Resolutions: Greeting 2011 from Ragamuffin Ranch

Yesterday, on the first day of 2011, the Cowboy in Training and I drove down to our Catron County ranch. The CIT starts school in Quemado this week, and a new phase of our lives begins as well. The CIT has moved all of his essentials down this week, and with every trip back to the East Mountains, everything I bring down here will stay. I will be packing for the trip back up each time.


There is still much to do back in the East Mountains. All of our personal stuff must be sorted, and given away, thrown away or packed to move. Now is the time to reduce the clutter, clear the junk, and move into our new lives. This week, the Engineering Geek remains up there working on his office. He is a packrat and the clutter is unbelievable. He needs to get it cleared out so that we can put a floor down in there, and make the room presentable.

On Thursday I will be going back to Albuquerque in order to get some business there done, and then I will stay and the EG will leave. Then it will be my turn. My goal is to finish the bedroom (almost there), and then do my office. We will be trading off like this for a few weeks, getting all the work done, and moving gradually here as the Real Cowboy and his wife begin moving to their new place.

Yesterday, when we drove down here, the state and county roads were still snowpacked and the temperature only reached into the teens. Today, it has warmed up nicely, and the snow is melting off the metal roof of the cabin and the house. Yesterday we drove up the ranch road in the golden light before sunset, reaching the ranch at twilight, and the temperature dropped precipitously. The cabin was cold, cold and there was little time to warm it up, so we spent the night with space heaters and dogs. Tonight will be better, though there is wood to cut in order to assure a comfortable night.

Although we have prepared ahead of time, we are learning more about what we need as we go, in order to do the work we came here to do. Tomorrow, the CIT and I will go into Show Low to get the recommended chain-saw, and other things we learned we need. It is a good thing the Real Cowboy and his wife are being patient with our questions and helpful in many ways, with advice on everything from herding dogs to wood cutting to feeding the cattle.

This year? We have made no formal New Year's resolutions. The whole of this year is going to be about change, adaptation, and learning. During this month we will step up the transition that started last August when we began to come down three weekends a month. This is enough resolution for anyone!

I did set one goal. To write and reflect as much as possible so that I can capture the adventure we are embarking on as 2011 begins. Welcome to Ragamuffin Ranch!

Catching Up: Labor Day at the Ranch

Catching Up: It has been almost two weeks since I posted, and during this busy summer, I have not been posting often anyway. So much to do, so little time! I will be posting a few blog entries to catch up, and then establish a writing routine so that new entries will be posted at least 3-4 times a week.

Labor Day at the Ranch: We spent much of the Labor Day weekend at the ranch. We moved some boxes down there, and took the dogs for the first time. Transporting three dogs three hours each way was an adventure, but we managed it well, I believe. We did some soil samples and marked our fields, and now will be planning various projects to be done once the High Holy Days are done.

Because the former owners are still in residence, finishing up their various commitments, we have been staying in the cabin each time. I love the front porch and the view across our little valley. And the back faces the rimrock, part of the Colorado Plateau formations.








The Rasta-Jew makes friends with Cowboy J.'s horses. They will be moving with him, but in the meantime, they enjoy a peaceful early fall morning at the watering tank.

The Rasta-Jew loves the ranch and finds much to do there. On Labor Day weekend, he repaired the drive shaft of an old Jeep truck, put in transmission fluid, and replaced the battery and cables. He forgot brake fluid though, so he was driving in low gear and stopping by coasting on level ground.

Sister Sarah the burro shelters in the shade near the stock tank by the gate. She comes with the ranch, because moving would be hard on her. She's getting on in years and has a bad hip. But she loves us already, and comes up in the mornings to get apples and petting. And she is still a good animal guard.

The Engineering Rancher Geek had some lessons in Tractor 101, and immediately began grading the road and the driveway, including the area in front of the barn.

While he was doing that, I was sifting the soil samples and getting them ready to ship out to NMSU, where the State Extension Soil Labs are located. They will be tested because we will need to add amendments this fall in order to be ready to plant in the spring.Lots to do! LOTS!

We were hoping to go the ranch this weekend, too, but it would have been just to much with Rosh Hashanah Thursday and Friday. Shabbat was strange as I had a Dissertation Seminar (a PhinisheD support group for this the loneliest time of the process) late Friday afternoon and all day Saturday. Lots of discussion, seeing old friends at different stages of their research and writing.