August 6th Together Again

 
Hi Denise!

    Well, here I am, back from a fairly stress-free three week road trip, only to find record breaking heat, electric storms of Biblical proportions, and a half-fried laptop.I know, welcome to YOUR world, right? Still, it is good to be home. Let me tell you about my month; as you know, I had my beloved grandson, Bodhi, visiting me here on the ranch for most of the nonth of June. I took him home to Georgetown, Texas, and we took four days to drive the thousand miles, camping and exploring along the way. We spent a couple of days in the gorgeous town of Santa Rosa, NM  playing in their amazing spring-fed lakes--- what fun! After I got him settled at home, and after a week of "family time" with my daughter and son-in-law in Texas, I decided to go home by way of Lusk, Wyoming, and see the boys. After all, it is only 1200 mile or so longer than a direct shot home - and who knows when I'll be able to take the time (or have the gas money) again? Man, am I glad I did!!! I had more fun in the three days I was in Lusk than I've had in a long time; and it was GREAT to see Pancho and Lefty again!
(tent camping)

    I tent camped on my way up to Wyoming to save some money, and the last night of the drive up, I stayed at the family camp at F.E.Warren Air Force base in Cheyenne. I like to stay on military bases because they are safe, are usually in a beautiful spot, have all the services you could possibly need nearby, and are full of interesting, helpful retired military people. When you are an old lady and you travel alone, these things get very important. Well, the base was GORGEOUS, the campground was full of antelope, (I woke up with one looking into my tent from about six feet away, and he stood there patiently while I got my eyes open and my camera focused), and I couldn't have asked for a more cozy space than the tent area - manicured lawns and big shady trees. Until the freight switching yard started slamming freight cars together at eleven o'clock ant night, 100 feet from my head! The whole tent shoook and vibrated until about four a.m., when they finished and pulled out. I sighed a hugh sigh of relief, lay back down to get a little sleep before I had to hit the road, and then the darn JETS started taking off a couple hundred yards the other way!! All in all, not a very peoceful night! So, as you may imagine, by the time  I got to lusk, another three hours away, I was fairly glassy-eyed and brain-bruised... not the best way to meet people you want to impress.
   (Me and the boys)

    I had talked to Jon and he told me to let him know when I arrived at the county fairgrounds in Lusk - the Niobrara County building is a beautiful facility -  so I called him when I got there at nine. (Not much use trying to sleep in at the AF base!) I knew the moment I saw Lisa. Stevie, and Cole that any worries I had about looking tired or not so perfect were simply rubbish; they welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like one of the family in no time at all. That day Jon showed me around Lusk, and he and Stevie showed me the old stagecoach station and gave me a tour of the area - there is a lot of history there! Lusk is the site of the first American Legion in the country and the last working brothel in Wyoming. (I don't THINK there's a connection there...) Then we went out to see the boys.

    Man, you should see the pasture those lucky oxen are on. At my house they had lots of room, but no grass. At your house they had lots of grass, but limited room. Now they have half a state, and it's covered in wheat! They are in bovine heaven! And best of all, the whole Mellott family GETS them! The entire family connects with them in a way that we could only hope for,,, and the boys return the favor. They are so happy that I felt a huge weight that I didn't even know I had just drop away from the first moment I saw them standing there, every inch of their massive bodies radiating contentment. You did good, Denise! You got them to the best possible place for them to spend the rest of their lives.

 The first day we went out to see them it was too hot to do much, so we just talked to them and looked at the pasture they are in. They were a little wary of seeing me, but were friendly and calm the whole time I was there. HOWEVER, when we returned the next day to hook them up and drag some telephone poles, they were nowhere to be found - they had walked a mile to hide on the other side of a hill! You haven't lived until you have seen two 2800 pound steers trying to look like they aren't there! I laughed until tears came into my eyes. Then we hooked them up and tears came to THEIR eyes!

(Lefty's right nostril - as he tried to eat the camera)

    They worked willingly for Jon, and he did a really good job getting what he wanted from them. He kept saying that he didn't know what he was doing, but he did better than drovers I know that have been working cattle for years. I don't think he knows how rare it is to find someone with that connection naturally, but it sure made me happy - not to mention the boys, who just looked happy to work for someone whose natural gait matched theirs - instead of having to slow down to a saunter for me! Oh, and did I mention that every meal was home-made county fair food and involved pie? Or that they put me up in a local hotel - The Covered Wagon _  was nicer than some five-star resorts I have been to? Or that the ENTIRE town of Lusk is involved in some way with the oxen, if only as a huge admiration society. All in all, it was a great visit, and hopefully next year we can BOTH go to Rawhide and watch the boys (and Jon) make us proud!

(Jon and the boys)

Give my best to my favorite Henry in the whole world - now back to the real world of milking cows and making soap.

Maryruth