Two days from now, on the Fourth of July, our family of six will be sitting on a south-bound plane destined for Birmingham, Alabama.  It’s been five years since we’ve seen our Southern family and that long since we’ve taken a week off from work.  This is the vacation we’ve been planning since January, and we sure are looking forward to thinking about something other than the PV and ranch rodeo while we’re gone!  Best of all, Beau will celebrate his 40th birthday this week with the family that knew him first.

For us, June was a blur of Bible school, ranch rodeo prep, little kids’ softball, and of course branding.  I think we’ve more than earned the vacation that is ahead of us.  I don’t have any illusions that we’re going to get extra sleep while we’re in Alabama (we are still the proud owners of a Muggins, after all) — but we can look forward to lots of lake time and lots of good Southern cooking while we’re there.

Before we go, a quick look at branding pics I got last week at South Butte Creek:

 

Vergal.

 

Jacob.

 

Joe.

 

Tyrel.

 

 

Daddy’s newest helper, Muggins, helping Beau to brand a calf.

 

Grandpa and Emi share a moment by the branding truck.

 

This ol’ girl just might make the cover of next year’s ranch Christmas calendar!

 

These Blake kids.  We sure are blessed to have them.

 

A sweet clover summer in Montana is a mighty fine thing.  But Fourth of July fireworks on Lake Martin in Alabama are what we need right now.

© Tam Blake