Barnyard Animal Print Winner!

I apologize for the delay in posting the results from Wednesday's giveaway, mi familia is in town and I totally spaced it. oops!

Without further ado...the winner of the Barnyard Animal print is comment #6, Colette of Little Lion's Life!

Congratulations! 

Colette, send your address to me via the Let's Connect form!

Random Wednesday Giveaway!

Remember when I told you I have some awesome giveaways coming up in celebration of my one year blogiversary starting Monday? Well, that is still happening, but here is a little fun to start the fun!

I recently hit 100 Followers and that is pretty darn cool to me! 

 

I don't get paid to blog; I blog simply to share my story about ranching life.  

So, the fact that you are here because you like what I write is flattering and pretty awesome!

{Thank You!}  

Stay Gold Media is going to help us celebrate by giving away an 8 x 10 Barnyard Animal Print!

 

Here's how you get your hands on this adorable print. 

Please post a separate comment for each entry.


Mandatory Entry – head on over to Stay Gold Media and come back and tell me what item is your favorite. This entry is mandatory and no others will count if this is not completed.

Additional Entries –
1. Follow my blog. You are already here so why not?! If you are already a follower, just leave a comment so I know you were here.
2. Like Stay Gold Media on Facebook. 
3. Follow Stay Gold Media on Tumblr.

Winner will be announced Friday, July 29th!

Wordless Wednesdays - Summertime Jigs.

Mutton Mondays - "Sweetgrass"

I recently had the opportunity to watch a documentary on sheep ranching. The film is titled, Sweetgrass and although it is a purely observational film (aka sans narration) I found it interesting to watch.

I welcomed Aubrey Gallegos the Community Engagement and Education Department at POV to give a brief synopsis about the film. Hope you enjoy and check it out!

Here's Aubrey!

This summer, POV, a social issues documentary film series on PBS, is including in its 24th season line-up a film about a dying tradition in sheep ranching. Sweetgrass, which is now streaming on-line for free, follows the Allestad family who, in 2001, led three thousand sheep and five dogs through Montana's Beartooth Absaroka Mountains for the last time, due to public land grazing policies. Described by the filmmakers as "an unsentimental elegy to the American West, Sweetgrass follows the last modern-day cowboys to lead their flocks of sheep up into Montana’s breathtaking and often dangerous Absaroka-Beartooth mountains for summer pasture. This astonishingly beautiful yet unsparing film reveals a world in which nature and culture, animals and humans, vulnerability and violence are all intimately meshed."

]

For a quiet film about sheep, Sweetgrass has stirred up quite a bit of conversation concerning its unique observational style, which does not mince around the realities of sheep ranching. Sweetgrass is a sensory ethnography, applying anthropological and ethnographical research methods to filmmaking in the telling of this real-life story. The film forgoes narration, even during the more startling scenes, such as the unsentimental sorting of lamb orphans to pair them up with ewes, docking tails, and shearing the sheep. The result is a meditative film, unadulterated by commentary, interviews, or explanation, that puts the viewers in the midst of these massive herds of sheep and the raw, solitary life of the people who lead them 150 miles through the mountains and back again.


In a Live Chat interview on POV, one viewer asked directors Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Ilisa Barbash, “Were you ever concerned that the purely observational style of the film would lead some viewers to false or premature conclusions about the rough handling of the sheep by the herders?” Castaing-Taylor responded, “Not really. The advantage of observational styles is that they let viewers come to their own conclusions, rather than being spoon-fed something by a journalist or producer. Anyone can draw conclusions, false or true. Many urban folks whose experience of non-human animals is just of pets or in zoos have little idea of human-animal interactions over the last 10,000 years…Narration is a way to control and disempower the viewer, to tell them what YOU the filmmaker want him/her to think and know and feel. Fiction films don’t usually have an omniscient narrator or on-screen commentator. No reason why documentaries have to use narration as such a crutch either.” Barbash adds, “We did not want to tell people how and what to think. We have too much respect for viewers…We wanted people to sit back and watch the film for themselves and have their minds changed again and again...”

- Aubrey Gallegos, Community Engagement and Education Department at POV

This video is the first observational film I’ve watched. I do wish the video offered some narration, for purely educational purposes. One that doesn’t know sheep might misinterpret some parts of the movie, but I also understand the goal of the producers.

There are quite a few similarities between the family in the film and how we run our sheep. So if you are interested in getting an idea as to how our ranch is run or about the sheep ranching industry, this film is for you! 

If you’ve seen the film I would love to hear what you think. If you haven’t you can view Sweetgrass on-line here until October 4th.

I was not compensated for this post.

{happy friday!} Where the hell have I been?!

Wowza! It's been a busy last couple of weeks.

We got back from vacay and jumped right in to planning our local Farm Bureau's summer picnic. The picnic was last night and although the turnout wasn't as large as we'd hoped, it was still a success!

Now that the picnic has passed, I will begin working with a committee on our local county fair. Before the fair however, a few city slickers er, I mean family members will be coming into town!

My mom, Aunt Toni, Aunt Dolores and Grandpa will be coming to visit us next week! I am so excited for them to come, see and live my life out here in the country for a few days. I know they will love it, after of course, they get passed the sheep sh*t on their shoes, the elevation change and the mosquitos attacking every uncovered part of their bodies.

I predict this visit will be a great success because I have some very fun things planned.

Here's some insight to one place I'll be taking them ....

Yee haw!



source: from here



So, tell me what fun things do you have planned for the weekend.

Hope you are staying cool wherever you are!

 Stay tuned...

I have some awesome giveaways coming up the first week of August for my one year blogiversary. 

You don't want to miss 'em!

Wordless Wednesdays - Lunchtime Photo

I ran home for lunch today and snapped this photo with my cell phone.

It may be a VERY hot 85 degrees today (even hotter in my car because the A/C is broken) but even on the hottest of days this view never lets me down.

Happy Wednesday!

The Wave.

Let me tell you about The (friendly, two-finger) Wave.

I'm talking about the old-fashioned "country hello" that drivers on the road give one another. 

Nothing brightens my day like a friendly wave on the road from a stranger.

It's silly really, but if you've ever received The Wave then you know the instant sense of community and friendship you get from this. Maybe it's powerful for me because it's new?

Where I come from people don't wave...and if they do it's with their middle finger.

Do they "wave" where you live?

If they don't - try it!

You never know, you might just brighten someone's day.

Post Vacation Blues

Mexico was fabulous and we had fantastic weather the entire time! We went to San Jose Del Cabo for 5 days and stayed at two different resorts.

J likes to change it up and experience as much as he can and I don't mind it as long as I don't have to do any planning! I haven’t told you this, but J loves to plan trips! I mean he absolutely loves it. He planned our 7 day honeymoon in the Riviera Maya all by himself and kept it a surprise from me until the moment I walked into each resort.

He is pretty awesome like that.

Anyway, once we arrived it didn’t take this sheep rancher long to loosen up! He had a glass of wine in his hands within hours (and before that a few beers)!

We relaxed, had lots of Cervezas, umbrella drinks, soaked up some sun (not like I need much, but it was fun) and made some awesome friends from Kentucky!

The only bummer was that we had a 4 and a half hour trip to and from the airport. This was not fun, especially on the way back. We landed at 9pm and didn’t get home until 2:30am. Yikes!

It didn’t take the country long to welcome us back home!

Upon our 2:30am arrival home our water was looking like this...

 

Yes, broken water pump. Kind of like what happened here, only worse because we couldn't shower before going to bed. I hate the feeling that recycled airplane air leaves on my skin.

Maybe if I click my heels three times I will return back to this?!

Oh well. Two days later we now have clean, clear water! Thank goodness.

Also, it might be a little quiet around here for a few days...I'm gearing up for my big one year blogiversary celebration! I'm quite excited about it and can't wait to share! 

(Not so) Wordless Wednesdays - ¡Hola, Mis Amigos!

We had a great vacation in Mexico and I can't wait to share more pictures with you!

I am exhausted and must get to bed so my write up will have to wait.

Here is one picture I promised...

My handsome husband is back!!

I almost forgot what he looked like without that furry beard and mullet!

So much better than this, right?!

I am definitely married to the hottest sheep rancher on the block county road.  ;)

Mutton Mondays - What do Ice Cream and Sheep Have in Common?

What happens when the former CEO of International Dairy Queen has some extra time on his hands?

Why, he brings an old wool mill in Minnesota back to life!

The Faribault Woolen Mills, founded back in 1865, is said to be the oldest manufacturing company in Minnesota. Two years after going into debt and closing the doors, Chuck Mooty has decided to open this factory's doors once again.

At its height, this factory made wool blankets for Army cadets and employed 150+ workers. Chuck Mooty plans to employ approximately 50 workers and says the looms will begin spinning come August.

You can read the full story here.

Source: KARE 11 News

happy friday!

Here are some great blog posts I wanted to share with you. 

This is a great post by The House That Ag Built about the 4-H program and the debate on whether or not the program desensitizes youth that participate. I would *love* to hear what you think.

Hello farmer, meet city slicker by Cause Matters hit close to home for me. Cause Matters is a great "ag" blog - it's one of my favorites.

Hope you enjoy!

Wordless Wednesdays - Summer and Sunbathing Sheep.

In honor of our Mexico trip I thought I would show you what sunbathing sheep look like! 

I hope you all have a wonderful rest of the week and a fabulous weekend.

July 4th Fun in the Country.

How was your weekend?

My weekend began with food, fun and good company. The weekend ended with our town’s July 4th celebratory parade, Cornhole and fireworks. It was marvelous.

There were so many wonderful things about this past weekend, but one moment that I am particularly grateful for was hearing our national anthem at the parade. It’s so easy to get lost in the excitement of having friends in town, a three day weekend, food and fun, and to be reminded of what the holiday is really about can never be a bad thing. Our town honored our active military and those that have lost their lives fighting for our country and I’ll tell you…The Star Spangled Banner gets me every time and this weekend was no exception.

Throughout the weekend there was lots of girl time along with a little houseboat action on Saturday.

We barbecued, played Cornhole (game made by the ever so talented, Kennie).

Lisa and I had a morning filled with mimosas and SATC episodes while the boys were out shooting guns.

The boys were looking forward to this weekend for months. They planned out every minute and stocked up on ammo. They went out shooting every single day and came back having had lots of good laughs.

They also came back with an animal that is sitting in my freezer waiting for its date with the taxidermist.

Oh, I do not kid.

Monday, we partook in the local town pet parade. Jigs and her friends, Annie and Schrader were stars of the pet parade.

At least in my book they were.

Jigs was very festive in her red, white and blue skirt and American flag vest. I’d like to believe that she loved every minute of it.

The weekend winded down with a relaxing evening of yes, more Cornhole and of course fireworks. It was a lovely weekend with friends and a lot of memories were made.

Now, J and I get to unwind for 24 hours (and clean!) before we head to Mexico! He deserves a little vacation and well, I do too.

It’s hard work being a rancher’s wife. ;)

Oh, and before I go I want to show you more of J’s beard. You remember my Evolution of a Beard post? Well, I’ve added a picture because it got worse longer. You can see my addition here.

This weekend he sported a little Joe Dirt action,

but tonight in preparation for our trip - I finally got my husband back!
I'll post pics soon. Right now, I gotta finish packing and Jigs is not making this easy.