2010 Comes to an End

As I sit at our computer, looking out the window at a beautiful white day--a day of snow on the ground, snow coming down and blowing snow--- I thought I would write my last Life on the Ranch for 2010.


I had a dentist appointment scheduled for today, but after looking at the weather forecast I decided to move it to Tuesday. Thankfully, there was an opening and my teeth are now perfectly cleaned for another six months.

Although there isn't much snow coming down at the moment, the wind is causing drifts across our driveway. It definitely is a perfect day to take a nap and enjoy the peace and quiet of ranch life. I went down stairs to harass Chip, only to find him asleep with Jake sleeping on the floor beside him. I think that I will follow their example.

Want to wish you all a very Happy New Year. I am looking forward to what 2011 holds for us.

December 27, 2010

I was writing "Life on the Ranch" last night when the whole house went dark. We found our battery operated lamps and went on with life. Poor Jake did not like the darkness. He was always with us and it was the first time in a very long time that he slept in our bedroom. We looked out the windows and could see the beautiful stars and a glow to the south. Chip said that the glow was from Gillette! I was so thankful to see lights from somewhere lighting up the sky and making my life a little brighter. Nice to have it come from the new hometown of my niece and her husband.


It has been almost a week since I came home for Christmas vacation. A lot has happened in that time.

We spent Wednesday and Thursday running to Ekalaka and Belle Fourche. Chip's birthday/Christmas present for the next five years is a 3/4 ton, two door, four-wheel drive, standard transmission, Silverado with 36,000 miles on it. Since it was the last year that the stick shift was made and when we inquired about a 3/4 ton, it had just been traded in, we saw God's perfect timing once again. I did tell Chip that it will probably be the last stick shift we will be able to buy, so in about ten years we should think about retirement. We did need a "new" 3/4 ton so we can get the livestock to town. New Blue, which is 11 years old now is getting very old with over 300,000 miles on it.

I convinced Chip that my Christmas present was the Tempur Pedic bed we bought back in May. It is a wonderful mattress to sleep on for a person with back problems.

We spent Christmas Day with my brother's family. So much fun to visit, eat and laugh. We had a great time. They always allow us to bring Jake. Jake loves playing with Scout and Jabez. Chip did mention that there is a little tension between Jake and Jabez. So when Jake yipped and barked angrily at Jabez, Chip put Jake in "time out!" I laughed and said, "You what!" "I made Jake come sit beside me for awhile."

We spent Sunday in Belle Fourche going to church and then making a quick stop at Pamida for after Christmas sales. Plan was to be home by 1:30---until Chip met some friends that had moved up north. They talked for over an hour. I finally came along and opened a can of popcorn--thought we should make it into a party.

We have had some beautiful frosty days--so frosty that the power lines were stretched to their limit and we were without power for several hours last night. They came on a couple of times---just enough to let me know that the S.E. Electric line men were trying to do their jobs.

Time to wish you all a Happy New Year!

This has been a very exciting week. Actually, I can't believe everything happened in only one week's time.

Monday started out as a very snowy day. The Colstrip teachers were late due to about a foot of snow. The rest of us held down the fort until they could arrive.

Tuesday, I mailed out about 30 books to fill my preorders. The post office lady was getting a little skeptical so on Wednesday, I brought a book along to show her that I really was mailing books and that I was legit.

Thursday was a bad day, I was tired and quite emotional. I did make it through the day and came home to the ranch to find out that The Black was dead! (The Black is a longhorn steer that we have had for about 8 years.) Although, we have never really trusted him and always kept a watchful eye on him, it was like losing a piece of the ranch to know that he would no longer roam the fields.

I didn't sleep well Thursday night. (I need to stay off of pop.) So with lack of sleep, I was again emotional on Friday. We stopped at Hersruds where I sold one book, (we have paid for that book many times over the last 11 years.) then we headed to Black Hills Optical where Chip got his glasses and I had mine straightened. (That lasted until we got back home and the screendoor blew back and hit them.)

I haven't been able to place my books at Lynn's Dakota Mart yet as the manager was at a funeral all afternoon. There is a boxful of books setting at A and A Stieg's in Ekalaka, MT.

I just got back from trying to read the electric meter over at Carl's ranch. When I saw that the tracks stopped about 100 feet into the driveway, I decided it would take a braver soul than me to try it at 4:00 P.M. An educated guess might work just as well this time.

Next week will be spent processing The Black. He is one big piece of meat! Saturday, I will be at the flea market in Belle Fourche, primarily selling my book, Pat Anderson's book, Tears in the Bug Juice, and also a bunch of brand new Christmas stuff. For those of you who are into Matchbox cars, I will be selling them for a church in Florida.

So with that I will start wishing you a wonderful Christmas.

They Have Arrived

The books have finally arrived.  They came to the front office of the school where I picked them up and put them on a cart.  I then took them to my classroom until school was finished and I then picked them up and wheeled them to my car.  From the car, I put them in the house.  Each box weighs 37 pounds.  After so many of them, I was starting to get tired.

The Skunk

I am sitting at our computer at the ranch. The sun is beginning to shine, but the temperature is below zero and the winds are somewhere between 20 and 30 mph. Chip brought the sheep in last night. As I looked out the window this morning, I saw one ewe on the other side of the gate. She was an old one that didn't travel as fast as the others. I felt sorry for her and went outside to let her in. In less than five minutes, my face was freezing cold. Hopefully, the temps will be better for Thanksgiving day.

Last weekend when I wrote Life on the Ranch, I knew that there was one more exciting thing to write about. As I think of it now, I cannot imagine how I could forget about it. We have a taxidermist from MN that comes out to the ranch for little get aways. After my nephew had shot a pile of skunks, I thought that it would be neat to tan one. Larry said that he will shoot them, but he won't tan them. This year for my birthday, I received a package from MN and in it was---------a skunk hide. I think that they only cost $20 to buy, so it is easier to buy the hide than tan it. Mr. skunk will be hanging in the "bunkhouse" along with all the other hides.

We will spend a quiet day at home today with the hopes of spending Thanksgiving with my brother's family.

Although my books are setting in Billings waiting for delivery, I did receive a book by UPS yesterday. The cover looks much better than the preflight and I am totally impressed and thankful. There is one mistake in the book, which Bookmasters did point out to me before they would finish the publication of the book. After reviewing the error and reviewing the cost to fix the error, I opted to let it go and consider it my "hail damage." (Whenever I get a new vehicle, I watch the weather to try to stay out of the hail. Once a vehicle gets hit with hail, I don't worry about it anymore.) Soooo, I know there is one mistake in the book--a minor mistake--, so if someone finds another one, "the hail damage has already been done." (Since I didn't mention the page number, no one will know which one is that mistake.) :)

Once again, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and I pray that you get to spend it with family. I am so thankful for the family the Lord gave to me. I had parents who loved me and prayed for me. I have a terrific husband who is kind and patient. I have wonderful siblings who married great spouses and gave me some fantastic nieces and nephews. They in turn have done the same and have given me some spectacular Great nieces and nephews.

Happy Birthday

This has been a very long week for me. On November 16th, I celebrated what I thought was my 57th birthday only to find out that it was my 56th one. I know, I know! I should have been happy to realize that I wasn’t as old as I thought, but it does mean that I have one more year to work before I can retire. I was hoping to get through my birthday without any snow in my life. Hmmm! That is the day that we had rain and snow all day and the weather forecast wasn’t good for most of the week.
The good news that I received on my birthday or an exciting Birthday Present was a phone call from the publishing company that my book is finished and was scheduled to leave their dock last Thursday. I have not heard if that actually happened. I could have the books within the next nine days. At this point the following businesses have agreed to sell the book in their store. A & A Stieg, Ekalaka, MT, Lynn’s DakotaMart, Belle Fourche, S.D. and The Corner Store in Broadus, MT. Or anyone wishing to purchase Life on the Ranch: Life Lessons I Learned on the Ranch may send me a note addressed to Drusilla Dye, 81 Finger Buttes Trail, Alzada, MT 59311. The cost of the book is $12.95 plus $2.50 for shipping.

We were going to butcher a steer this week, but when the forecast was for low temperatures, we decided that would not be a good idea. Once the meat froze, it wouldn’t age and it would take days to thaw it out in the house so that we could cut it up. The steer lives on for a while longer.

Today has been a very windy day on the ranch, which makes it feel a lot like winter. I am not adjusting real well. One day, I was wearing a light coat and the sun was shining and the next day was very cold and I had to dig out my heavy coat. For a person who used to say that fall was her favorite season, she has really changed her mind. Too many cloudy days make me depressed.

Chip and I went to Ekalaka today for the annual Christmas Bazaar. We saw a lot of neat things and lots of friends. I even won a walking stick. Is that part of becoming older?

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Getting Older

This past week made me think that I was getting older. Even though I dyed my hair a dark color (It is finally beginning to look almost normal.), the fact that I was covering the gray was quite evident. I had a couple of gray moments!


Tuesday morning I was getting ready for work, when I realized that my house key was missing. If that was missing, then my school keys were gone as well. I thought that I had left them at school until I realized that I wouldn't have been able to get into the house without them. After checking several times around the house, and praying for help, I realized that I had left them in the door all night. So much for locking the doors! Then on Friday, I couldn't find my car keys. I checked coat pockets, looked on the dresser and everywhere. I was starting to panic as I wanted to go to the ranch after school. I peeked in the car and didn't see them. I finally pulled out all the keys in my purse. I carry an extra set of keys for each vehicle after the time in Rapid City when I flushed a set down the toilet. The key wouldn't open the driver's side, but it would open the passenger side. I found my set of keys between the seat and the door. I usually clip them onto my belt loop. I guess I didn't quite have it clipped right.

So after having a week of feeling older, this week it will actually happen. The good news is that it puts me one year closer to retirement. Can't believe I said that word!

The ranch got hit with a big blizzard this past week. We received somewhere between 9 inches and a foot. After nine inches, a few more doesn't make much difference.

I drove home in the dark Friday night and decided that I didn't like doing that. One car was passing a semi and was in my lane. I didn't realize what lane he was in until he was up close to me. Then I had two deer decide they wanted to run out in front of me. I decided that I would probably have to change my day of going home. Unless there is a full moon and no snow, I may wait until Saturday morning to come home. Sure makes for a short weekend.

Happenings on the Ranch

My weekend on the ranch began with bawling cows "pacing" up and down the lane looking for "lost" calves. They knew where they lost them, but they were unaware of the fact that the calves had left the ranch permanently. I didn't think that I would sleep a wink with all that noise, but it is amazing how well one can sleep with the "sound of money" all around. We will go through it all again when we wean the heifers and send the neighbor's calves to town.


I walked into the house and was greeted with a blast of heat. Chip had left the curtains open all day while he was gone and the sun had warmed the house to a stifling 80+ degrees. I opened the windows hoping to cool the place down. I guess we have better insulation than I thought, as it didn't cool down very well.

I decided this week that I "needed" to spend the day at the flea market in Belle Fourche. I enjoy doing it once in awhile. I figured without counting gas expense, I made $0.80, however, I sold a pile of Matchbox Cars that all monies went to a church in Florida and I regained some money for my sister. I was totally amazed how the attitude changed toward the matchbox cars when I informed people that the money was going to a church. I met one guy who owns over 3000 matchbox cars. He has one that is worth about that much in dollars.

It has been one of those weeks where I have felt like I haven't done anything in life worth while. I started counting my mistakes instead of my accomplishments. Definitely not a good thing to do when one has made as many mistakes as I have. Then when I was at my lowest, I thought about my book. There was a time when I was really excited about finishing it, but the publishing company has really run me (us) through the wringer. (You remember those old wringer washing machines?) I started wondering if I should have bothered writing it, but must finish what I have started. The good news is that the latest date it will be printed is November 26th and it should be on my doorstep by December 3rd.

Then to top it off, I decided to dye my hair. Talk about dark! I washed it twice before I would let myself be seen in public. It is starting to look like my normal hair color now after several washings. The students laughed and said, "She dyed her hair and her name is Dye!" Then they had to ask me what color my hair really was. I told them "Gray" and they said, "No, when you were in high school." That was so long ago, I can't remember.

After a week of discouragement, Dr. Jeremiah said in his devotional that even mistakes work for the glory of God. I especially like the quote at the end that says.

Just because you make mistakes doesn't mean you are one. Anonymous

Life on the Ranch: Life Lessons I Learned on the Ranch

I was so excited about publishing my first book, but the last month has been a struggle.  Trying to keep the publishing company happy can be a challenge.  I think that we have succeeded though.  The book should be in print by November 26th and at my front door 5-6 business days after that.  That should give me time to get some mailed out before the big Christmas rush.

Writing a Book

It has been two years since I started writing the book Life on the Ranch: Life Lessons I Learned from the Ranch.    Today I received the proof of what the cover will look like.  Once we give the approval for the cover and the text, it will go into print. 

This has been a learning experience.

The Book

I have found writing the book Life on the Ranch: Life Lessons I Learned on the Ranch a real adventure.  I had no idea what all is involved in getting a book published, but it is about to happen.  Today I learned that the preflight of the book was accepted or approved.  We are now waiting for a copy of the cover to be shipped overnight air and delivered by UPS for our approval.  When we approve everything, it will then go to print.  What a great experience and wonderful adventure.  I have learned so much during this experience.

Highway 323

Highway 323 is finally paved all the way.  Such a nice smooth road to drive on when we go anywhere.  I sincerely hope that our vehicles will begin to last longer before they start rattling.

Last night a vehicle had a flat tire a couple of miles up the road.  They couldn't get the tire out from underneath the vehicle.  They left it and will return tomorrow to get it.

Hunting season has opened.  It is harder to find a deer than it is to find a needle in a haystack.  We have had three hunters fill their tags.  The last one shot a 3X4

Antelope

Yesterday was opening day for antelope season.  Chip and I went out yesterday afternoon and I filled my first tag.  As you can see, Jake was a big help.

Ouch!

This past weekend led to a lot of pain. Apparently I clench my teeth when I sleep. Life has been a tad bit stressful lately and I was clenching pretty hard. I popped my jaw out of place and the pain began. Not being able to eat a good steak was pretty tough! A trip to the dentist and the chiropractor, a few muscle relaxers and I am on the mend again. Haven't had the nerve to try steak yet though.

We are on the final stages of my devotional type book, Life on the Ranch Life Lessons I Learned on the Ranch. A special thanks go to all those who helped make this book happen. It should be in book form by November 1.

Time Flies

Can't believe that times flies so quickly. It has been nine months since I have shared any thoughts. It was the 1st of September only a few days ago and now I am looking at the middle of September in two days.

I had a wonderful time over Labor Day going on an archery hunt with Chip. We saw the elk but were not able to get close enough to them. That's alright as we enjoyed the scenery and the peace and quiet. Then it rained and when it rains in the Missouri Breaks a person has a difficult time getting around on all the gumbo roads.

School has begun for another year and we just finished day 13.

I watered our newly planted trees on Saturday. While watering one tree, I thought I saw a stick start to float. Then I looked at it again and thought it was one of the many frogs we had this summer. Finally, I realized that I had a snake coming out of the cracks in the soil. Was a neat experience.

Christmas Future

There are times that I wish my life away. I may think that I have five days of school left until Christmas Vacation and then I try to visualize myself sitting at home enjoying this vacation. I get a very strange feeling because I cannot put myself in the future and so I go back to the present.

I cannot say what "Christmas Future" holds as I can only imagine. I really enjoy driving around towns and looking at all the houses that are lit up with Christmas lights. I like to "ooooo and aaaaaw" over such beauty. I remember a Christmas in Iowa where a farmhouse was just gorgeous with lights, snow scenes and a manager scene. It was wonderful! Someday, in the future, I would like to have the time to decorate our ranch so beautifully.

Then my thoughts proceed to my future Heavenly Home where Christmas will be celebrated in the presence of Jesus whose birth we are remembering. I can only imagine what Christmas will look like on the New Earth. Lights may be hung from every tree, house/mansion, and barn----wow! I will be attending the biggest birthday party ever with many of my friends and family.

I can only imagine what my Christmas Future will be like, but I know that it will be good!