Howdy Chuckwagon Friends,

Spring has sprung around here on the Ranch.  The snow has pretty much disappeared.  It  continues to look like fall though, as we patiently await for the warm sun to shine, the land to dry and the brown grass to change to green.  I am already enjoying the returning birds, lovely singing in the wee hours of the morning and the calm of the evening.

Last week was the World Professional Chuckwagon Association Canvas auction.   It was held at the Grey Eagle Resort in Calgary with live streaming to the 8 venues on our circuit.  All the drivers are allocated to attend the evening at one of the cities.  Rick was in Rocky Mountain House and I zipped down to Calgary to help out Tammy and the crew with the auction down there.

Chuckwagon Driver Colt Cosgrave and sponsor were in Calgary, and they thought that the #23 bid card was the number to have.  I think Colt had a successful night.

Back at the Ranch and the work continues.  Our equine herd are just like human athletes.  They need to train for their upcoming competition.  We begin by having them trot alongside trucks with sidebars which we have welded to the vehicle.   We start out at a short distance and continue to go farther as days go on.  It’s a beautiful site to see these muscular animals trotting with their manes flowing in the wind.  They are so powerful.  They were born to run.

As the horses are in training, so am I.  I’m an early morning riser.  My me time begins at 5 am.  I hit the local gym 3 mornings a week.  I love the quietness as there are few of us there at that time.

I decided this spring I would enter myself in my first 5 Km run when we are in Grande Prairie during our first venue of the season.    It’s a goal I made for myself and I am looking forward to it.  So far, the training is going good.  Rick keeps saying I should be training along side the truck with the ponies.  Would that not be a site to see.

As a kid growing up, my favorite time of year on the farm was always spring time.  I loved when the water was melting.  I would lay awake at night and hear the water running.  It would make its way  across the farmer’s field from our house, through the tunnel, into the pond, down the hill and make its way to the creek down in the meadow.  Many times there would be so much run off, the water would rise over the road during the day, then recede at night.  We were told to stay away from the high waters or it could suck us in.  I Loved to throw sticks into the water on one side of the tunnel, only to wait for it to embark from  the other side.

I enjoyed taking my two grand-boys out to enjoy the spring weather the other day.  What child and his dog could stay away from the huge water puddle.  Time well spent for all of us.

As I ran along the road, some of our horses were so curious to come visit.  They stood a while for me to take a photo.  The beautiful boy with the white blaze, is my horse Devereux.  He`s such a well put together horse whom I call Pretty Boy.  We have retired him from chuckwagon racing, and I now can use him for pleasure riding.  He helped us win the 2013 Grande Prairie Stompede.  That was his first year competing and he did us proud.   He`s a horse that we purchased from Kentucky a few years back.

As I looked at my calendar today, I pretty much said “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!“ as I realized there is only 7 weeks till the horn sounds at our first race meet.   That date is  not very far away.  There is so much to do, in such little time.  But……….at the end of the day, I always get it accomplished and away we go.

Till next time,

At Home on the Ranch

Sue with Rick too.

P.S.   The struggle you`re in today, is developing the strength you need for tomorrow.