The fight in flight!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

I miss you so much.

Just passing through!

Found a watering hole!

The Great Horned Owl

you may click on the picture to get a larger view

The great horned owl, sometimes called the "cat owl" or "hoot owl," is one of the most widespread and commonly recognized owls. It is large and bulky, reaching a length of 18-25 inches with a wingspan of 3-5 feet. The female is larger than the male.

The great horned owl ranges in color from the usual brown to light gray and is heavily barred crosswise, with a white throat patch and distinct ear tufts or "horns." In flight, the great horned owl is as large as our largest hawks, except it appears reckless and large-headed.
The great horned owl is found throughout North and South America, inhabiting everything from dense forest to open desert and even urban areas. It is a permanent resident throughout much of its breeding range.
The great horned owl usually nests in trees, using the abandoned nest of a hawk, eagle, crow, heron, or occasionally a squirrel, but will also nest in caves, hollow trees, and even on the ground. After the young leave the nest, adults feed them on the ground before they are able to fly and may fiercely defend them against possible threats.
In North Dakota, great horned owls initiate nests as early as February. Birds are easy to locate because nests are large and quite often in small groups of mature trees or tree rows. Nests are visable without leaves to hide them. The owl's head generally extends above the edge of the nest, and the ear tufts are visable.
The great horned owl is primarily nocturnal, but will hunt during the day when food is scarce. It is one of the largest and most powerful owls and will take prey as large as skunks, apparently being indifferent to the odor, and will even attack porcupines. Primary foods include ground squirrels, rabbits, ducks and voles. This owl can sometimes be seen in daylight being pursued, or "mobbed," by strings of noisy birds.

The Sprayer.... 2011

http://youtu.be/Vrp5ThGlbC4

It was a wet spring and summer, also the first time in my life we couldn't get a crop in.  This is a video I put together from day 1 to day 18 of trying to get Duane's sprayer out of the mud.

Happy Birthday Mom, and Happy Mothers Day!

MOTHER'S ARE THE SWEETEST.

Our mother is the sweetest and
Most delicate of all.
She knows more of paradise
Than angels can recall.

She's not only beautiful
But passionately young,
Playful as a kid, yet wise
As one who has lived long.

Her love is like the rush of life,
A bubbling, laughing spring
That runs through all like liquid light
And makes the mountains sing.

And makes the meadows turn to flower
And trees to choicest fruit.
She is at once the field and bower
In which our hearts take root.

She is at once the sea and shore,
Our freedom and our past.
With her we launch our daring ships
Yet keep the things that last.

~Nick Gordon~

Daddy's spur

Spurs are one of the distinctive pieces of equipment used by horsemen through out the ages.  In the days of chivalry, spurs and the metal from which they were made were a mark of rank.  Hence the expression "to earn your spurs."  Today they are a standard piece of cowboy equipment and, as with most horse equipment, the design varies widely depending upon the region and the wearer.
In today's American west, spur styles continue to change.  Spurs are almost invariably roweled.  The influence of ornate early Spanish design is still evident.  Spur design was also influenced by the wearing of chaps.  Where long chaps are worn, as in the Northwest, a dropped heel pattern and a chap guard are important.  The chap guard consists of a curved blunt projection on the shank just behind the heel which keeps the chap clear of the rowel.  In areas where long chaps are not needed, a straight shank without a chap guard can be worn.  

Beavers getting pushed out of their homes! Too much flooding! Double click on the photos to see them larger!

Mr. Beaver

The Hawk!

hawk, any of various small to medium-sized falconiform birds, particularly those in the genus Accipiter, known as the true hawks, and including thegoshawks and sparrowhawks. The term hawk is often applied to other birds in the family Accipitridae (such as the kites, buzzards, and harriers) and sometimes is extended to include certain members of the family Falconidae (falcons and caracaras).

The great majority of hawks are more useful to humans than they are harmful, but there is still widespread prejudice against them. Occasionally they destroy poultry and smaller birds, but usually they eat small mammals, reptiles, and insects. Hawks have many foraging techniques, but the most typical in their pursuit of prey is raking, or swiftly following the animal’s efforts to escape. Once the hawk has secured the prey with its powerful talons, the bird dismembers it with its sharply pointed, strong beak.

The Greatest Cowboy!

Thinking of you today Dad,  you were the best!!  Miss you like crazy.

Hanging out on the high wire!

Cold, windy evening!

Just a little tired of spraying!

Grigsby's working hard to spray my crop!! Thank goodness for them!! The joking part!!

Sunday afternoon!

Sunny, Sunday afternoon delight!

Winter can be so beautiful.... but spring, bring it on!!

My lil sis!

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/beckynelson

main.nationalmssociety.org

I am so proud of my sister, she is running for our father,  my father had ALS.  The last trip that my father and i took was to see my sis run the Boston Marathon, we had fun, and couldn't wait to see Bec come across the finish line!!  

Mustard!!

Health benefits: Mustard may help reduce the risk of gastrointestinal cancer. It does so because of a constituent called isothiocyanates. It is often considered anti-inflammatory, especially for asthma. It’s a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium and selenium.

Home remedy: A mixture involving mustard, honey, salt, lemon juice and hot water can be used to stop sore throat pain. Instead of drinking it, however, it is used as a gargle.

You’ve probably heard of a mustard plaster, and it is still used today. Spread mustard across the chest, then lay a hot, damp cloth on top of it. Don’t leave it on for very long, as it can cause burns. You can use it on the back and forehead as well. It is considered a natural topical decongestant.

Adding mustard and epsom’s salts to your bath water could help relieve muscle pain. This is useful for strained muscles and for the aches and pain caused by age. The mustard may boost the effects of the soothing salt compound.

By the same token, it can be used on sore feet. Add a couple of teaspoons of prepared mustard to a foot bath, and then soak your feet. Leave them in about half an hour, then dry them off.

About the House and Yard: Bottles that develop odor problems may be "descented" by a mix of mustard and hot water. Put the ingredients in the bottle and shake thoroughly. Dump it out, rinse and voila! No odor.

Some garden weeds can be prevented by white mustard. It puts out a chemical that can stop weeds from growing or make them considerably smaller. There are two drawbacks to this. One, it could also harm some garden plants with that same chemical. Two, it could decide to sprout.

If you have problems with deer and other large animals grazing on your garden, prepared mustard could provide a solution. When they smell it, the scent will be similar to that of sweaty humans. Smear tin plates (pie pans, etc.) with a generous helping of prepared mustard and hang them around your garden. The critters will go bother some other gardener.

Skunks are a hazard to the olfactory system, but you don’t necessarily have to wait ten or more days to get rid of the smell. This requires powdered dry mustard and hot water. Pour the fluid over the object (including pets) and rinse to get rid of the odor. Make sure to rinse well, especially if it’s on something living, like the family dog.

Skin and Hair Care: These uses require a test first to make sure your skin can handle the treatment. Mustard can cause burns, especially if you have sensitive skin. Rub a little mustard on the inside of your wrist to test your reaction to it.

Prepared mustard can be used as an inexpensive facial mask. Put a thin coat of mustard on your face and let it sit for one to five minutes (depending on tolerance), then rinse off. If you begin to have a burning sensation, take it off immediately.

Mustard is considered a counter irritant, due to the oils found in the seeds. That is both good and bad; very sensitive people may need to avoid using it in amounts other than food. It is also thought to be connected with goiter formation, though there is no proof of that theory at this point. Mustard oil should never be ingested. It should also be viewed with some caution before topical use.

There are no known drug interactions or side effects other than those mentioned above. However, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid it, as there isn’t enough known about the effects on the child.

Healing Home Remedies
For more information about herbal remedies, please visit my site. You can download my free report, the Top Ten Herbs and look through the many posts and articles.

By Mary Bodel Published: 4/17/2010

Dad, me and the Canadian seed growers checking our field of mustard!!

Ranch Rodeo photos!

I would love to have this horse!!  

Love, Life and friends!

Today, I got to spend the afternoon with my wonderful friend.  Funny how friends can be so comforting! 

Friends

Anonymous

As we walk our path of life, We meet people everyday. Most are simply met by chance. But, some are sent our way. These become special friends Whose bond we can't explain; The ones who understand us And share our joy and pain. Their love contains no boundaries. So, even when we are apart. Their presence enhances us With a warmth felt in the heart. This love becomes a passageway, When even the miles disappear. These friends, God sends our way, Remain forever near.

Moose

A few pictures of the local moose population!

Winter and the Wildlife

Feel so sorry for the wildlife this winter.  The feed supply has been buried by the cover of snow, the winds drive them in herds and flocks to find shelter and feed.  Guess thats "mother nature" taking care of things, but sometimes hard to except.  Sometimes it's a slow and painful death for those creatures, wonder what "PETA"  has to say about that!  Maybe they should start dropping some feed out for those poor, starved creatures, it would only be humane.   

Thinking of Spring!

Ok, in my opinion, for what it's worth..........Enough snow and sub zero temperatures already!  The gray sky's and the thick blanket of white snow is blinding!!  So today, I will think "SPRING!"

Snowy Owl

http://owling.com/Snowy_nh.htm

Barbed Wire

http://barbwiremuseum.com/barbedwirehistory.htm

Good ole' Days!

We were rounding up the cows to preg check this frosty morning, thought i might want to take a picture!  This picture is from an old film camera, so i had to scan it, the quality is not that great, but the day sure was!!  It's the good ole days, and many wonderful memories!

Ground Owl

Description: A small ground-dwelling Owl with a round head and no ear tufts. They have white eyebrows, yellow eyes, and long legs. The Owl is sandy coloured on the head, back, and upperparts of the wings and white-to-cream with barring on the breast and belly and a prominent white chin stripe. They have a rounded head, and yellow eyes with white eyebrows. The young are brown on the head, back, and wings with a white belly and chest. They moult into an adult-like plumage during their first summer. Burrowing Owls are comparatively easy to see because they are often active in daylight, and are suprisingly bold and approachable. The females are usually darker than the males. Burrowing Owls fly with irregular, jerky wingbeats and frequently make long glides, interspersed with rapid wingbeats. They hover during hunting and courtship, and may flap their wings asynchronously (not up and down together).

Size: Length 21.6-28 cm (8½-11 inches) Wingspan 50.8-61.0 cm (20-24 inches) Weight 170.1-214g (6-7½ oz)

Voice: The main call is given only by adult males mainly when near the burrow to attract a female. A two-syllable "who-who" is given at the entrance of a promising burrow. This call is also associated with breeding, and territory defence. Other sounds called the "rasp", "chuck", "chatter", and "scream" have been described. Juveniles give a rattlesnake-like buzz when threatened in the burrow, and adults give a short, low-level "chuck" call to warn of approaching predators. This is usually accompanied by bobbing the head up and down.

Next Year?`

On the Wings of an Eagle

"Hatieetus Leucocephalus"  Our National Bird!

Friends

We need the whole world as a friend!    Herbert Hoover