Springtime at the ranch: branding, flooding, playing

Back from yet another trip to the ranch!  Almost two weeks this time, getting ready for the branding and then recovering from it.  I had lots of things to tell you about, but I think I'll just sum up the trip with some pictures.

Love the baby horses!

Remember last year, when everything flooded really bad?  It hadn't done that for almost 30 years, but it is flooding again this year.  Two years in a row!

Mud boots were necessary to enter the basement.

 There was cowboy-ing to do... cousins to play with and water to look at.

 Here's what they were looking at.  The water over the culverts was making a whirlpool and sucking sound.  Very interesting to kids and very worrisome to moms.  Very difficult to catch on camera too.

There are also things in bloom and happy border collie dogs.

Water flowing over the road.

Hawthorn bushes in bloom.

Jonesy looking dignified.

I mentioned cowboy-ing, right?

Coming in from the gather.

Roping in the little kid's pen with Dad.

There were other things going on during the branding, like puppy petting and a scavenger hunt for the kids.  Plus the normal adventuring of kids in a grove of trees.

The old Johnny Popper.  There was a clue on the seat.

The outhouse... and a destination in the hunt.

Old chicken coop, also a destination.

Playing pirates... or something like that.

Can you see me?  The girls, probably hiding from pirates.

It was fun, but it's good to be home.  The garden has really grown, but I'll update you on that another day. 
So, what have you been up to?

When it rains, it pours and when it floods...

What a day. The result of April and May's wintery weather and then the unseasonably warm weather this week? High water. Way higher than usual. The last time it flooded like this was 1983 when I was just 3 years old. We spent the day yesterday pulling tons of stuff out of my mom's basement and then trying to get the water cleaned out. It was mostly dry this morning, until the water level rose again. Here are some pictures from yesterday, but the water is even higher today.

He doesn't have to stand in water, he just is.

The road to a sister's house.

The mares and foals.

We had to dig a trench in the road to relieve pressure on the bridge. It washed out today anyway.

Our yard. The kids are having a great time.
Yesterday was a really rough day, and it's still not over, but I did learn some things. First of all, de-clutter. I've always heard the statement "if there was a fire, what would you save?..." I would change that to, "If there was a flood, what would you not want to drag out of the house, soaking wet?" Second, have an emergency plan. I was so overwhelmed, I had no idea where to start working. As a result, several old blankets are safe and sound, but some of my food storage is ruined. I cried about that. And last, it takes a humble person to allow neighbors to go through your horribly unorganized and overcrowded basement. I was mortified when a few ladies showed up to help. I desperately needed the help, but it was so embarrassing to let them see the absolute messiest part of the house.
Well, I'm off to pump water out again.