Butting Heads

Mark and I are butting heads recently over ranch management - nothing new there. I think any husband and wife team working together experiences the same difficulties. I grant he’s the boss, but I love this place too and I do enough grunt work to deserve a spot at the table.  Yesterday following yet another argument, I was convinced I needed to get a job in town. I was sick of not being listened to and was going to go where I would be appreciated! Heck, I’m getting older and less employable all the time.

But even though I threaten and look at the help-wanted ads from time to time, I really want to be here. I know a hot meal at noon makes ranch work a lot brighter for everyone. I can fill in when needed and keep pecking away at jobs that always need done without hiring another body to keep occupied year round. I work cheap and don’t require work comp insurance.

I think it’s a ranch wife’s lot in life. We can see alot from behind a sewing machine darning wranglers, or weeding a row of green beans, or entering one more feedlot bill into Quickbooks. And even though we work alongside our husbands, herding cattle or feeding cows, we process our world differently. And isn’t that a good thing? Our vision is sometimes crystal clear when our mate’s is cloudy from too much shoveling and swathing. Sad part is, if I question Mark or suggest an alternative to his way of thinking, he thinks I’m being critical. And try as I might to modify my approach, it still garners the same blocking response. 

He does read and enjoy my blog though. He once told me that he likes to see me writing. He said, “it needs to be recorded”- meaning our life.

I got out of his way yesterday. I got a cut and color and took Anna to The Villa for lunch. Then we hit the stores for the rest of the day. Talk about a change of pace! I was just getting the hang of shopping when Anna had to reel me in. “Let’s go home, Mom!”   

I got these photos when we moved the main herd out of the dry farm and onto open range. The cows ran into a band of sheep at the first watering pond. Lovely scenes all.

yup, that's us

friend or foe?