Happy Birthday Danny 2015

Danny turned 15 today. We are so thankful to God for him. Happy Birthday Young Man. And oh yes...He is a "man after my own heart" ...for his birthday supper tonight he asked for homemade bread and and beef steak

Mrs. Eppenbaugh showed us...

Some of the first to show up each spring. We call them Snowdrops...Others call them Hoods Phlox. I remember as a student at Lower Alkali when I was young, how Mrs. Eppenbaugh showed us how to take a straw from the broom and then push individual flowers as to string them onto the straw. It was pretty cool back then...I now show kids how to do it as well

"POTSHOTS"

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Robin visited with her Mom yesterday and they discussed the prescribed burn that has begun to burn out of control in Wind Cave National Park just north of where they live. "Yes Grandma had an opinion!"

I will share mine... the Tatanka Hotshots have been called in to fight the fire. But how did it start? The NPS "Potshots". Potshot is defined as "a shot fired in a careless way!" Oh yes the Potshots work for various institutions, but I am amazed at how many work within the halls of our government.

I am well aware of the trials that come with stewardship of the land. We fight pestilence and fire as well. I am not here to "Cast the first stone". I am just calling for these government institutions to be called into responsibility just as we in the private sector.

My carelessness with my property may cost me money and resources from the onset. My carelessness may even cost others eventually. Without a doubt the mismanagement of our public resources costs us all. Let us not be tolerant of the actions of the "Potshots"

Caleb and Will Rogers

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Cowboy Philosopher Will Rogers and our very own (younger version) Caleb James agrees, "We can't all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by."

MOM SAYS....

I walk around the corner into the kitchen and discover Danny...
There is a cup on the counter and he is opening a package of Oreo Cookies.
I say, " Aha!"
He turns to me and with a wry smile, Danny says, "Mom said that I should be drinking more milk".

GETTING THINGS DONE

It has been a beehive of activity across the western USA in many agricultural operations. The dry warm weather has certainly allowed the family and crew on the Lonetree Ranch to kick things into high gear. Jason Morris and Danny Reinhold have worked over the disc and it has been in operation for the last day or so. Some of the kids are going to a branding this morning and the rest of the crew will try and finish up a major fencing project at the old Hans Henricks Place. Looking good.

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Hans and Vesper Henricks homesteaded just north of the Reinhold family at about the same time over 100 years ago. They had four children...Homer, Howard, Cecil (Buck) and Alice. We now own their old homestead. Another couple of days and the fences and building will be really nice. This past winter we started working over the old house. It has been good.

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Learning to work to together as a team is a huge part of the "education process" within our family as well as many other farm and ranch families. Good job Kids.

SOME NEW FRIENDS FROM ACROSS THE POND

After the October Blizzard of 2013, we met so many new friends. Anna Jones and Sybil Ruscoe came from Great Britain and spent the good portion of a day with us and then produced a half hour radio segment for the British Broadcssting Company (BBC). As a result of that broadcast we met friends from Europe as well. Alan Hewitt is one of those new friends and he has become a dear friend as well. He messaged this to our family and I would like to share it with you...

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ALAN HEWITT

Hi Larry and Robin,.... A short time ago I commented that the weather can come back and bite you. This it did last weekend, very cold winds from North made driving rain and hail. You wrote of your Alberta Clipper recently, we didn't have that so I called it Greenland Clipper, with wind chill it was not fit to be outside. I love your photos of your new life on the farm with calves being born, we cannot have that but we are looking forward to blossom buds on the apples and pears this is our hope for the season.
I have often said that being a farmer or grower creates thankfulness, hopefulness, patience and appreciation of life, good Christian values.
We looking forward to this Easter with family and Church in village, so we wish you all a happy Easter and trust in the risen Lord.
Every blessing to you all, Alan and Carolyn

Thanks Alan and Carolyn… May you have a blessed Easter.