Day 4 – Chase Season 2023

Sunday morning our crew was back at it. Most of the crew staying in the house and yard were off by 6:00am. They headed back to McNeils ranch to get saddled up and get sorting the large herd of the day before. The schedule for the Bayliss cows included a late in the day game of golf. Actually, they just got to watch the golf. They were headed for the pasture we rent that lines up with the Alameda golf course. To my eyes it feels like the day was full a variety of things that made it interesting. I don’t have the brain power to get the pictures from the day into chronological order, so I am just going to invite you to dance back and forth through the day with me.

This first thing is a video that catches some of the action as the cows were being sorted. Russ filmed and narrated.
Laurie sent me this picture from the scene at lunch time. Jill made two adorable cakes to share with the crew, a horse and a cow. I was so proud of Jill’s efforts I walked them around the lunch site so that everyone could see them before they were cut for dessert. I rooked the creator into this photo before Laurie took it. The cakes were delicious!
Our route with the cows included crossing the Alameda dam. Sharon caught this moment. The still water tells you we had little wind to reckon with. Its a beautiful set of moments when the crossing happens. It can be tricky cow wise and as it turned out it was this day.
Jill had her camera ready when Marisol decided to try some roping practice. She is growing so much as a cowgirl. In this picture she is riding one of the most demanding horses on our ranch. Coffee dog, seen here, is also growing alot in her skills, she has been working quite well this season. I love that dog almost as much as I love my kids.
This picture is special in a few ways. At my side is a new friend. Treasure is a teacher in Estevan, her husband Steve and her kids have been riding with us over the last several weeks. She gave up alot of her personal time to work at my side all day and make the cooking side of the day a success. She brought with her a pan of brown sugar fudge. Treasure grew up only a couple hours from my families homes in Nova Scotia. Brown sugar fudge is a piece of my family lore. She hit the nail on the head with that! It touched me alot. Also, when I was asked what they could bring I said a case of pop. I usually supply juice and water but I can see how much it is enjoyed when there is pop there. They brought three cases. They are generous and Russ and I feel very appreciated.
The menu was roast beef, gravy and buns, with veggie sides. Russell loves this menu. The advance cooking I had hoped to do didn’t happen, so these buns were served a little too fresh, if you catch my drift. I was nervous about getting it all done and we were a little late for lunch. Thank goodness Treasure was there.
Jill took this selfie off the back of her favorite horse Cinder, the sisters have been enjoying being near to each other for the first time in a long time.
Jimmy grabbed this moment. The cooking crew. With Grandma’s Shirley’s grand-daughter Kayla on the trail it was a given that we would pick her up and she could help us serve and get a glimpse of the action. It is always good to have 90 years of experience at your side.
In the center of this photo is our youngest rider on this day, Merrick Ross and the mule Jane put in a long day. Gary and Miles are in the photo as well.
Sharon got this view from the truck she drove so many hours over the course of the weekend. This captures the moments before the herd got onto the dam.
Esther, Teanna, Marisol, Emerson and Dani – Russ just looked at this picture and commented that all these cowgirls have what it takes. Sharon took this photo.
Teanna sent me this picture of her and Pat. I really love this picture of T, if I was to say all the reasons why I would embarrass her. I am very glad to have this record of her day on the trail with us.
Tenley sent this awesome photo of the action from the middle of the crossing of the Alameda dam.
Tenley sent this picture of just before lunch when the RCMP were on hand to help us make a safe crossing of highway 9 at Alameda. We give them lots of notice and they usually are able to help us out. We appreciate that sense of partnership alot.
Jordanna sent us this moment when Morgan convinced Jen to stand on her horse. I am pretty darn impressed by this skill.
Esther is a new cowgirl on the Bar MW trail this year. When I asked for pics from the crew she sent me this. She is always polite and cheerful, thats Teanna with her.
Jenn took this photo of the lunch scene. Grandma Shirley got people organized with plates and buns, I added meat and Treasure took care of gravy and stocking the chips. Veggies were self serve. A little tidbit about them……3 minutes from the ranch, enroute to pick up Shirley, Treasure and I realized that we left all the veggies in the fridge. Russ and I had just chatted and I sensed that our late-ness was going to be a problem. However, he pondered that our total to feed was even higher than we had predicted. We needed all the food we could get. We wheeled around and got the sliced carrots, cucs and apples. I was thankful many times that we had. They were almost all gone by the time all the cowboys got through the line.
Derek and Matt, the RCMP members were great sports. They stopped for lunch and while with us they took up the challenge to try on Russell and Morgan’s hats and hop on the Currie horses. At the time Jill and I were serving desserts, Jill looked up and said, “well that puts the M in RCMP.” I loved her quick thinking.
Dwayne caught these moments as the herd drew near to the pasture gate, he would have been ahead to get the gate opened.
Dwayne offered this glimpse of Miles and Gina supervising the cows getting through the gate and into the pasture. After walking for parts of three days this marks a very big moment.
Becca shared this selfie with me, those cows stretched out behind her as they cross the Alameda dam make a pretty cool backdrop.
Becca grabbed this picture of the scene where we ate lunch.
Its hard to tell there are 115 pairs and 30 plus cowboys on the damn in this picture I took from quite a ways away.
This is quite the line-up for me personally. It includes lots of my family that were visiting but also our friend Roy who at the last minute jumped in and helped us get trucks and trailers moved. We had a huge crew this day and the job of getting trucks moved took many hours. Gina and Jill so enjoyed getting to see Roy, a family friend for as long as they can remember.
Steven, Russ, Gina, Kayla, Laurie and Jenn as captured by Jill’s camera.
The weekend was fun but it was also really heartwarming for us. Our girls were home!
One last photo, its of Saturday’s events, but this shot of Russ and Jimmy means alot to me. Russ was so excited when Jimmy arrived, he yelled from the kitchen, at the top of his lungs, “JIIMMMMMYYYYYYY”, the weekend had begun. The optimistic and open hearted look in Russell’s face here says alot.

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