A Two-fer from a Dude Ranch Kid Christmas

Growing up on a Colorado dude ranch our Drowsy Water kids have a slightly different spin on life. Christmastime is no exception. As we go though all of the traditional holiday stories and events, we've had some interesting conversations spurred by questions only a dude ranch kid would ask. Here are 10 dude ranch kid questions about Christmas.And you'll notice the photos do not correspond to the questions. The photos are their own separate story of our family hunting down this year's Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Enjoy!Does Santa have elf-wranglers for his reindeer?Which mountain around our house does the Grinch live on? Does Santa [...]

A Two-fer from a Dude Ranch Kid Christmas2011-12-22T14:38:00+00:00

Looking for these Mamas and babies

We pushed our cows out just a few weeks ago. Randy Sue heads up the operation--planning and executing the ideal procedure for moving the cows out onto open range for the summer. But now, the cows are out there somewhere and, as usual, they've been a-wanderin'. We've seen a few pairs here, a few pairs there, and a few way up there while a few others are way down there. We never know where they'll end up. Tomorrow, Randy Sue will head up one of her famed all-day cow rides. Now, not just anyone gets to go out looking for and mooooving cows (sorry, [...]

Looking for these Mamas and babies2011-07-12T19:50:00+00:00

Three Years on the Ranch

Believe it or not, we are getting ready to celebrate the third birthday of our little cowgirl. What a life this girl has growing up on a Colorado dude ranch; she gets horses, cows, chickens, ducks, and dogs, room to run and grow, and extended family close to teach her and love her. She has taken to the life beautifully. She loves the horses--Patches, Bobby Sox and Apple are her favorites; she hollers and blows her whistle at the deer and elk milling in the sagebrush just off our deck ("HEEEEEEYYYYY YOOOOUUUU ELKKKK GEEETT OUUTTA HEEEERE!), and she watches the birds at the feeders [...]

Three Years on the Ranch2011-04-22T19:05:00+00:00

First Signs of Spring

Slowly, slowly, the snow is melting away! Spring is finally on the way. We have our staff hired for the summer (well, pretty much), we have our spring ranch projects rolling (kind-of), and the cows will start calving any day now (maybe).Soon, flowers will start just popping up all over the place. Look at these beautiful tulips that sprang up just right outside my front door.I love orange flowers.How beautiful.Okay, maybe, just maybe. . .I am getting a little ahead of myself here.

First Signs of Spring2011-03-30T21:37:00+00:00

Cowboy Take Me Away

My "Indian" Cowboy is finally home. He enjoyed his fair share of tours, Indian food, local hosts and entertainment on the other side of the world. He has pictures of elephants, trains, boats, towns, cities, tea and many, many, faces.As the saying goes: absence make the heart grow fonder. Justin's month-long excursion to a different world has me thinking how lucky I am to have him and how this whole living on a ranch with a cowboy thing is just one big dream come true. In fact, just this summer a high school classmate and I were laughing about how, in our senior yearbook, [...]

Cowboy Take Me Away2011-03-08T21:35:00+00:00

Baby Cows and a Stinker

So, I had this blog about us weaning the baby cows all ready to go. We used these things we call easy-weaners. Not weiner, you sick-o, I said weaner. The whole contraption is a perfect example of the sense of humor most ranchers have to have. You see, you put these big yellow tags in the baby cows' nostrils and then they can't nurse because the tag gets in the way of their mouth. It's kind of hilarious and it's much nicer than just ripping the babies from their mothers' udders unexpectedly leaving them to bawl and moo for days on end. With the [...]

Baby Cows and a Stinker2010-10-14T20:51:00+00:00

It ain’t all romance and ribbons at Drowsy Water

I like to portray the ranch life as one full of adventure and romance. And, honestly, there is a lot of that happening around here. There are colorful sunrises during morning roundups--horses neighing and snorting as they charge back to the ranch for their morning feed. There are country songs by campfires on cool summer evenings. There are blooming flowers, falling snowflakes, and singing birds. But it's not all romance and ribbons around here. Take, for example, the end result of our countless hours of work in the hayfields. After hours, days, weeks, and months slaving away to mow, rake, and bail our hay [...]

It ain’t all romance and ribbons at Drowsy Water2010-03-16T20:22:00+00:00

Cabin Fever RX: Carrot Cake at Drowsy Water Ranch

The long winter starts getting to me right about now every year. I start getting sick of layering up sweaters and socks to go outside. I start wishing for beaches and sunshine and little paper umbrellas floating in cool, brightly colored drinks. Lucky for me, we have the perfect prescription here at Drowsy Water Ranch. We share this little secret with our family and friends each summer at our Colorado Dude Ranch. It cures my dreams of islands and my addiction to saltwater. I'm going to share our cure with you; I'm going to show you how we make our mouth-watering carrot cake. And, [...]

Cabin Fever RX: Carrot Cake at Drowsy Water Ranch2010-02-23T17:29:00+00:00

Time for Ranch Chores with the Pink Marshmallow

I suppose most of us that grew up in colder climates went through some kind of mother-inflicted marshmallow phase during childhood. Peyton, our ranch 1 year old, is not exempt from the marshmallow rule. I always wondered what the deal with all the clothes was, but now that I have my own child to dress to go outside when it's 5 degrees, I get it. Here she is, the Pink Marshmallow!and in this shot, a sneezing pink marshmallow! Bummer timing on the shot, I guess.All decked out in multiple mommy-inflicted sweaters, coats, hats, and mittens to be out in our bitter cold weather, she [...]

Time for Ranch Chores with the Pink Marshmallow2010-01-05T23:46:00+00:00

Ranch Lessons

After having lived at Drowsy Water Ranch for the past year and a half, I’ve learned quite a few things. I’ve learned that horses eat…a lot. And when they finish all the hay in a pasture, they have to be moved to another place with more grub. Yesterday I went on a ranch field trip to help move all the horses from one winter pasture in Walden to another. It was another lesson in my ongoing ranch education. I’ve learned that it is really really really cold in Northern Colorado. I’ve learned that things never quite go as planned. The initial game plan was [...]

Ranch Lessons2009-12-29T17:18:00+00:00