Cowboy - One Less Dog In The Hunt

During this hiatus from regular employment I have been free to do some of the things I enjoy doing without the hassle of consulting the calendar. For a number of years I’ve helped a friend of mine with working cattle in the spring or fall. My kids have grown up helping in the process as have his. Most of the time we have to juggle my work schedule, his work schedule, and the weather. Since my layoff, we’ve been able to simplify the scheduling.

Spring roundup is a great time of the year. It’s hard, dusty work — not quite the old cowboy way with horses and ropes, but still work. Closing and lifting the chute with calves weighing from one hundred pounds up to three or four hundred, can offer a real workout. Smooth success at sorting cows from calves, leading calves up the alley to the tub, bringing them into the chute all depends upon the skills of the cowhands and the attitude of the bovine.

My all-time favorite movie is Lonesome Dove, which is based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Larry McMurtry. In addition to enjoying the four part series, I’ve read the novel more than once. The nearly six and a half hour epic runs at my house at least a couple times a year, usually more. It’s a story of the epic journey of two former Texas Rangers who are determined to be the first to drive cattle from Texas to Montana. Through the course of their travels they encounter devastating obstacles, the loss of life, and incredible disappointment.

The sweeping scenes of wide open frontier and the life along the trail are some of the best ever recorded. The interactions of the characters creates depth and authenticity. The relationship between Woodrow F. Call and Augustus McCrae is so tightly woven that it is often used as an example of true friendship. As dramatic as Lonesome Dove paints the story of human relationships, and committed friendship overall, it falls short of the depth which can be found in non-fiction.

Tag: Cowboy

Round ’em Up

Goodnight