Water Under the Dam

Since today is Cowboy's birthday he wanted to take a drive to Ft. Peck since they are letting water out of the spillway.  It was such a breathtaking site.  That water was running so fast!  They are letting out about 50,000 cubic feet per second.  Here are some pictures Bill took. 

Looking from the lake side.



This is one gate that we are seeing.  Cowboy held my hand and told me that I would hate myself if I didn't walk over to the fence and look over and see all the water.  He was right but you would think I was standing on a cliff and there was no fence and the sound of the rushing water would pull me in!



This is the water coming through.

These two pictures are out of order, but you know computers!  Ugh!  It won't let me make this one larger.  Cowboy said, "It needs to be larger."  I know, but how?  when it is too late to call my personal tech support for computers!  Ha!  Oh, I finally figured it out!!

Here are all 16 gates open at the same time.  Impressive.



Looking down the spillway from the top of the bridge.  It was all I could do to stand there and look.  Bill had to take the pictures.  The water was moving so fast that it was mesmerizing.  It felt like the water could pull me in at any second and it was so FAST.  It made me queasy in my stomach.  I don't think that I would have made a very good sailor. 

At the bottom.

A closeup of the bottom.  Do you suppose it is eroding some of the dirt down there?  There is a lot of force behind that water.  I am thinking of all those people down river.  What about their ranches, towns?  This has been the most unusual year for moisture.  First we had snow since October and then when we still had snow on the north side of the foothills, it started raining and really hasn't let up much.  Are we complaining.  Not loudly as it is filling dams and rivers and reservoirs that haven't had water for a really long time.  That rain is soaking into the ground like we haven't seen and it is over due.  Cowboy says we could be three weeks from a drought because as we know this is Montana! 





Cowboy had to lean over the bridge and take another good picture.  For a man that is afraid of the water, this does not bother him in the least.  He trusts that cement to hold him!  Imagine!

This our last picture.  It is gorgeous.  There wasn't any wind and the lake looked like a mirror.  One can have a special love for this lake, but she can turn on you just like that!  There is so much turbulent water that is unseen going to the spillway.  We heard there is a warning for boats not to go into that portion of the lake because they could be sucked to the gates because of the undercurrent.

This is something we have never seen before and probably won't see again in our lifetime.

The Love of Horses and More Horses

Kamryn and Liv came for a short visit the end of this week.  They went to the last day of VBS in Jordan and we able to go to Linford's to see the baby colts.  They are so cute!  We got the girls used to the mares that are the three-year olds and two-year olds.  They were so friendly and we gave them "cake" to eat out of our hands.  I didn't take pictures of that, but the girls just relaxed around them.  Then we walked over to see the saddle horses and two of the five LOVE peppermint candy, so we got slobbered on a little.  Liv didn't like that very well!

Just a pass by before they decided they could come back!

Oh, would not it be nice to have one of those around?  Cowboy tells me that it is hard to get them grown as they get in the wire and all kinds of serious trouble...

Pretty easy going baby and curious.  Cowboy says that this little one is saying, "When I grow up, I am going to be BIG horse!"

They keep coming for a little treat from the pickup Jack drove in there.

Getting a little closer...

Nuzzling Wendy...

This is one of my favorite pictures.  Kamy is relaxed and this little one just is so curious and wants to have a good sniff and be friends...  Kamy is busy stroking one of the mares.

As Jennifer says, "Dad really likes the colts too!"  He reins in his feelings with practicality and says, no colts.

Sunday was the last day at the ranch for the girls.  Sunday morning was for riding.  Since the stirrups had to be let down for Kamy, Liv got to ride first.  She was instructed to pet and talk to Doc so he could get used to her and her voice.

A few more times around the lot.

Now she is on her own and the instructions begin...  My palms are sweaty for her.  Grandgirls so want to please their grandfathers and to do it right the FIRST time when we all know it takes time in the saddle to get some of those lessons.  That is just the way it is...

Still working on the "steering"...

Kamy's turn to get acquainted with Doc since she grew up on "My Joe" and he has been her horse forever.

That small saddle is almost too small for her and the way she is shooting up, it will be sooner than later.  Doc was a good teacher, but Cowboy thinks he would flimflam these kids before long.  You know how those gentle horses can be.

There is nothing like being on a horse, smelling them, smelling leather, the feel of them under you.  I was always so horse crazy myself.  My maternal grandfather had lots of horses, so I must have inherited some of that love of horses.  I could not get to the ranch soon enough in the summers so I could ride.  Oh, I had lots of mishaps and buck offs and falloffs.  Luckily I didn't have any broken bones.  Now, the thought of mishaps and creaking bones...well, you know!  I was so thankful Cowboy PopPop took the time this morning to saddle the horse and take the time with the girls as he was due at a branding at Joe's.  These are the moments they will remember.  Those fleeting moments when telling Mommy and Daddy about riding the horse!

There isn't anything like it and I feel sorry for those that have never gotten to experience being around horses...