Fall Works

So after that somewhat... sentimental entry, I decided I needed to post something more me. So instead of subjecting you to another boring entry of my terribly ridiculous thoughts, I figured that maybe I would say something about my life.

Ahhh, Fall. The very word stirs my heart and emotions. *cracks up* Okay, so that was a little rich, let's just say that each time this season rolls around, I do an annual gleeful dance. I love Fall- the calendar this year says that this glorious time of year officially begins on September 23rd. Ha! Like I ever listen to the "officials". I can always sense whenever Fall begins- you can smell it. Don't you know that you can smell each of the seasons? Ah, I can. I smell when each season begins. Well, except Summer doesn't have a smell; Spring just, well, it stops. My favorite seasons, in order, are as follows: Fall, Spring/Winter, Summer. Spring and Winter are kind of tied.... I love Fall for the smell that floats on the air and for Fall Works (which I shall explain shortly), for the beautiful weather and just that very gleeful feeling that comes alive inside of me. Fall makes me very happy. Winter- well, I love the cold. I love hot chocolate and curling up under quilts and reading for hours. I love Christmas and snow... Spring is a very cheerful time of year for people- Fall is more laid-back happy, Spring is... happy-happy. Like.... jump-for-joy happy, happy-go-lucky happy.

Haha. Happy. Say that like 10 times nonstop. Funny word. Hap. Ee.

Anyway. And then comes Summer. Blech. I hate Summer- it's hot, it's miserable, I don't like swimming, I get bored in Summer. I don't care about the break from school- school may not be pleasurable, but it's better than being boring.

So back to Fall. Every year, we have something called Fall Works. It's where Daddy hires a cowboy crew and they come and stay anywhere from 1-2 weeks and help us work cattle. We gather all the cattle up, brand, wean, sort, etc. It's alot of fun- half the time I'm confused and don't know what's going on because nobody bothers to tell the poor little girl riding along, completely and utterly lost in her own thoughts. I'm kind of the entertainment- their source of amusement during Fall Works. I'm often told I'm amusing.

Well I'm glad I'm good for something.

This year we will have a crew of about 12. Lemme think here.... Me, Tyler, Daddy, Grandpa, Clint. Then the crew we are hiring- 3 single guys, Travis, GR, and Justin. Then there is Dave, the horse-trader. That's 9. Maybe Keith, some guy who may end up working here and living at headquarters, a possible 10. Who else? Hmmm... I can't think. (Surprise, surprise.) Anyway... about a dozen fellows probably.

I'd like to sit here and tell you about all that goes on during Fall Works, but I think it'll be much better to blog about it as it happens. On Sunday the fellows are coming in- I'll be sure and start then and every day I'll try and drag my tired butt into the computer and chair and urge my stiff fingers to type out the day's events.

Haha, but there was something funny that happened a few years ago, about 10 months after we moved here. It was the first time working around the "3 Bachelors" as we call them aka Travis, GR and Justin. My friend, Hallie, was also here, with her brother, Cody, her dad, Chuck, and mom Beth. They came down to visit and help us with the Works. She has this loooong beautiful red (naturally!) hair. I told her once I wanted to cut it off and glue it to my own head, when Iw as like 10. She thought that was paticularly funny...

Me? Funny? Nawww... I'm just soooo serious.

So when she was down, she was telling me how once her Mom took a wire hanger, removed the bottom cardboard part, pulled out the side wires, and pushed them through two braids. That were on her head. From her hair. That they braided. Oh, you knew what I meant! Anyway, when they did that, it made the braids stick out like Pippy Longstocking! So we did it again with a hanger we had handy, but we didn't take of the actual hanger part, so it was sticking out of the top of her head. I had just taken a picture and we were admiring it (she still had the hanger in her hair) while walking into the dining room... And we weren't paying much attention. We look up and- errrr. There stood Travis. With Justin right behind him. His face was.... of pure horror. Finally he stutters, "Whooo-oaaa-aaa!" Hallie screams, turns and runs and begins ripping at the hanger in her hair. Justin is going, "What? What? WHAT?" cause he couldn't see what Travis was laughing about because the guy is so dang tall and lanky. We were laughing about that for DAYS...

So the following day, we had driven up to a set of pens in a few rigs. Dave, I think, had driven me and Hallie in this really old Ford- the thing is, the doors only open from the outside, not the inside, so you have to reach out and open it. Well, Hallie was sitting by the window and was trying to get it but couldn't. So I clambered over her and was half-hanging out the window. Travis turns around... gawks... and then shakes his head, saying, "I don't even want to know." Hallie and I laugh, and he turns back around a few seconds later and adds, "Yesterday Pippy Longstocking, today Dukes of Hazzard!" Then we totally cracked up.

Later, after we had finished whatever we were doing at the pens, we had to get back in the truck. Travis was lounging on the flat-bed, as I recall. I looked up in the window, and shook my head. "Travis," I said, "I don't think I'm agile enough to jump back inside." Pause. Then Travis says, "Agile. Wow- that's a big word." Which sent me into fits of laughter because it's all of 5 letters.

Goodness. We still laugh about that. Among other things. I hope we have some more amusing episodes this year.