Teryn is 100%

Teryn went to the Dr. today and had some xrays. It's official now, his hand is healed! The Dr. told him he doesn't even need to do PT!

Home

It was a great trip, but it sure is good to be home! Our neighbors, Morgan and Michelle took care of the animals while we were gone, and even put a delicious supper in the fridge for us when we returned! What a treat for two very tired travellers!!

While we were gone, a bobcat got into a pen that held a milk goat, a billy, and 9 weanlings. Luckily it only chewed up on one of the babys! That baby is eating and walking around, so he should be OK. We don't know why the bobcat didn't massacre the entire pen of babies. Maybe the billy chased it away, OR maybe little Chivo intervened. It's a mystery, but I think my little puppy is the hero of the story!

Extreme Saddles

The first picture is Jerry Diaz (a Legend in the horse industry) and Teryn Lee - the 1st and 2nd place saddle winners. The 2nd picture shows Teryn Lee's "Extreme" trophy saddles. They're sitting on a sign that Marsha (Marks wife) made welcoming Teryn Lee home.

MO Cowboy Extreme

The 1st picture was taken when they announced the 2nd place contestant and we knew Teryn Lee had won. Notice Cameron's very subtle poker face!

The 2nd picture was taken during the finals. Tlee is riding bareback and doing an uphill jump. The bareback ride was a REAL big challenge for most of the contestants. Teryn Lee took it all in stride. He told the interviewers that it wasn't really a problem for him because he rode bareback a lot when he was a kid cause he was too lazy to saddle his horse!

Father's Day Stories

TERYN'S MEMEORY - Teryn couldn't identify one favorite memory, but had lots of good memories. He said that even though his dad worked really hard, he was very involved with the family. His father taught Teryn mechanics and welding. He also went on lots of hunting and fishing trips where they shot ducks and doves and caught bass, catfish, and trout. Every year his family went on a major vacation to a different state. Usually they camped out and did a variety of outdoor activities. One favorite trip was when they rented a jeep in Colorado, and went to the back country. Teryn was very athletic, and his father went to all his games and was even his baseball coach during grade school. Teryn also went with his father to check wells during his Elementary and Jr. High years. Teryn has a lot of fond memories of good times.

CINDA'S MEMORY - My favorite memory about my father happened when I was in kindergarten. I doubt if he even remembers it, but somehow it captures the essence of childhood for me! 'Daddy' picked me up every day at noon and took me home where 'Mommy' had lunch waiting. Our home was about a quarter mile up a dirt road, and behind our house was a huge irrigation ditch. In my mind the ditch was at least 6 foot high.

One day he picked me up and it was raining cats and dogs! He was afraid to drive the pickup to the house for fear of getting stuck, so he parked the truck by the front fence. We took our shoes and socks off and made 'mud boots.' Then we climbed to the top of the irrigation ditch, and walked hand in hand to the house.

I guess 'Mud Boots' is a favorite memory because it was just me and my father, and I felt very special climbing on that high bank with him in the rain. That just goes to show that it's the simple things in life that really matter!

I have lots of other good memories! One of the top has to be 'Surfing' the rapids of the Guadalupe after he tied his old clunky surfboard to some trees on the side of the river. Another good memory was when a friend and I rode our horses 15 miles to Mineral, and her dad and mine met us at our place and we all camped out.

I could go on and on, but I'll end this post by saying, it is a gift to know how to work AND play. It's also a gift to know how to make a child feel special! I'm blessed that my father has both those gifts!

My Sweet Dorse (Dog / Horse)

These are the current pictures of Mi Hijo. He is 4 months old now, and can: pick up all 4 feet, stand tied and lead - sort of, and come when I pat my thighs. In the picture I am 'molding' his actions so that he will eventually 'smile' on command. How do you like the saddle blanket! I want to be sure and desensitize him while he is little, so that I can handle him easily when he's big! He looks like a bonafide nativity donkey with the saddle blanket, and it won't be long before he will carry Mary in Michael's Mountain Ministry live nativity. I sure have a lot of plans for the little guy!

Cowboy Extreme

Teryn Lee won a competition called Cowboy Extreme this past Feb. It was televised this fall on RFDTV.

Cowboy Clay

Clay is doing great! He works for Producers Livestock Sale Barn and training colts on the side. He is a Junior at San Angelo State Univ., majoring in Animal Science, minoring in Criminal Justice.

My Dog/Horse

Let me introduce you to Mi Hijo, my baby donkey. He was a birthday present from Sierra (my jenny). I have all sorts of plans for him. He will be my main ride, on the ranch, and I will train him to pull a cart in a few years, when he gets big enough. Until he is ready to carry weight, I will be teaching him tricks. I taught his mother to smile, and I have already taught him to come when I pat my thighs. His next trick will be to 'count.' I use clicker training - the same method they use at Sea World to train the dolphins and other animals. When we wean Mi Hijo at the beginning of August, I will really start working with him. Until then, it's mainly socializing!

My New Guard Dog

Meet Chivo, my Mother's Day surprise! Chivo is a Pyreneese, Anatola cross Guard Dog. We are hoping that once he is grown, he will give us a little freedom from the goats. It was really hard leaving him at the goat pen the first few nights we had him, but he has to bond with goats - not humans, if he is going to do his job properly! Already after just a month, we are seeing very promising signs that he will work out nicely. He will continue to stay in the pen with the weanlings for another couple of months before we let him roam the ranch with the nannies. We have to make sure he is bonded - and big enough to fight off predators. We don't want him to get hurt! Guard dogs are bred to care for their charges. They have to work and think independently. This means that they aren't overly obedient. I am teaching Chivo to lead, come, and lay down. I also do exercises with him to help him understand that I am his boss! I don't want him thinking that I am harming the baby goats when we work them and mistakenly attack me! Chivo is adorable right now, but in a few months he will be big - about 120 lbs. He will be well equipped to fight off coyotes and other animals that might eat the kids. Last year we lost roughly half the baby goat crop to predators, hopefully this year the #'s will be much better!

My Favorite Kids!

Actually I only have one favorite kid - Ty. I sure do like my other little goat kids too though!

Sky

Sky moved in with us during the second week of May and stayed throughout the summer. It was a sort of 'co-parenting' situation - Sky helped Teryn on the ranch during the week, and went home to stay with his parents on the weekend. It was a great situation for everyone! Sky learned about ranching, and Teryn had great companionship and help.
Sky really enjoyed the animals. In this picture, he is petting Bacon, a feral pig that Teryn caught last spring.<

May - A West Texas Whirlwind

May was a 'West Texas Whirlwind' in all manner of the phrase! It started with a wedding announcement, followed by the wedding just 5 days later. Then Teryn BROKE his wrist and there were the subsequent Dr.'s appointments. Next was a decision where we agreed to 'co-parent' a high-energy 15 year old boy. Add 2 birthdays, our 26th anniversary, and mother's day. Mix in guests for the wedding, a visit from Clay and a friend to work cattle, and another visit from my best friend from Pawnee high school, and her family. Whew! What a month! Seems like every May is a whirlwind. It was a great month. But thank goodness, it only comes once a year!