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.