Pat & Sharon O'Toole

Hawk in hayfield
Encampment, Wyoming
photo by Pat O'Toole

Puppies on the run
Home Ranch
photo by Pat O'Toole

Muddy Mountain at sunset
Carbon County, Wyoming
photo by Pat O'Toole

Hampshire lambs, born in February
Johnson corrals, Routt Forest, Colorado
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Cows and calves at Dudley reservoir
Beetle-killed pines, Routt National Forest
photo by Pat O'Toole

Cows and calves on Dudley Creek, Routt Forest
photo by Pat O'Toole

Seamus & Grandpa George
Donna's cabin, Routt Forest, Colorado
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Posted by Sharon O'Toole at 4:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bull Rider
Dixon Rodeo, Dixon, Wyoming
photo by Pat O'Toole

Summer is not all work and no play. All over the West, communities celebrate with activities large and small. In our Valley, every summer brings the annual Lion’s Club rodeo and fun days. It starts with a professional rodeo for card carrying Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association members. On the last day, an amateur rodeo is held for anyone who wants to enter, and believe me, anyone does! It features pig and chicken catching for most ages. Two years ago, I was the oldest pig chaser (not catcher) but I was upstaged by my neighbor Nonie, who ran the entire barrel racing course leading a horse with a two-year-old rider.

This year our granddaughter Siobhan caught a pig, and Pat just happened to take photos.

Off and running: Siobhan chasing the pigs
Dixon, Wyoming
photo by Pat O'Toole

Siobhan captures a pig (with a little help from her friends)
photo by Pat O'Toole

As the last commercial sheep producers in our county—once said to be the largest sheep producing county in the world—our contribution to the local rodeo, and the county fair, is to serve as stock contractors (some would say “flock contractors”) for the Mutton Busting event. This involves putting small children on large sheep, turning them out of a bucking chute, and watching the ensuing “rodeo”.

Like their adult counterparts, the kids strut and boast. “Yup, I’m gonna be in the mutton bustin’,” they confide. “That one over there, she tried to go over the fence last night!” They compare techniques—hanging onto the rope tied behind the front legs, wrapping arms around the ewe’s neck, gripping with their legs.

Like bull riders and bronc riders, they experience moments of trepidation when it’s time to mount. A few decide that discretion is the better part of valor, and let the sheep “turn out” without a rider. Most mount up, bite the dust, and rise to cheers, clapping and a brand new dollar. Soon, the kids are comparing notes. “Mine was the meanest!”

Spurred mutton busters confer
Carbon County Fair
Rawlins, Wyoming
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Mutton buster loses his hat
photo by Pat O'Toole

Mutton-1, Girl-0
photo by Pat O'Toole

Mutton-2, girl-0
photo by Pat O'Toole

Mutton buster congratulated by the Carbon County Fair queen
photo by Sharon O'Toole

Posted by Sharon O'Toole at 3:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Kevin with a chick
Baghdad, Iraq

Faithful blog readers know that our nephew Kevin Lidstone is serving in the Army, 82nd Airborne, in Iraq. Kevin earned a Master's degree in International Relations a couple of years ago. He came to the ranch and worked for us for about nine months, while he pondered what to do with the rest of his life. Kevin is a thoughtful hard-working young man, and he decided to join the military. His grandfather, Ken, served in World War II, and his Dad, Herrick, was a Vietnam era Navy vet. Kevin shipped out to Baghdad in late December and has been serving in the Baghdad area. He came home on leave for two weeks in early July and spent a lot of time on his family's place in the Little Snake River Valley. He was here for the local rodeo and got to spent time with his friends and family. We love him very much and are proud of him. Here is an e-mail we received recently which I wish to share.

Subject: Back in the Devil's Cauldron
Kevin Lidstone

Well, after two glorious weeks back in Colorado I was lucky enough to get a chance to return to Baghdad! I got back to my platoon about a week and a half ago and everyone was still there (less those who were on leave), though they moved without telling me. We moved from a large COP to a smaller COP (Combat Outpost). We are now closer to Sadr City, though that doesn't make too much of a difference. Luckily, the A/C works most of the time, though our generators have been overheating. Try as they might the bad guys keep trying to hit the generators with mortars but have missed thus far...I think they are really trying to piss us off. We get hot food about every other day and were supposed to be getting weights to use in our downtime. Other than that things are pretty much the same, though LOST has been replaced with the TV show Heroes...alas we finished the seasons the other day so we're moving onto 24 or Deadwood, we'll be counting the ballots soon. It's gotten a lot hotter since I went on leave--our average temperature is around 120 or so and it gets hotter than that in the trucks. Luckily most of the a/c's in the trucks work wonderfully though unfortunately mine is not one of them. It blows cold air albeit at a trickle and what air does come out is blocked by my body armour. Every once in a while I'll contort my left arm so that I can get a cool stream of air up my sleeve but I can only hold that position for a little bit because it's quite unnatural. I'm still loving my job, though I can't wait to get home and not worry about snipers and IEDs. Keep your fingers crossed because we've been lucky thus far and only had one casualty (knock on wood). For those of you I didn't get to see I apologize, two weeks flew by but the fishing was great, my Mom cooked amazing food, and the beer was plentiful. Well, take care one and all and we'll see you soon.
Peace,
Kevin

Three guys at the Dixon rodeo
Eamon, Seamus and Kevin
Dixon arena, Wyoming
photo by Pat O'Toole

Kevin, Seamus and Meghan
Dixon arena, Wyoming
photo by Pat O'Toole

Posted by Sharon O'Toole at 1:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Big Ed, Eamon, Megan and Plata
Smiley Place, Home Ranch
photo by Pat O'Toole

Today is our son Eamon’s 22nd birthday. He and his girlfriend Megan Stocklin recently announced their plans to get married next summer. They carved their names into an aspen tree to mark the occasion of their engagement. We are really happy for them and looking forward to next summer’s wedding in Ten Sleep, Wyoming. My Dad gave Eamon my Mom’s ring to give to Megan. Some things really do come full circle.

Posted by Sharon O'Toole at 3:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)