We spent this morning helping our neighbors, the Newmans, brand calves.  Actually, I’m not much help at all when it comes to branding calves these days… I just spend most of my time wrangling kids and maybe, if I’m lucky, squeeze in time for a photograph here and there.  But my husband, Beau, can be considered help for a neighbor in need of getting his calves branded.

Today’s Cast of Characters

Wally, shown with our son Asher.  Their conversation today went like this:

Wally:  What’s your Grandpa Harold been up to?

Asher:  We just call him Grandpa.

Wally:  … Well, tell him I said hi.

 

 

Howard, Wally’s brother.

 

 

Howard’s dog, who I believe was not supposed to participate in the branding today but who came along anyway, as dogs have a habit of doing.

 

 

Dan, obviously.

 

 

Our daughter Emi, available for hire if anyone needs a cow foreman, rodeo queen, or boss of any kind.

 

 

Our baby daughter Marsi.  Today was not her first branding.  It won’t be her last.  It was her first time wearing these boots, however, and it will be her last.

 

 

Dave, the sentinel at the hood of the branding truck.  Beau is on the gray.

 

 

Gillian, one of the cutest (and handiest) little cowgirls I know, resplendent with her pink stirrups.  She just finished her sophomore year of high school.

 

 

Mackabe, Gillian’s big brother.

And there were others there, too — like Howard’s wife Johnna, and Morris and Owen, and Robert and Mandy, and Gillian’s twin brother Garrett.  But I couldn’t get a picture of everybody… because, again, lots of wrangling of children going on around here.

© Tami Blake