drycrikjournal

Merry Christmas

Posted on December 25, 2018 by John | 4 comments

4 Comments

Posted in Photographs

Tagged Christmas, photography

IN THE FIFTIES

Posted on December 23, 2018 by John | 2 comments

It was colder at the Solstice
when I was a boy, my father,
like a bear before the fire

between rounds snoring,
checking temperatures,
starting the Ford flat-head

wind machines, igniting
smudge pots for oranges—
lids thrown back for flaming

helmets, a nighttime line
of soldiers on every road
guarding orchards, crystalized

stars twinkling frantically.
A black cloud stayed
all day over the Valley,

soot invaded the houses
and went to school
on the faces of children—

mother’s party dress
protected in plastic
for yet another Christmas.

2 Comments

Posted in Photographs, Poems 2018

Tagged climate change, photography, poetry

Greasy Branding 1

Posted on December 21, 2018 by John | 1 comment

Though we weaned our calves last spring in these pipe pens, we branded our first bunch of calves here yesterday. Earl McKee began construction nearly 20 years ago, and only with my sister’s help could we finish the job. In the upper pen, it feels as if we’re working on top of the world. With the camera on the table, multiple photo credits go to Audrey Maze, Allie Fry, Terri Blanke, Maggie Loverin and Robbin.

To make the handling process easier on the calves, we incorporated a head pen.

1 Comment

Posted in Photographs, Ranch Journal

Tagged branding, Earl McKee, Greasy corrals, Greasy Creek, photography

WHO WE WERE

Posted on December 19, 2018 by John | Leave a comment

Frozen in the folds of time:
blue smoke, oak flames,
gathered neighbors fed
when the work was done.

For 90 years, Cutlers drove cattle
to Rowell Meadow until 1953—
everybody came for my mother’s
father’s whiskey, meat and beans.

To get along, we will forgive
our ill-behavior, overlook
our extravagances, but sadly
we will forget who we were.

REAL LIFE

Posted on December 17, 2018 by John | Leave a comment

It’s a dance—
concentrate and relax,
guide the feel

of your horse
with your legs, find
the feel of your rope

at your fingertips
swing in rhythm
with the calf.

Like everything else,
it’s a dance—just
concentrate and relax.

Fuller Branding, Dry Creek – December 15, 2018

HEAVEN’S HOOF DANCE

Posted on December 15, 2018 by John | 1 comment

Down the mountain, down
the four-wheel drive dirt track
to the asphalt that connects us

to home and families,
to basic urgencies far away
lost in time and space

beyond the whine of twine
around the heels of calves
stretched for branding—

when and where we are gods
for a moment, immune
to the insanities

of a civilized world.
All the old men gone
still lean against the boards.

I find my place among them,
whoop and illuminate
color with details,

hoping to see myself once more
stepping to the untamed rhythm
of heaven’s hoof dance.

1 Comment

Posted in Photographs, Poems 2018

Tagged Blaine Ketscher, branding, Craig Ainley, photography, poetry, Shane Doering

Paregien Branding 2018

Posted on December 13, 2018 by John | 1 comment

While waiting for the irons get hot, the first brandings of the season are like social events, a community of neighbors catching up with one another, great help from the first calf to the last. Thank you all.

1 Comment

Posted in Photographs, Ranch Journal

Tagged branding, Paregien Ranch, photographs, photography

GOOD HANDS

Posted on December 13, 2018 by John | Leave a comment

It could have been dreams
in a young man’s sleep,
lightly listening for the bell mare

high in the granite scree
that glows under starlight—
a celestial showering

from a leaky bucket sky
that came over me
to be a cowboy.

I did it well-enough
to stay in the same place
to become a cowman.

But it could have happened
at a branding, watching good
young hands just come to help.

Photo credit: Audrey Maze

Calves at the Gate

Posted on December 11, 2018 by John | 2 comments

We began baiting our cows and calves on the Paregien Ranch into the gathering field, yesterday, with the Kubota and a little alfalfa hay. We plan on branding tomorrow, trying to take advantage of our drying roads after 2.5” of rain last week. Fortunately, the Valley fog was not a factor until midday when it rose to cloak landscapes up to 2,500 feet. We’re going back this morning with horses to collect a little bunch we missed and sort the dry cows and late-calvers from the bunch. It’s still too early this morning to tell where the fog is.

With ample dry feed, we haven’t had to supplement these cattle this season except for a little ‘hello hay’ when we’ve checked them. Though the cows know our gathering routine and are camped on the hay we’ve strung-out through the gathering field in the photo, it’s a brand new experience for the calves. I found their confusion looking longingly beyond the gate, to the ground they knew, humorous enough to pull out the camera.