This Cowboy Poet's Life...

"In all the world you'll never find a love as true as mine"

Thu, 03 May 2012 06:55:23 GMT

August of 2006 I was knocking on doors at Great Basin College Apartments in Elko, NV doing the "welcome wagon" thing with the student council. Behind one of those doors was a blonde kid with nice eyes in baggy cargo pants and a holey tshirt. We talked for a minute and I told him about all of the first week of college activities. Then, I saw it, a working rig sitting in the corner.

Now for anyone in the Great Basin, this was a straight up buckaroo saddle. It had a 6 inch guadalajara horn, 5 1/2 cantel, silver horn cap and a seasoned reata tied on. I asked who owned that saddle and the kid said he did. I didn't believe him, figured it was his room mates, and asked again who owned that saddle. He indicated that the back of the cantel had "Sam" stamped in it and the rocking S over quarter circle brand on the horn cap. Ok, so maybe this dopey guy in cargo pants did have more to him...

Well, other than a few bumps in the road, we've been pretty much inseperable ever since. Sam since learned to dress better and I learned not to read a book by its cover. In 2008 I married my best friend. No, it hasn't all been cupcakes and roses, and we've sure rubbed a raw nerve on each other a time or two. Its crazy to think about all that's happened in these 4 short years. We've moved 6 times and lived in 3 states. We've gone through job changes and the ups and downs of life. We've made it through this pregnancy unscaved and can't wait for our little guy to show up.

Although I sit here alone on our 4th wedding anniversary, 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant, with Sam gone in camp, I just marvel at these past few years. I know we have a lot yet still to come, but I wonder how I have been so blessed? I've got a man that most women dream of and a life I wouldn't trade for anything. As time goes on, I really think we hit the nail on the head with our wedding song, "Cross My Heart" by George Strait...

"In all the world you'll never find a love as true as mine" <3

Every Letter Makes a Storey

Have fun, take'r easy and ride hard!!!

So what's to a name???

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 07:17:53 GMT

So with a little one on the way, there has been lots of discussions on names. Now keep in mind, Sam and I are a bit different. We had our boy and girl names long before we got pregnant. We were the couple that discussed baby names way back when we were first dating. Not necessarily that we would have that baby together, just what we liked.

Of course, we both are critical of our names, so we had some requirements for this kid that probably won't like the name we picked for him. My name for example, Jessica Ann, I hate because it is so common! There was about 3 years right around when I was born that it was one of the ten most popular girl names. Growing up in small town Battle Mountain, NV I actually had 3 Jessica's in one class! Now I do kind of like the reasoning behind the name. My dad picked Jessica from the Man from Snowy River and I'll be darned if I didn't end up with a few of her traits! Ann came from my mom, my aunt, and a bunch of my older cousins, again common...

Now Sam's name has its own set of problems. I like Sam. It's short, sweet and not too overly used in our age group. Problem is, his given name is actually Craig Samuel Klayton. Say that one 3 times fast! The Hedges have a tradition of 3 names before their last name: a name from the mother's side, a name from the father's side, and one for the child. I warned Sam years ago that this tradition would die with us as he is not the one who will write those 4 names on a million forms before the kid is 18. Also, ever try banking for someone who has a name he goes by vs the legal name? Everyone writes checks to Sam and until we get known with a bank it is a pain in the hinney! Then every once in a while someone makes a check out to Craig and they want to know who Craig is :s

The last hurddle we had was that Sam is one of 3 boys, who all had boys. Plus several of our closest friends had boys. A lot of names we liked or would be family names were already taken! We wanted a unique name that was a little punchy. Zane, Wyatt, Colton, Cole, and Mackey were some of our favorites and they were all used.

Quirt McCuen Hedges is what we finally settled on. Sam came up with Quirt from John Wayne's character in Angel and the Badman. Who doesn't love the reformed bad boy? For those of you familar with Last Buckaroo, you know that one of the main characters is Dean McCuen, the greenhorn that turns hand. Well McCuen is actually a family name on the Hedges side and I had the idea to incorperate it with Quirt.

So there you have it, that's what's "in a name" for us... What about you and your family? Your horses and dogs?

2011 adventures...

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 05:35:15 GMT

Checking emails at a random service spot after moving cows in camp...

A rocking new hat from my amazing sponsor, Jaxonbilt Hat Company!

Doing a signing with my father in law, Mac Hedges, author of Last Buckaroo and Shadow of the Wind.

Got to meet fellow cowgirl poet, Teresa Burlson, from Texas!

I'm Back!!!

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 01:33:18 GMT

Wow, I can't believe its been 10 whole months since I last blogged! I know you guys probably thought I fell off the face of the earth, but really cow camp living made accessing the internet impossible :(

That being said, we've had a lot of changes in our life since last June, so I'll be able to regularly write again! Although there is too much to catch up on in one blog, I will give you a couple of the major bullet points and hope to fill you in on some of the crazy stories and fun adventures as time goes on.

Well probably the biggest news is that Sam and I are expecting our first baby in 2 weeks! His name will be Quirt McCuen Hedges and we feel so blessed to be having him at this time in our lives. Its because of him that we no longer live in cow camp, but have been fortunate enough to be transfered to a different location on the same ranch. We are currently located about 10 miles south of Burns, OR at the historic Island Ranch and Sam is commuting to our old winter location in Princeton.

Another new thing will be my "traveling pard". Yes, Quirt will start becoming my shadow, but I've had a change on the canine end as well. For those of you who weren't aware, I lost Belle in January due to whelping complications. On the bright side, it lead me to my new full time buddy, Claude Dallas. Claude is a 7 month old Pembroke Corgi male with a personality as big as the Great Basin. He has helped me keep my sanity through the hormones, Sam night calving and just life in general. Although I've never had a "little dog" before, he seems to be the perfect match for my changing life!

And the last new thing I'll share for now is the creation of The Buckarette Collection! This is an accessories line that I started about a month ago and has just taken off! Currently I make headbands and bracelets, but you can expect to see a lot more soon. I will occassionally be sharing little bits about this side venture on my blog so be ready for a little something girlie from time to time :) You can check out more by visiting my Facebook Page.

Finally, there is some big things coming regarding my cowboy poetry, performing, etc. As always though, you'll have to stay tuned for all the newest details :)

Have fun, take'r easy and ride hard <3

Jess

"Greetings and salutations"

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 20:40:29 GMT

Its funny how the things people say, stay with us. Little sayings, little phrases that snaps our minds to a particular person.

Well my dad has plenty of them! Greetings and salutations, today junior, and you better move!

Yes, they probably seem pretty funny, but anyone who konws my dad will get it.

Here is one rare pic of the shy father (the one with the crazy Buckaroo Brand Wildrag in the right corner) I love in honor of Father's Day!!! Can't wait to see him tomorrow <3

Just a little bit of the trouble I've managed to find...

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 08:13:37 GMT

Checking emails in a random service spot at the end of the day...

Me being a general pain with the Team Sagebrush girls...

The rose amoungst the thorns as they called this pic...

Of course, there is always more trouble, so keep watching ;)

Have fun, take'r easy and ride hard!!!

Good memories, good places, good friends...

Sun, 29 May 2011 09:52:55 GMT

Until next time...Have fun, take'r easy and ride hard!!!

~Jess~

Letters from Home

Thu, 19 May 2011 03:05:00 GMT

As many of you are aware, I have limited technology living in camp. I have found that my only real source of news is an AM talk radio show out of Boise, KIDO. I have a few shows on there that I like to listen to, but this is how I get most of my news and weather during my “dry spells” in camp.

This week they have had a reporter over in Iraq and are doing a program called “Letters from Home.” The program has several parts, but everyday this week they have been interviewing Boise area soldiers serving in Iraq. These men and women talk about their lives during the war, the family they’ve left behind, and the pride they have in the work they are doing.

These folks are every day men and women making the ultimate sacrifice for us and our country on a daily basis. I’ve always known this, but it has really opened my eyes listening to these stories. There are individuals behind the uniform. These people have left behind loved ones, day job, hopes, and dreams. They more than realize they may never get back to these things yet have a positive outlook on why they are there.

One gal they had on in particular completely blew me away. She is 22 years old and just got married last June. Both her and her new husband are serving in the armed forces. Within a few months of their marriage, they bought a house and they BOTH left on deployment! Now I realize they made choices that put them in this situation, but I am also completely grateful. This young couple joined the military during war time, knowing they could be deployed and they have/are serving with honor. I couldn’t have imagined being separated from Sam most of our first year of marriage…

I think the most emotional part for me though is how humbly these people view their roles in Iraq. They feel privileged to be there. They really stress the changes and relationships they’ve made with the locals. They want their friends and families back home to know that the media has painted a not so realistic view of the happenings over there. They recognize the danger, but down play it as “just part of the job.”

Now am I naive enough to believe everything that comes out of the “squawk box”? NO! But the soldiers they are interviewing don’t make their livings by giving us the “shock and awe” factor on a daily basis like a media personality does. Yes, what they are saying could still be tainted, but I think it is a lot closer to the truth than the garbage with get from our normal news sources.

I don’t normally discuss my political views, but in this instance, it seemed like an insult not to. Regardless on your thoughts on the US’s involvement in the Middle East, it seems like we still have an obligation to those who are willing to put their lives on the line for ours. I want to send out a huge THANK YOU to all of our men and women in the armed forces. More importantly, I want to thank the families of these men and women who share their loved ones with us and recognize the sacrifices they make to do this. Behind each greatness is the support it is receiving out of the lime light.

I hope as each of you go through out your day today, you think about those past, present, and future that serve in the armed forces. Folks that have made it possible to read things like my blog and given you your right to post your thoughts on Facebook.

As go about your business today, I hope you have fun, take’r easy, and ride hard!!!

~Jess~

Moving cattle is not an emotional activity! (for women at least ;))

Wed, 11 May 2011 03:00:00 GMT

Ok, so correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't it seem like men are generally more emotionally involved with moving cattle than women? I haven't ridden with a whole lot of people but this is just what I have observed. Now does this mean women are any less diligent about accomplishing the task in front of them? Heavens no!

The way I see it, women have a tendency to be like the tried and true ranch horse in these situations. They aren't going to expend any more energy than necessary to get the job done. You never know what you'll encounter before you finally get back to the barn so wringing yourself out doesn't do you a lot of good.

Men on the other hand want to teach that bovine a lesson! They'll chase a cow into the middle of the bunch. They'll yell obscenities at a calf like it will understand the insult. They'll pick fights with their horses over the littlest thing. You'll even hear some unexpected things like ," Get out of here! There isn't enough grass here to feed a goose anyways!"

More than once I've been leaning over my saddle horn watching the Dr. Jeckel and Mr. Hyde change in a man as they move cattle. Sometimes the laughter gives them a reality check to how silly they're being. Sometimes it just ticks them off and makes them do it more. Regardless though, it always seems to be entertaining to watch the guys be the emotional one for once!

Anyhoo, take this all with a grain of salt! Its just an epiphany I had while out riding one day. What do you guys think? Any women witnessed this? Any men who want to defend themselves?

Well regardless of where your mind takes you today, have fun, take'r easy and ride hard!

~Jess~

Moving horror story- part 2

Wed, 04 May 2011 00:45:00 GMT

Ok, so we've all had bad weeks before... Here is part 2 to out Moving Horror Story...

After not near enough sleep, Sam and I get up Monday morning. My hubby, bless his heart, unpacked almost the whole horse trailer by himself! I asked him why he didn't wake me and he said he knew I needed to get some rest. I helped him with the remaining items so he could get his trailer down to the shop to get the back door repaired.

I looked at the mess that was our winter house, but figured we were on the down hill now. Once I got our stuff settled, our lives would find their new rhythm here at Flag Creek. This house hadn't been lived in for quite a while and not cleaned out before the last folks had moved out. Well the mice and bugs decided to move in. Not that this was a huge deal, but I definitely had some cleaning to do before much unpacking could be done.

So I got some laundry going and started to scrub the kitchen down as it is kind of the central of the house. I was into this project not even an hour when the water stopped working. Being that there was another house at Flag Creek, I walked down there to see if they had the same issue. Come to find out a transformer had caught fire and someone was already coming to fix it. I chatted with the other wife until our situation was under control, or so I thought.

Come to find out, we were on a different well, one that needed to be reset. I spent most of the day waiting for Sam or someone who could help me with the man hole cover. This thing was huge and I somehow got it stuck trying to get it off. It was 4 or 5pm when one of the other guys was able to help me and show me how the well was reset. Sam got home not too long after that, and we had to reset that darn thing about 3 times that evening before showers and dinner could be accomplished.

So coming on Tuesday I figured this was it, things would start to get back to normal. I was wrong again. I fought with the water most of the day and the maintenance guy was finally able to get it fixed by 2 or 3 that afternoon. I now had a few hours of work done and dinner ready when Sam got home at 5. He walks in the door and the first words out of his mouth were ,"We're headed to Nevada tonight!"

At first I thought he was crazy! I then realized he was quite serious. Come to find out we needed to go to Ruby Valley to pick up a round bail feeder. Sam set about getting diesel while I packed us an overnight bag and went to the Main to call Sam's mom.

It was 7 or 8pm by the time we left the ranch. It was about 12pm by the time we got to bed because we were catching up with his family and telling them about our moving experience.

Things seemed to be on the up and up by morning. We got to pick up Sam's new pup from my folks and visit with them for a bit. I took care of a few errands in Elko and we had lunch with my sister. By early afternoon we had made it to Ruby Valley and we headed back with our load.

Things were just peachy until we hit Golcanda Summit between Battle Mountain and Winnemucca on Highway 80. That truck had pulled fine all day, even over the longer, steeper Emigrant Pass. We were loosing power in a hurry and only did 25 mph over the top.

Finally we dropped off into Winnemucca and figured we best air the dogs out a bit. The fairgrounds seemed like a convenient enough place so we pulled off. Just as we made the turn in though the truck completely died. We coasted along and were able to get the pickup off the road before it finally quit moving.

Sam called the ranch mechanic to find out our next move. Apparently this truck had the same issue in the past. Considering the time it was suggested that we try to get the truck to Sam's family's house and spend the night again. We were told to get some sleep and call back in the morning.

We did just that. This was Thursday morning and boy was I glad to finally catch up on a little sleep! Sam called the mechanic back and he said they were sending the sleeper semi down after us. While we waited, I took care of some business, Sam played with his new puppy, and we just hung out.

Time had come and gone for us to be picked up and we were beginning to wonder what happened. After a few rounds of phone calls to people who could make calls on the ranch radio, we found out the sleeper semi couldn't be hooked up to the low boy for some reason. A single cab semi was sent up with a pickup loaded on the back.

The truck driver and one of the ladies from the ranch had rescued us! Sam got his pickup and round bail feeder loaded. He rode in the semi while the dogs and I rode with one of the ranch wives.

Mary and I laughed because we must have looked like the crazy dog ladies as we headed back to the ranch! She had her two dogs in the back seat. I had our puppy in my lap, but he eventually decided that Mary's American Bull Dog was much more fun. Belle and Junior were in the bed of the truck just enjoying the wind in their faces.

It was late afternoon by the time we got back. Finally though, this was the end of our Moving Horror Story. By the end of the week I had us most of the way settled and life began to find a normal pace in our Flag Creek home.

So regardless of what life may throw your way, have fun, take'r easy, and ride hard!

~Jess~

Moving horror story- part 1

Sat, 30 Apr 2011 00:45:00 GMT

So we've moved the majority of our things out to our cow camp, The Page Place. I've "set up house" for the most part, and life is beginning to take on a simple normalcy. All of this though takes me back to a not so fun move out of here last December...

I found out Sam was given the go ahead to move to Flag Creek(our winter place) about 6pm one snowy Friday night in December. Sam had spent most of the day in a work meeting and I in town. My hubby was having major cabin fever issues with the lack of work in camp, so he wanted to be all moved in and at work on Monday. The 2 1/2 hour drive from Flag Creek to the Page Place took us about 4 hours with the terrible weather.

Sam woke up about 3am to realize our generator had gone out, so we had no water or electricity. Luckily our stove was hooked directly to a propane tank, so he got me up after he had made breakfast. We spent most of the day packing and loading. We had to come-a-long a Ranger and a generator on a trailer into the back of a stock trailer. We got all of our personal things loaded into our horse trailer and had it hooked up to our old Ford. It was about 3pm when our little caravan was ready to take off.

We weren't 5 miles from the house when we found out the 4-wheel drive in our Ford was out. We discovered this because Sam got stuck. Well I got past him with the other truck, dropped the stock trailer, and pulled Sam's truck and trailer up the hill. The two of us were working on hooking the stock trailer to my truck and that's when we saw it, the broken strap hanging out the door of the trailer. A quick look inside revealed that the generator was gone!

The trailer door gave way going up the first hill about a mile from the house. With the white trailer, the white snow, and the white generator, I never saw it. The door had closed its self and I never saw it swing. So, we decided to leave our truck and horse trailer at the house and I'd pull the generator back to be pulled out by a truck later.

Finally it was decided to put 2 of the 5 head of horses in the space the generator had occupied. Now normally, Sam would have ridden one and pony'd the other while I drove. The only problem was the fact that the tack was packed. Sam sat on the flat bed and lead the horses, which took forever on iced over road.

At about 6:30pm we had the horses loaded and the stock trailer re-hooked. It would be a late night, but by golly, we should be on our way by now! After some discussion we decided to take the long way around due to the weight of our load. Yes, it would take longer, but we at least knew we could make it without sinking into a muddy, snowy mess.

It was just after midnight when we hit Highway 20 at Harper. Between the snow, ice, and a stop or two to sleep, it took us quite a while to drive what would normally be 2 hours. Sam offered to drive for a while since I had driven the dirt road out. We unchained the truck with a huge sigh of relief, thinking the worst was over.

Sam started down the pavement real slow and easy since there was a good inch of ice on the road. He was going about 15 mph when our next wreck happened. Somehow we ended up jack knifing, sliding in a horseshoe down the road with the pickup facing the wrong direction. There is a stream on one side of us and a drop off on the other. To add to the fun we were on a blind corner.

As our sliding came to an end, I told Sam we we're ok, we made it. About then though, he sees sparks coming from the tail end of the trailer. At the same time we realized that Roman, one of our ranch horses, was being drug, still tied in by his halter. Sam jerked his pocket knife and ran for him. I shoved my feet into my snow boots and ran around the other side of the pickup. Of course, I had to have a total cartoon moment as my feet came straight up in the air and I fell flat on my hinny in the middle of the road.

By the time I had got to them, Sam had pulled Roman's head out from under the trailer and had most of the lead cut. The horse clamored to his feet despite the ice, obviously confused and freaked out. A quick look over with little light showed no road rash or open gashes much to our relief.

Sam wanted to load the horse right there, the truck horseshoe'd in the middle of the road and all. I reminded him that we were on a blind corner at night; he should probably move the truck first. He agreed, and left me with a snorting, vibrating horse to calm that was now on a foot and a hal lead. No sooner had he pulled off the road and Roman and I crossed to the other side, a snow plow came flying by. Phew, that could have been bad!

Roman was such a good horse, despite how stiff and scared he was, he knew what he had to do. Getting back in the trailer was the last thing he wanted, but knew he had to. It took a little coaxing but he loaded right up. I honestly belief the reason he faired so well was the heavy ice on the road that allowed him to slide so easily. Lord only knows what could have happened had we taken the normal way out over cattle guards and very few turns to see the back of the trailer.

We finally took a breath for the first time since the jack knife started. We checked ourselves, the other horse, and the dogs. Luckily everyone was fine. Determined that this would NEVER happen again, Sam dug around in the dark and found his come-a-long in the tool box. We tightened the door down and checked it every little while.

It was now after 1am as we started down the highway again. We had a tense couple of hours, praying we'd make it back in one piece. Finally about 3am we'd made it over the first pass and into a wide spot in the road known as Juntura. Now being almost 10 hours since we tried to leave camp, we decided a break was in order.

We jumped the horses out in knee deep snow to move them around and really look at them under the lights of the small arena. We knew Roman had to be stiff after that fall. All he walked away with was a small scrape on the back of his right front leg where he clipped himself with his back shoe. That was it!

Sam continued to drive over the second, and last, pass as we turned off Highway 20 towards Crane. I took another turn at driving as he tried to rest along the long straight away of the Crane-Buchanan Road. It was about 6:30 am by the time we pulled into Flag Creek, rattled and tired. We took care of our stock and quickly headed for bed.

About 2 hours later we were up and moving again. Sam had called in the generator issue to the maintenance mean the day before, so we were all going to head out to the Page together. We unloaded, fueled, met up, and off we went. This one was less eventful, thank goodness, and we got everything taken care of.

It was just shy of midnight when we pulled back into Flag Creek. Again, we took care of the 3 head of horses we had and crashed.

Sam and I learned a lot from these couple of days. We learned how much information our parents had instilled in us that we weren't aware of. We learned how quick we could think on our feet and solve problems. We also learned that together there isn't anything we can't get through.

This is just the story of the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for that week. Watch for the next blog where I continue on the "fun" of our moving in.

Use adversity as an opportunity to appreciate the good things in your world. Have fun, take'r easy, and ride hard!

~Jess~

What's right around the corner... or up on top!

Wed, 20 Apr 2011 06:40:00 GMT

Sam came home about 4pm today asking if I wanted to take a Ranger ride with him to close a few gates. He loaded his rifle and I loaded the dogs and off we went.

The reason this was such a cool little trip for me was because I haven’t been able to explore too much with the weather the way it’s been here at our winter place. We were basically up on a table top today that you don’t climb when the roads are wet. When things get wet out here they get slick and when they get slick you try to hunker down. Long story short, there is a lot of amazing stuff I haven’t seen yet!

So my photography disclaimer right now: Sam does not slow down for pictures so most of these are taken on the fly. Add the “little rivers” running down the roads with rocks that are surfacing and it was a bumpy trip!

So I got to see some beautiful country like this:

A neat rock jack at a gate we had to go through to get where we were going:

An amazing herd of elk:

My silly dogs, of course:

A few cows:

Oh yeah, and my hubby!!!:

All and all, it was a fun little outing. Sam murdered a few squirrels, we got to hang out, and the dogs got to feel the wind in their faces.

While you start exploring with the warming weather, have fun, taker easy, and ride hard!

~Jess~

And so the moving begins! Kind of...

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:20:00 GMT

So we got the go head last night to try and get into the Page Place (our summer camp) by pickup. If that works, then we’ll move in soon after to start getting cattle off the winter range. That means, its time to pack!

I’ve spent quite a bit of the day today cleaning on my back room where I store stuff. I’ve been sorting things by which area of the house they go to, what I can pack now and what has to stay unpacked until a specific date, and what Sam needs to sort himself.

I’m so excited to get back out to camp!!! It is like the ultimate playground for big kids, I am not even joking. Yes, there is a lot of long days and hard work, but the feel and the pace of things are like nothing you’ve ever experienced. Life is much simpler out there. No phone, no internet, no interruptions by random people. There is plenty of time to work, make good dogs and horses, and spend time with the hubby. I find that I cook more, write more, and work out more, and it isn’t just busy work to fill in the hours.

So what are your moving stories? I know we’ve all had at least one crazy one, let’s hear ‘em!!!

Have fun, take’r easy, and ride hard!

~Jess~

Old Time Round Corral

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:20:00 GMT

Ok, so I am a stickler for anything old looking. It always seems to carry a unique story of history and contains a certain character from its wear. This is an awesome round corral in Crane, OR that we got to go use. Although I don’t know its story, it’s still neat to ponder.

The day was a bit windy, but plenty warm and we were able to get a lot accomplished. Tuscorara got her second ride and Pepe is continuing to progress. Add in getting to see a few friends, and life was good!

Hope you enjoy a few random pics from the day!

So amongst holding on to your hats, have fun, take’r easy, and ride hard!

~Jess~

Earning the stamp of approval

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 06:15:00 GMT

Earning the Stamp of Approval…

Don’t you love that feeling of finally getting some credit for a job done right? I know it’s not what possesses us to continue moving forward in the world, but the recognition is nice when it comes. Today, I got to have a little pride in a job well done.

As many of you are aware, I have been training on my filly, Tuscarora. I’ve done pretty much all the ground work on her, with some slight set backs due to the weather. Sam, my amazing hubby, wants me to train her, but insisted he put the first few rides on her to make sure she wasn’t going to buck. Well, my ground work lead to a successful first ride with no bucking!

This becomes more significant because after we took her home, we heard through the grape vine that the little gal I got her from had been bucked off of her. Grant you, I got her based on the info that she hadn’t been stepped on ie no baggage to train her out of. Sam and I were hoping that we hadn’t got something that already knew how to buck someone off. Anyhoo, only time will tell how she’ll turn out, but it could have been a lot worse, that’s for sure!

A lesser victory, but just as sweet, was her first set of front shoes that were put on today. Sam was impressed that her feet were so easy to deal with as compared to a lot of the other colts he’s dealt with and was willing to admit I had obviously worked with them. It’s a great feeling to do work that you can see an outcome from!

Have fun, take’r easy, and ride hard!!!

~Jess~

HOW CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THAT??? Part 2

Sat, 16 Apr 2011 06:05:00 GMT

“HOW CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THAT?”- PART 2

“SO WHAT DO YOU DO OUT THERE?”

Well I cook and clean, take care of the bills, you know, the normal wife stuff. I also spend quite a bit of time working cows, riding problem horses, and just helping Sam with whatever work he has. I also try to write and read a lot.

“YOU WORK, LIKE BY YOURSELF?”

Yes, sometimes. With 500 head, it is often easier to split and ride your own circle. Sometimes it is as simple as bringing the truck to pick Sam up at a certain place and time. Sometimes I am working with horses during the day while Sam is gone. It just all depends on where the hole needs to be filled in.

“DON’T YOU GET LONELY?”

Not so much actually. I have Sam and the dogs, and they keep me pretty entertained. I also go out to make phone calls and check emails off my Blackberry a couple times a week, so I’m not completely shut off from the world. When I do go out to perform though, I get tons of people interaction, so it all balances out.

“HOW DO YOU KEEP UP WITH THE NEWS?”

Generally, I hear it on the radio while I’m in the pickup. Our summer place picks up some decent AM stations out of the Boise, ID area, so that always helps. As sad as it sounds, Facebook is the other way I keep up on current events. I have enough friends on there that usually someone is commenting on the latest political scandal or ruckus over seas.

“WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GUYS GET A CRAVING FOR SOMETHING? DO YOU MAKE RANDOM TRIPS IN?”

Nope, it is too darn far to drive. I try to keep a good supply of baking stuff, since sweets seem to be what we crave most. Anyone who knows Sam and I know we are chronic choco-holics! I make a lot of our stuff from scratch anyways, so it’s not a big deal. If we are craving something I can’t make, then I just try to keep a few extra dollars around to get it when we go in for supplies at the ranch or I leave to perform again.

Well chick-a-dees, I hope this tells you a little more about me and my life in cow camp.

Remember, its not the destination but the ride! Have fun, take’r easy and ride hard!

~Jess~

From the side lines

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 06:05:00 GMT

Here are a few pictures I snapped of Sam while branding today. I know, I should be in a few of them, but the branding trap is limited to the employees. Oh well, he enjoyed himself and it was neat to watch him being handy and having fun.

Apparently the ground crew said something???

Opps!

Fun fun!

Have you started branding in your neck of the woods yet?

Have fun, take’r easy, and always ride hard!!!

~Jess~

HOW CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THAT??? Part 1

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 05:55:00 GMT

“HOW CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THAT???”

Like what?

“THAT FAR FROM TOWN!!! NO PHONE, NO TV? WHAT IF YOU HAD AN EMERGENCY?”

Well, we try to avoid emergencies, but if one came up, I don’t know we’d deal with it??? In all seriousness, we have a ranch radio that is pretty reliable and they could send a helicopter in if need be. As far as not having technology, it’s pretty nice.

“WELL WHAT IF SOMEONE NEEDED TO GET A HOLD OF YOU?”

They leave us a voicemail and those get checked a few times a week when we drive the 12 miles out to cell service. Besides, ever have your mother in law call during date night? Not a problem anymore, the phone won’t ring! Ever had your dad call when you are arm deep in a project? Not an issue, you don’t have to explain 15 times you need to go.

I also gave in and got an agent to help me with my cowboy poetry stuff. It’s been a huge help on the little details. Several emails may be exchanged between her and an event coordinator in a day as opposed to one or two a week like I would be able to do myself.

“WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT GROCERIES? DO YOU JUST DRIVE IN EVERY WEEK?”

Heck no! There are 2 hours of dirt road and another hour of pavement between me and the grocery store! I shop for an entire month at one go. It’s pretty sad, I am loaded up with a couple of ice chests and it takes me 2 carts to get out of the store. I’ve been known to even fill and purchase one cart and then go back for another if I’m by myself. Considering how I hate shopping for the “necessities”, it’s like pulling the band aid off really fast!

“AND YOUR HUSBAND LETS YOU MAKE THESE TRIPS FROM CAMP TO OUT OF STATE TO PERFORM BY YOURSELF?”

Yup! He is amazing that way. Yes, we miss each other while I’m gone, but he’s knows I’m a big girl and can take care of myself. Belle, my heeler, is also there to take care of what ever I can’t. I’m pretty good about letting him know where I’m going, how I’m getting there, and within a day or two of when I’ll be back. I also check in with my parents or his if my route changes. One of the ladies from the ranch follows me on Facebook while I’m gone and gives Sam updates if she sees him. There are also a few ladies on the ranch I can call if I am going to be late and they’ll relay a message. Yes, I have had to do this!

I think he does like the quiet time though. He really likes to play Xbox, and I hate it, so he tries to get his fill on playing while I’m gone.

“SO YOU LIKE LIVING THIS WAY?”

Absolutely! I wouldn’t trade it for anything!

So this is a typical conversation people have with me when they find out about my life in cow camp. It’s not for everyone, but for Sam and I, its heaven. Watch for more “HOW CAN YOU LIVE LIKE THAT?” soon ?

Until next time, have fun, take’r easy, and ride hard!

~Jess~

The family reunion you actually want to go to...

Fri, 08 Apr 2011 09:15:42 GMT

Ok, so the more I attend these cowboy gatherings and the more folks I get to know, the more I believe that they are the family renunions you actually want to go to!!!

Here I am outside of the house of my good friend, Cindy Longoria. She is kind enough to have me in her home when ever I come to the Tri Cities.

I got to town and picked up my good friend, Susie Knight.

Here I am waiting in line to eat when I was "attacked" by fellow entertainer, Paul Harris! This is the first time I have met him, but he is totally a kindered spirit :)

The number of other completely amazing friends I got to see tonight is crazy!!!! I hope you guys can make it down, and if not, please know you are missed!!!

Well I better hit the hay guys, I have to be at the KVEW TV station here in Kennewick at 5am for an interview!!!

Have fun, take'r easy and ride hard!!!

Jess

On the road to Kennewick....

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 08:39:00 GMT

So here I am, packing the Stud, my pickup, for the 6 hour or so drive to Kennewick, WA.

My bed roll...

So Belle is a bit unhappy that she couldn't come this trip... She even went so far as to try and pack her ball...

And here I am, being my dorky self as usual...Well, a bit more bling'd up I suppose :)

Ok guys and dolls, hope you'll continue to check in through out the weekend as I update on the Columbia River Cowboy Gathering, my status in the Cowboy Idol Competition, and much more!!!

Have fun, take'r easy and ride hard!

~Jess~