The Stevie Wonder song comes to mind “Isn’t she lovely ... · PDF fileHello Everyone! We’re busily looking through catalogs and websites this morning looking for some new ideas

Hello Everyone!

We’re busily looking through catalogs and websites this morning looking for some new ideas for the Bunkhouse

cabin décor and funning up the other cabins. Adrienne’s feminine side is struggling to show itself. We’ve hit Randy

with needing a day in town next week to look around. He just shook his head and said, “that sounds like trouble!”

We’ve got a bunch of neat things selected and ordered for the Gift Shop this season and it’s all arriving this coming

week! Boy time flies! So much to do!

The guys finished the warming hut, and Tanya’s got it all spruced up with a desk, fridge for the cattle meds, cubbies

with drawers for other cattle supplies, rugs – looks pretty professional! There’s even a “viewing” window out to the

pulling room for spectators. Panels are set up outside guiding the cows into the calving shed, and fresh straw is ready

in each jug for its first occupant. Ricky sharp shod a handful of horses for safe walking out on the ice (Carbide chips

on a brazing rod are torched on to the bottoms of their shoes. They work like cleats.). We’re riding out to check the

herd every 4 hours during the day and even through night. Each evening after riding in the indoor we head out and

bring the girls into the calving lot so they are easily walked through for the night checks. Any time Randy shares any

of his wisdom on calving, we all hang on every word. He’s pretty tickled with everyone’s interest – we’ve got some

quality people here that are all willing to go the distance.

This is also the time of year for hiring on our seasonal help – the most tedious part of this business. We thought we

were all set, and then one day last week Angie called saying she took another job, and one of the other housekeepers

backed out as well. We’ll really miss Angie, but understand where she’s at in her life. We go through many

résumé’s and interviews trying to find the perfect fit. I wish I could have known housekeeping existed at guest

ranches when I was in college – I would have jumped on it! So the search is on. We do have a helper for Mike this

summer. His name is Kevin and he’s from Indianapolis, Indiana. Kevin is ready to come out now and help with the

odd end jobs until he’s needed in the kitchen. Now that’s what I’m talking about! Randy’s really thinking

everything through to try and utilize everyone here in the best ways possible, be cost effective, and not over burden

the crew either. We still have that plague going around which has been taking people out one by one – Dan, then

Nathan, and Tanya. Randy’s had them stay home and not push things so they can get better quicker. Adrienne walks

around with a can of Lysol spray, spraying everyone down at the door! Fortunately we haven’t caught it yet.

The horsemanship in the afternoons has been terrific! We’ve been working on riding in serpentines, building

softness at the walk, trot, and lope. Lots of desensitizing with jugs filled with rocks, dragging slickers with our

ropes, walking on tarps, and flagging from the ground and also horseback. Tanya, Ricky, and Joel are coordinated

enough to toss the rock filled jugs to each other from horseback! Adrienne and I are really girly in that department,

so our horses are getting used to being hit with the jugs as we don’t catch so good! We’re all really working on

getting the horses solid in all areas and not just quitting a horse at a certain point. It’s really improving our own

skills. I’ve been riding Easy and Stan lately and they are very similar, hard but gentle. I’ve gotten more softness

with them, but still have some issues on getting more life with the softness. Randy rode Easy for me yesterday and

where I could see the improvements I’ve made with him, Easy still looked like a pony with Randy on him. After

about a half hour, Easy looked like a HORSE. It’s neat to get a mental picture of how things can be, and now strive

for that same look.

The Highline – 2/17/2007 Volume: 2 Issue: 7

The loggers are really getting after it behind the ranch here. It’ll have a whole new look back there. I have mixed

feelings about it. I counted the rings on several trees and they are 100 years old. Those trees in relation to our lives

have been around a long time, but in the whole scheme of things, just a blip in time. I have great respect for those

old trees, let’s not take for granted their use toward making our lives better.

I haven’t taken any pictures this week as it’s been gray and rainy and I’ve been either in the office or in the indoor

arena. So I thought I’d put on some of my favorite calf pictures for you. Have a great week and hopefully we’ll have

some new babies to show you next Highline!

Dori

The Stevie Wonder song comes to mind… “Isn’t she lovely? Isn’t she wonderful!”

This is an offbeat recipe that is easy to prepare, good for you, and fun to eat. You might have to go old school and

dust off your old Reggae collection for this one. Surely you must have some in your closet, even Ebeneezer

Scrooge had a “Marley” in his past!

4 6-8 oz. Mahi-Mahi Fillets

Juice of 2 limes

Juice of 1 orange

2 tbls. minced fresh garlic

1 tsp. Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp. Black Pepper

½ tsp. Salt

4 ripe Banana’s

½ cup Vegetable Oil

Paprika

Few sprigs of Cilantro

1 tbls. Brown Sugar

Place fillets in a shallow baking dish. Mix together the juices, garlic, both peppers, and salt. Spoon over the fish

and let marinate for 30 minutes.

Rub banana skins with oil.

Place bananas on grill about 12 inches above coals. Cover with grill lid or foil. Cook for 15 minutes and move to

side. Remove fish from marinade. Drizzle remaining oil over the fish so it won’t stick. Place on grill, sprinkle

with paprika and grill for about 6-7 minutes. Turn and continue grilling a few more minutes, until fish is flaky.

Remove fish to plates. Place a banana on each plate. Split the skin and top with a little butter. Garnish fish with

cilantro, and banana with brown sugar.

Grilled Mahi-Mahi

&

Banana