Around the ranch

It's been a hard luck week in the shop. Snapped the handle tang off a stainless steel damascus blade trying to drill pin holes in the handle. Drill bit binded just right and ruined what should have been a a pretty expensive knife. I quenched a kitchen knife this morning in oil, put it in the tempering oven, ran off and had a piece of pie with the neighbor, came back in 2 hours and the blade had a slight bow in it. Not enough to really hurt any thing but I wouldn't feel right about selling it. I guess Kim will get another for her kitchen.
Been getting ready for the knife show, here are 14, I have 13 more on the way from the sheath maker. When it is all together, I will get some good pictures to post.

These are some I took while riding and looking the other morning.

Another day on the ranch

We sent a load of heifers to the feed yard this morning, Sorting the culls out was the hardest part, most everything we have left would make pretty good cows. But when you don't have enough feed, there isn't much left to do.

Horses loaded, and away from the barn in the dark. It's not a real cow penning unless you ride your horse at least part of the way in the dark.

Getting ready to sort and load. Tom, the horse, is making a pretty good hand at this sorting thingy, Still a little timid up close, but he will get there.

My helper, he sure did want to rope something.

Shipping

I helped a neighbor ship his cows yesterday. It was a damned sad event. All 2nd and 3rd calf cows, angus cross, a better set of cows won't be found any where. He has been out of grass all summer, and had finally run out of feed, he didn't have much choice. He is an older guy, and I hope he can start over when this drought breaks, but I got my doubts  that he will. He seemed in a good humor but I could see the wind had left his sails. Neighbors like him are hard to come by in this country any more.
My children where brought up horseback, and always involved in my ranching enterprises, and I can't imagine them having a town job, but if this thing doesn't break next spring we will have to reconfigure at the very least. Jessica raises goats, that might be the answer, Kyle and Joe are pretty good hands with young horses, maybe they can take a few out side ones. I bet we make it, It just might get a little lean for a while.
So goes the industry, if it wasn't this, it would be something else.

On a lighter note, the bit, spur, and knife business is booming. Christmas is just around the corner, place your order now, or you might not get it till April!