push against one another until one cow at the front got her head stuck. It was very frightening. They tried everything to get the cows to move back, but our frantic energy only made them more afraid and they wouldn't budge. Once we all calmed down, Steven had the idea of trying to remove a post so the cow could get her head out. Once they got the right tools, it worked. The day was saved, thank the Lord. It was very scary.

There's my favorite tree from the side angle.

Hey Ez!

Giving the mamas their shots.

Several of them would get in the table and just try to lay down. 😂

That's...not right.

There's Evie and Samuel! I keep forgetting to get a photo of all four kids lined up.

This mama had a scrape on her leg that very luckily healed with no problems.

Too many cows in that shoot!

But we did finally finish and all the cows were reunited with their babies.

Shari and I went inside before they were quite finished in order to get lunch set out. We fed the kids and then all the guys and Prae outside on the back deck. Afterwards they all had a turn on the roller coaster.

Don't those guys look so happy?

The four Mormons then said good bye and left. Terry is going to facebook friend all of them when they are able and we still pray for them.

Next it was the kids' turn. And Steven.

Terry and Steven were hilarious.

Hands up! Oh and notice that Ezra is riding up front all by himself! Just last year he was too afraid to hardly even ride with anyone else, let alone by himself. Most of the time he didn't want to go at all. Apparently he's over it!

Thumbs up from Steven.

Steven and Prae left shortly thereafter and the kids went over and over.

Fun times.

Noah was pretty funny with all his ridiculous expressions.

Especially this one. Ha ha.

Daddy, Shari, and Gramma got on next.

Stop motion video.

I don't usually take a picture of the coaster when it's on the far side of the track.

Daddy freaking out while Ezra looks amused. Role reversal!

Noah looks like Superman.

Noah likes to hug everyone.

Hey I got on there too.

There's a proper smile from Terry.

Love that view.

Alice had a surprise to show us through that brown door...

...a chicken coop!

I never thought I'd see the day that they'd do chickens! They had a few once that Shari's class raised until they got too big and she was volunteered to take them home since she lived on a ranch. Everything went well until a rooster grew up and repeatedly jumped on Shari's back, scratching and pecking her. Shari ran inside, rifled around in a drawer, retrieved a knife, saying that she was going to kill that rooster! Jerry did it for her and then she felt bad. 😂 I love that story.

Meanwhile the kids and I walked down to the bridge to throw some rocks. Jerry had collected some and left them there for that purpose. The kids loved that. Noah had just let the biggest one fall...

...and splash!

Lined up on the other side of the bridge watching more falling stones.

We had to stay down at the creek for a little longer because Jerry and Alice were herding the cows across and up the road to pasture. But Terry is bringing Ezra down to us in the four wheeler because he wanted a ride.