Scenes from the Ranch: Feb 2025

February brought a sustained blast of winter with endless snowstorms and single digit temps.

Over two feet of snow covered the prairie and our plow piles reached toward the sky. Despite the cold, I bundled up head to toe and strapped on my cross-country skis for daily adventures with the dogs. Scooter pushed through the deep snow like a plow truck while Maverick preferred to leap over it like a dolphin. By the second half of our ski tours, they were usually both following in my tracks, happy to let me break trail.

A chuck roast slowly simmering in a cast iron pot fills our home with the warm scent of hearty meal to come. Paired with some mashed potatoes and home-made sourdough bread = solid comfort.

In the last week of February, we trailed the cows down to the pasture by our barn in anticipation of calving to start in March. They eagerly followed the bale of hay that Jack and Jill helped Bart haul down the county road. Maverick and I followed along in case anyone got out of line. Much to Maverick’s disappointment, the cows stayed focused on the trail ahead and didn’t dare wander into the deep snow off the road.

A sudden shift to 40 degree weather at the end of February meant a quick melt-off. Coulee Creek ran swift and muddy for a few days! Luckily, the beaver pond and extensive wetlands upstream helped slow the flow significantly and much of the moisture was retained.