Greetings From Willow Springs Guest Ranch!

January 7, 2012

Happy New Year

Naming Number Ninety

("Awful lot of alliteration from anxious anchors" -- email if you know where THAT obscure reference is from!)

Number Ninety is a very special cow in our herd. She is the first, and for awhile the only, bovine to allow hand-feeding and eventually head-petting. I struggled for awhile on what to name her as you cannot form a bond with an animal without knowing what to call it. She's a black cow with no white to suggest naming for a pattern. She has big. liquid eyes, but so do most of the cows in the rest of the herd. Her personality is a combination of quiet gentleness and wide-fore headed intelligence (which means she can certainly think better than an doorknob), but nothing jumped out at me as far as what moniker to give her. It then occurred to me that she had a perfectly good number hanging from her left ear -- one that was not duplicated in any of the other cows -- why not just use that?

And so she became, "Number Ninety". She has been growing increasingly tolerant of human scrutiny and will now allow a scritch and a pat as far back as her withers as long as said scritch is accompanied by a large swatch of hay.

Over the past couple of winter feedings, it has become obvious to the other cows that "Ninety" is getting the long end of the stick. And the most feed due to her favored status. Several have joined her ranks and now step out of the herd to demand their own handful of hay. Some of them even allow touching, although not as much as "Ninety". I have to tell you it is very welcoming to step off the bale wagon while Keith is cutting the strings on the big, rectangular bricks of feed, and find a troupe of cows waiting for you, eyes glistening and saliva running! I feel positively Pavlovian! Except there is this one cow....

Number "Thirty Six". Who is pure evil. She not only does not allow petting, she doesn't want anybody else to feel a human hand either. Oh, she's not above snatching a mouthful of green feed, but if you pay attention to a cow next to you, you are in for some serious head-shaking and snot blowing. Sorry to be gross, but we're talking cows here!

I'm reasonably sure that Number "Thirty Six" could be written differently: 3 * 6. As in 3 x 6. Which we all know is 666. Above all the rest, this cow is very definitely aptly named.

I continue to expand the taming of the cows, but remain cognizant of the fact that there is a ringer in the group. And I am ever vigilant. If this newsletter is ever "not here", you'll know that 36 got me. Cards and letters will be appreciated.

Getting Ready for 2012

We're running on the assumption that the Mayan calendar is an out-dated, albeit interesting, piece of history and we ARE going to survive the next year. With that said, we are going ahead with plans to open as usual in April! Although we don't begin with the horse-related activities until May 15, the ranch will be open as a bed and breakfast starting the first of April. The views and hospitality are the same if a stay on a working ranch is what you are looking for. Then mid-way through May, we break out the Dutch ovens, put shoes on the horses, and begin looking forward to exploring the lovely landscape on and around the ranch. There is plenty to do in addition to the trail riding, such as photography, hiking, biking, fishing, resting. Emphasis on that last one. With 2,500 acres and access to virtually whatever you can handle, we have miles upon miles of trails to explore. Cross-country riding is also on the menu. As always, bring your favorite mount(s) or ride one of our ranch horses.

May, June, and July are prime wildflower months. Bring your field guides or borrow one of ours to identify the "decorations" that grow along the paths. By July and August, our summer is firmly here with warm days and warm evenings -- a gathering around the communal campfire after a satisfying cowboy "gourmet" dinner is just what the doctor ordered! And be prepared in mid-summer and fall to sample the fresh garden fare that is offered to guests. We supply a wonderful variety of home-grown veggies and greens sure to please.

The Fall offers its own beauty with big moons, serenading coyotes, and delightfully warm days and comfortable breezes. Come watch the shadows change the landscape into a soothing interplay of color. And once the shadows have taken over, watch the stars pop out and put on their own entertainment. Shows nightly.

Give us a call or email us if you are looking for a getaway this season. We do not limit our stays as to length and you may choose as many nights as you would like. We can mail you a brochure with our 2012 information and prices upon your request -- all you have to do is let us know of your interest.

Here's hoping your New Year will be full of good cheer and maybe even a little bit of whimsey. Come see us when you can.

Cookbook

For those of you that are interested in purchasing our cookbook that is mentioned in the article in the "Oregonian", "Songs of the Sagebrush, Recipies, Rhymes, and Reminiscences From Willow Springs Guest Ranch" you may email us using the link on this page. The price of the cookbook is $12.95 plus $2.50 for shipping and handling.

Patty and Keith Barnhart