We had a few raindrops—just a handful- along with a fierce wind. This has been the driest monsoon in 116 years according to news reports. And I believe it. Every dirt tank on the ranch is dry with the possible exception of a large spring fed tank about 11 miles from here which I haven’t ridden out to check. The grass crinkles under your feet when you walk- we are hoping for rain. All the ephemeral creeks are dry. Eagle Creek is still running and so are the smaller permanent waters and springs- but it is DRY.
Losing all the natural water in canyon pools and dirt tanks makes us dependent on our solar water pumping stations and about 30 miles of pipeline with water troughs. It makes herding our Texas Longhorns more critical. When you only have a few water sources in a pasture, it is easy to overgraze next to the water.
Our Cattle Herding Dog - Belle Starr
I go up every afternoon with Belle on a leash and walk steers over the canyon rims into bottoms to keep the cattle from tramping the water trough areas too much. It is about a 4 hour job, plus the time to get there and back, but good training for the pup and exercise for me. Yesterday Belle and I were moving steers down the steep slope, when I twisted my ankle and fell. Perfect time for Belle to lunge at a slow steer and pull me forward. I fell head first downhill and slid till I lodged against a tree and a cactus. I can tell you from experience that it is tricky for a plump, pushing 60 woman to get up when you are head down, feet up on a steep, rocky slope and wedged by a tree and cactus! All is well— I have a broken toe and several broken off cactus thorns—none of which would have happened if I had ridden a horse! Ranching life – got to love it!
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