07/15/05 Mini-vacation

Mini Vacation Recently I took some time for what I call a mini vacation. I'm Jeff Keane, I'll tell you about it in one minute. My little vacation was spending two days helping my good friend and neighbor, Mike and his family roundup and ship yearling steers and heifers to a local feedlot. Even though Mike's pastures are just across the canyon from our place, I hadn't been able to get away to help for two or three years. But this year, all the stars lined up right and my family wanted me gone for a couple days anyway, so I loaded up a horse and trailered down off our hill and up the hill across the canyon to gather yearlings. Besides, Mike and his wife, Pam had helped us move our cows and calves earlier this spring, so this was a chance to return the favor. That's one of the big pluses of ranching, usually you are able to set aside your work for a day or two to help a neighbor. I always liked getting together to help family and friends work cattle as a kid especially if it involved early morning saddling and horse work. I'm glad that excitement and pleasure I knew as a kid can still be found on an early morning getting ready to help friends. This little trip really was good for a young black horse I'm riding for my cousin. Lots of hills, miles, gathering, sorting and loading yearling cattle really helped that attitude of a horse that has been a bit of a challenge for my less than professional training ability. Now while my horse training skills might lack, I really do excellent work around a lunch table. I hope Mike doesn't figure what it cost to feed me two days and not ask me to help next year. I'm Jeff Kane.