January 2010
Hello & Welcome to our Diary page. The purpose of this diary is to record our adventures, folks who stop by, travels and events at the Thorne Ranch. It was primarily meant for family and friends in the beginning, but we have grown a large number of faithful readers over the past years. Over 100,000 from all over the world have visited us. We don't intend to offend anyone or to glorify our life here. It's pretty boring most of the time as you will see! We are pretty common folks trying to make a living doing what we love, breeding and raising cattle. Our wish is that someday this Diary will be enjoyed and appreciated by our grandchildren and great grandchildren. In the mean time we hope you get a few good laughs at our expense. "Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself."
Welcome to the Diary &
"The Adventures of Dear Abbie's Wife"
THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD..
Remember to welcome strangers, because some who have done this have welcomed angels without knowing it! Hebrews 13:2
Copyright © 1998 - 2010 A. W. Thorne Land & Cattle, Inc. All rights reserved.
"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3
A.W. Thorne Land & Cattle, Inc.
435707 E370 Rd
Adair, Oklahoma 74330
Office 918.783.5477 Joan 918.284.0175 A.W. 918.527.2002 joan@thornecattle.com
- Janaury 1-3 Happy New Year! We spent New Years Eve with Cody, Paula, Shareen, Dalton and Dalya. The weather gave us more snow and cold weather. Not exactly what we needed when the hay pile is going down so fast. We finally got done calving in 2009. So now we can look forward to starting all over again the end of February. ha Ready for our nice fall weather back! Everything got covered up with about four inches of fresh snow last night. Shawna and Kyleigh made it home from New Orleans Sugar Bowl where Kyleigh marched and played in the Kearney band at half time. They had a good time but they were sure happy to get off the bus and back home! ha Diann and Jeffrey got to go to the OSU game in Arlington at the new Cowboy stadium! They said they were in the nose bleed section but still enjoyed the game even though they lost! The new year is here so guess we might as well make the best of it! It's here to stay for another twelve months! ha Shareen and the kids made it back to Nebraska today and they took the blonde kitten that Dalya just had to have! ha
- January 4-9 It has been a cold momma in Oklahoma! I don't know how long us old codgers will continue this battle of raising cattle. When it's 8 degrees and all the tanks are frozen and you have 400 head of cattle looking at you with hungry eyes it's a little overwhelming. This is the longest I remember snow staying on the ground here since I came to Oklahoma in 1996. They are predicting 40 degrees by the new week though and that will make things boggy and muddy for sure. My plans are to ride along with Paula to Santa Fe and then fly back next week to pack and go to Ft Worth. Call it my mini vacation or what ever you want to call it but this girl is ready for the land of sunshine! ha It's time I left Abbie to fend for himself anyway that way he appreciates the cook, maid, bookkeeper, and companion. ha
- Just when life gets trying we have to stop and thank our maker for all the blessings he has bestowed upon us. We all take for granted our many privileges.. We certainly appreciate all our friends and customers for continueing to want our genetics. I have been going through the year end books and it is rewarding to see repeat customers each year and also referrals from customers to other folks. We had a call this morning and that came from repeat customers contacts. It gives you a lift when all you can see is snow and ice and 19 degrees on the thermometer. ha
Thank heavens Bryce and Cody spent their Christmas vacation helping us. Two good young men that we think a lot of. They both are eventually wanting to be Ag Teachers and we hope the time that they have spent here will reward them in their future with agriculture. I am sure they learned something almost everyday from Abbie Dear. ha Perseverance being one of the traits of Mr. Thorne here in this picture they are mixing up cement for corner posts and tamping in the dark before the snow hit on Christmas Eve.
January 4-14 I made it back home about 5:30 yesterday afternoon from the trip to Santa Fe New Mexico. I rode along with Paula to her new job location. We made it to Yukon OK the first night and then stopped at Amarillo for lunch at the big Texan and onto Santa Fe on Monday. We spent most of our time unpacking and moving furniture around for the week. I flew out of Albuquerque yesterday at noon and stopped in Dallas then came back to Tulsa at 5:20. I think Abbie was happy to see me as I was happy to see him too! So now we are packing for Ft Worth. David has come to help us and take care of the cattle while we are gone so that is a relief. They are out moving cattle and preparing to load all the stuff we need for the cattle. We pick up Cody and meet Bryce in the morning. Adrian is going to help us too so that is welcome. We are taking three of the top showmen in the state of Oklahoma! ha It has melted most of the snow but the mud is deep! Sure is nice to have it above freezing though! I am washing and packing so best get busy! Come back soon!
January 15-21 The Friday the 15th was spent packing and preparing for our trip south! I picked up hay at Moore's and visited with Renita for a minute. We dropped the muts off at the vets to board and got left about 10:30 only an hour and half late on Saturday morning. We picked up Cody in Savanah OK and met Bryce in Gainsville, Texas. We had just made the connection headed south towards Ft Worth when we had tread fly off the right front tire. The tire didn't blow but it didn't have much left to drive on! That was the same tire that I asked two different service shops to check! We were lucky or should I say Abbie dear was lucky that Bryce had a spare tire, as we got off with out one. Ours was on the hay trailer... The good Lord takes care of little kids, drunks, and idiots was my only comment.. The only sure thing is Abbie dear is not a drunk! ha We made it and cattle were ready to get off the trailer. They had to stand all the way down as we had a full load of eight head. Half as many as we had in Tulsa! We might be getting smarter. The weather was nice though and we sure did enjoy the warmer days! Sunday we spent half the day with the kids and celebrating Abbie's mothers' 90th Birthday. All the kids made it and we had a grand time spoiling grandchildren. We got to see baby Lily for the first time and she is one special package! Keith and Linda made it from the panhandle and we were glad to see them. Cousin Faye came from Missouri and brought grandma. That saved us one less vehicle in Texas! We had Monday and Tuesday to prepare for the show. We met Jeffrey Diann, Logan and Grace for supper to celebrate Diann's birthday the last night and had a good time at Uncle Julio's!
We took baby Malinda this time and it was her first time out. So she needed some real training, but by show day she was a champion and won the Percentage Beefbuilder Show. We named her after our friend Malinda that passed away a few months ago from colon cancer, so that was extra special that she won! Bart was Grand Champion Beefbuilder Bull, Cowboy was Division Junior Yearling Bull, Doc won his class and we had 4th and 5th with Zina and Lace. We were selected Herdsman for the Show by the Ft Worth Committee. Brittney's Turk heifer named Olive won her class too! So the Turks were in command! There was 120 head of Braunvieh cattle and one of the biggest shows we have had in awhile. We were put in the M Barn where the show ring is down stairs. The traffic was non existent so we didn't see many folks but we had some people looking for us that we had made contact with before so that was good. The kids and grand kids came out for a visit on Monday so we kept them busy sweeping the floor. All Grace could say was Jo Jo feed cows? She eats it up! Ruby, Fred and Logan were not that excited about the cows..ha So yes I think I have at least one granddaughter to take my foot steps. Gladly after showing Malinda, Dolly, Bart, Zina and Cowboy I was exhausted. Adrian stuck Jacki and Lace and Bryce showed Doc... We were realy happy with the way the cattle acted though and no one got hurt, only tired and worn out. You know me I hate to get beat but I don't mind getting beat by a good one.. It's when you get beat by politics and cattle that are not sound that I get irritated! We got done with the show about 1:30 and we were packed and loaded and out the gate by 3:30. It sounds like it was easy right? No we haul a ton of stuff to these shows and it all has to go in the trailer a certain way. We have to take panels there to tie cattle to other wise you can't tie their heads up. They weigh a ton and thank heavens we had some big strapping boys to help load. It's pretty wonderful when you have good help! We were blessed to have great help! Thanks, Adrian, Byce and Cody.. The "A B C" Fitting and Showing Team! Us old codgers couldn't have done it without you! We drove in rain all the way home and came limping in with big blisters on our heels about 10:30. The cattle were ready to get off the trailer.. We got soaked before we got to the house. Thank heavens David was here to keep everything intact! We are home for a awhile.. I hope!
7200 feet In the Santa Fe NM. Big canyons and lots of adobe homes built into the ridges. They are all the same color as the earth so you can hardly see them. This looking off Paula's deck.. nose bleed section.
Grace, Ruby, Logan and Fred cleaning the aisles.
Grace, Diann and Logan with Cowboy!
TLC Hello Dolly
Paula at the Big Texan in Amarillo..
TLC Turks Bart and TLC Turks Malinda Grand Champion Bull and Heifer
This page was last updated: August 7, 2010
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January 22-27 We have been catching up on several projects.. I think my whole life has been an experiment of projects. I am not one to sit around, knit or collect dust. I have always been active to my downfall a little to brave sometimes! When I think about the prospect of getting too old to cut the mustard I shudder to think of time spent in a moldy old nursing home. I have already warned my children that I intend to fight to the end even if I am in a wheel chair. That wheel chair better be motorized and have all the latest features, on board computer, on board pottie chair, on board grill and oven complete with CD and DVD accommodations. ha It wouldn't hurt either if it had four wheel drive and enough pull to halter break calves. Yes I am just dreaming but what a fun thing to do when your bored. ha
I finally got Abbie to get me a complete list of all the 424 Embryos we have in storage. We have been getting some inquiries about what we have for sale and since I put on the web site call for a complete list..now I have one! ha The guys are moving cattle around and sorting before the big storm that is supposed to hit here tonight and tomorrow.
I ran across some pretty cool info from one of my friends and wanted to share with you. We are after all stuck in rutts most of the time doing what we were taught to do and this really does make you think about stepping in the same tracks. Dare to step out of the tracks once in awhile, you never know what may happen! ha You might just start something that the world will follow! ha
Railroad tracks
This is fascinating. Be sure to read the final paragraph; your understanding of it will depend on the earlier part of the content. The US standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That's an exceedingly odd number. Why was that gauge used? Because that's the way they built them in England, and English expatriates designed the US railroads. Why did the English build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that's the gauge they used. Why did 'they' use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they had used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing. Why did the wagons have that particular odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing, the wagon wheels would break on some of the old, long distance roads in England, because that's the spacing of the wheel ruts. So who built those old rutted roads? Imperial Rome built the first long distance roads in Europe (including England ) for their legions. Those roads have been used ever since. And the ruts in the roads? Roman war chariots formed the initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagon wheels. Since the chariots were made for Imperial Rome , they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing. Therefore the United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches is derived from the original specifications for an Imperial Roman war chariot.
Bureaucracies live forever. So the next time you are handed a specification/procedure/process and wonder 'What horse's ass came up with this?', you may be exactly right. Imperial Roman army chariots were made just wide enough to accommodate the rear ends of two war horses. (Two horses' asses.) Now, the twist to the story: When you see a Space Shuttle sitting on its launch pad, there are two big booster rockets attached to the sides of the main fuel tank. These are solid rocket boosters, or SRBs. The SRBs are made by Thiokol at their factory in Utah . The engineers who designed the SRBs would have preferred to make them a bit fatter, but the SRBs had to be shipped by train from the factory to the launch site. The railroad line from the factory happens to run through a tunnel in the mountains, and the SRBs had to fit through that tunnel. The tunnel is slightly wider than the railroad track, and the railroad track, as you now know, is about as wide as two horses' behinds.
So, a major Space Shuttle design feature of what is arguably the world's most advanced transportation system was determined over two thousand years ago by the width of a horse's ass. And you thought being a horse's ass wasn't important? Ancient horse's asses control almost everything...and CURRENT Horses Asses are controlling everything else.
Check here if you agree or disagree...
January 28-31 We have spent most of this time keeping the fires burning and cattle fed and hayed. We were fortunate enough not to get the predicted ice storm. Instead we got sleet and about six inches of snow. We can live with that and happy that our trees were left intact so far this new year. There were 100,000 without power in Ok and we lucky to keep ours on. When the power company came and trimmed our trees last summer, I knew it was for the best. You sure hate to see them hacked up though. ha We didn't do much but just the norm here. We have taken up a new game called rummykub. It has given us many days and nights of entertainment. Of course we had to start keeping track when AW started winning! ha
