the branded truth...

summer temperatures seem to have finally found us here...{for a few days at least}! :0)

warmer temperatures mean one thing...{the branding of calves}

we must wait to work over the calves when there is fair weather for them to recover in...

the less stress the better for our sweet little ones.

the days are filled with hard, hard work by each and everyone involved,

but none harder than the cowboy and/or cowgirl who is given the job of pushing the calves into the chute.

it involves a right of passage for the lack of a better explanation..

you prove yourself in the muck, sweat, and dangerous calf kicking hooves; you move on up to a somewhat less painful job. :0)

it is not only where calves are marked and branded but also the truth of a cowboy...

this year it was my son's turn to show his truth...

picture 300-400 lb. calves having their way with my 75 lb little boy and his cousin..

i can't tell you how proud of them we all where by the end of the day...i also can't tell you how many bruises they ended up with because they are too numerous to count!

my little boy definitely proved himself; he worked his little heart and soul out that day...

but at the end of that hard working day childhood called once more...

and off in the wind his newly branded wings flew..