Branding At The Marchesseault Ranch in the Grasshopper Valley

 Robert and Mary Marchesseault raised their three daughters and one son, Mark, in this family log cabin.

 These three guys are the calf pushers!  They have fun - and get VERY muddy.  This is the job Walt usually gets when he's here to help.  He loves it!

 The baby calves are very upset to be separated from their moms.

 Cute little thing.

 Very old, very sweet ranch dog.  Ranchers don't do much without their faithful, loyal, hardworking cow dogs.

 Robert's brother, Tex, is working here with Robert's son, Mark.

 Tex, Robert, Cindy and Mark are all part of the process of branding this year's batch of calves.

 Mark Marchesseault, the next generation rancher, with his sweet wife, Cindy.

 One of the Watson brothers (the Georgia Boys!) is hard at work pushing calves - in his own, very unique way!  Whatever works.

 Mark and Cindy measuring the vaccinations.

 Tex has been branding for a very long time - an expert.

 Yup.  Those branding irons are pretty hot. . . .

 Tex pulling one of the irons out of the fire.

 Mark is taking his turn with the irons.

Tex.  Such character.

 Robert and Tex.  Team work.  They've been doing this for many years.

 One of the Watson brothers.  The Georgia Boys had fun!  They were really good sports.

 Hand-hewn water trough.  I'm sure there is a story here.  I would love to hear it.

 Beautiful old log hay manger (?) - I'm sure there is a proper term for this - I don't know what it is.

 Branded calves are huddled together far away from the "branders!"

 This old dog was so sweet.

 "Muddy boots" is an understatement.  Bet you haven't seen boots like these in awhile.

 Kirk Rector - a valley resident, neighbor, local contractor, cowboy wannabe!  He's always available for ranch work - whatever it is - even branding!

 Love this old truck.

 Fascinating objects for photographing.

 Have no clue what this old cabin is used for.  I'm sure there is a story here also.

 Clean shoes!

 Nice to know the house now has plumbing. . . .

 Very cute little branded calf.  Love the face.

 Brothers Tex and Robert Marchesseault have been ranching in this valley since their dad was the first homesteader here.  They have stories.  Even Indian stories.

 And here is the branding crew.  Cindy, Mark, Watson, Tex, Watson, Kirk, Robert.  (I'm sorry.  I don't remember the boys' names!  Bad, bad, bad.  One was Avery. . . .)

 Robert Marchesseault

 Tex Marchesseault

 The paint is Robert's new horse.  Yes, they do still very often use horses to move cows and do ranch work.  (Also atv's!)

 This valley is incredibly beautiful.  Green valley hay fields topped off by the snow-capped mountains.

 The boys are going for their clean shoes!  So they can go fishing.  Amazing fishing in this valley also.

 A job well done, Guys!  You done good!

Spring Things

This is one of my absolute most favorite things about spring - lilacs.  I grew up with huge lilac bushes in my grandmother's front yard and came to love the beautiful flowers and especially the fragrance.  To me it really is the "symbol" of spring.  My lilac bushes at our house are doing well, but the flowers don't come on till late June and they're not quite this lush and beautiful yet.  I'm here in Billings and the lilacs here are in full bloom EVERYWHERE!  I stole these off a bush over by the car wash - they won't miss them - I hope!  They're so very beautiful.  Walt tells how his mother always cut armloads of lilacs and took them to the cemetary on Memorial Day for all the family graves.  There will be plenty for this year.  Gorgeous.

More To Come From Ecuador

I just was going back through my Ecuador images and still have some that I want very much to share, but don't have time right now.  The internet connection here is somewhat slow and unreliable (I never know when I'm going to be timed out in the middle of a post - yes, it has happened) so I've been reluctant to spend much time doing more.  And besides I head home tomorrow and then fly to Kansas on Thursday to attend Allie's graduation!!!  Can hardly wait.  Walt will be flying back on Thursday for that also, then back to Ecuador on Monday!  Can't miss this graduation.  So I guess the rest of these photos will have to wait till I get back home.  They should still be just as good!  Or not!!!  Stay tuned!

Quito, Ecuador At Night

Colonial Quito is one of those U.N. protected World Heritage Sites (or something like that!) and truly unique and beautiful.  Our friends, Terry and Luis Hernandez (friends of 20 years - amazing!) are part owners of a restaurant that sits high on the side of Vulcan Pichincha and overlooks the old city.  It is an astonishing experience to sit at the window and watch the lights of the city come on.  So beautiful.  I'm a wannabe photographer to begin with and had no tripod for this experiment so the images are marginable at best, but I had fun.  (Next time I'm traveling with a tripod!)

 The focus of this image is the cathedral that is part of the old city.  It's a little hard to see, but pops right out if you click on the image to see it full size.

 The very bright (ugly) light in the middle of this image is the Cathredal San Francisco and square which is really quite beautiful.  Not sure why they've added this distracting light.  The hill in the background is called "The Panecillo" and means little loaf of bread.  On top of this hill is a statue called The Winged Virgin and is claimed to be the only winged virgin statue in the world.  Pretty impressive - as is the drive up to it!!!

 These are the two main arteries through the old town to south Quito which is quite extensive.  The city has about 3 million population.

 This is a backed-off image of San Francisco, the Panecillo and south.

 High on the right of this image is a bright light that illuminates the monument to the independence of Ecuador.  When Walt was here as the Defense Attache he made a pilgrimmage up there with all the other military attaches every year to the annual celebration of the independence.

 Walt and our friend, Terry.  (Luis was still at work when we were up on the roof taking pictures.) 

(Walt and I.)  If you want to check out this fabulous restaurant, you can go to http://www.elventanal.ec/ and take a look at their website.  The genesis of the restaurant is rather interesting.  Several mayors ago, the mayor had a brilliant idea to run a cable car from Colonial Quito up the side of Vulcan Pichincha in order to give folks a birdseye view of the old city.  So a cable car station was built and the next mayor stopped work on the project.  Several years ago Luis "discovered" the dilapidated and derelict structure and had a vision for a restaurant there.  He and his sister have done major renovations and turned it into a first class, upscale, elegant restaurant.  One of its kind in Quito.  Definitely worth a visit for the view and the food is superb!  Besides. . .we know the proprietor and his wife!