Freezing On The Ranch

Burr!!!!   This has been a very cold week with snow everyday that blows horizontal and chills you to the bone.  It does not pile up, it just blows away! Did I say the wind blows?  Amen.

 We discovered a leak in the trailer at the first of last week, and immediately 4 other Elders were out to help us cover that end of the trailer with a tarp.  It acts like a sail in this wind and really keeps this "Home" a rocking.  Last night I thought we might be in OZ when we woke up.  We are hoping to have a dry and semi windless day to really get up on top to fix it.

our trailers roof was leaking.  Covered for about 1 week till we had time to fix it

  Bob and I have been given the duty of building a room upstairs in the trek center to enclose the furnace room and also the duct work.  We are loving it as that is right down our ally.  Elder and Sister Ekins from Hinckley UT are helping and we are having a ball.  At least we are out of the weather!  They were quite surprised when Debra grabbed the chop saw and proceeded to cut 2x4s.  We also called the leaders of the treks that we will be in charge of to set up trail reviews.  They came last Fall and this will be their last look at the trails they will be taking their youth on before they arrive here.  We are learning the trails and hopefully will not get them lost as we take them around.  Each trail is 27-30 miles long and there are 6 trails we have to learn.  This place is huge!  Because of all the rain and snow the roads are still very muddy and slippery. There are several gates we have to open and close as we travel the roads and trails on the ranch.  As we came up to this gate Elder Cowen said he wished all of the gates were as easy as this one.  He jumped out and worked for awhile, then signaled for the other two Elders to come and help.  So with shovel, trailer hitch for pounding, and three Elders, they finally beat it into submission.  How many Elders does it take to open a gate?

This was one of the easier gates to open.  It only took 2 Elders and a shovel

 Debra went out with some of the other missionaries and Ben who works with the Ranch monitoring wildlife.  He took us out to see the Sage Grouse mating rituals.  It was amazing!  We went out at 6 AM and believe it or not, it was the warmest part of the day!  We picked up two elk "sheds" ( that is what they call the antlers that have fallen off ) 

Ben the wildlife intern from Utah State with two sheds we found when out looking at grouse

We fed Navaho Tacos to the cowboys from the ranch this week with muddy boots chaps and spurs.  They are real cowboys that are herding the cows and doing the branding and such.  Bob has a sore shoulder from hammering, drilling and carrying construction materials.  He is not quite used to this daily routine yet but is getting better. We attended church this morning and the Bishop stood up and said, "Sister Barton this is unusual weather we are having right now.....it is usually 20 degrees colder!"  They all laughed as my mouth feel to the floor. (No picture needed)!!!