Learnin' The Ropes by Shanna Hatfield

Author:Shanna Hatfield [Hatfield, Shanna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-06-27T04:00:00+00:00

Lesson Ten

Go with the Flow

“If ya ever feel like a fish out ‘a water,

jes watch what everyone else is doin’

and follow their lead.”

“Are ya ready for this?” Swede asked Ty as they watched pickups pulling horse trailers flood into the ranch yard bright and early that morning.

Ty grinned. “Ready or not, here they come.” Although Swede had tried to give him an idea of what would happen during branding, Ty would be on a big learning curve the next three days.

The cattle had been gathered and sorted into three herds of five hundred each. The plan was to work through one herd a day. Swede explained to Ty that although they could do the branding and work the cattle with less help if they used a calf table and a working chute, it wouldn’t necessarily speed up the process. That was why they liked to do things the old-fashioned way, with a bunch of ropers and a lot of fun.

Neighbors and friends would help them brand and then they would spend the next few weeks traveling to neighboring ranches to return the favor.

While a few of the women would join the men out with the cattle, the rest would put together a big lunch as well as morning and afternoon snacks and a light dinner. Lexi would have hired a caterer, but the women working together to make the food was as much a part of the tradition as the men swapping stories while they burned brands.

Lexi rushed out the door of the main house and was soon visiting, sharing hugs with the women and smiles with the men. Some she hadn’t seen since her father’s funeral and it was nice to reconnect with people she’d known all her life.

Busy getting ready for branding and finishing the spring farm work, Ty and Lexi had hardly seen each other. Today was the first time he’d indulged in watching her since the day they went to Portland. She appeared to be a favorite with young and old alike, accepted with warmth by all those gathered in the ranch yard. He couldn’t blame anyone for having good taste.

Dressed in jeans, boots, and a long-sleeved cotton work shirt with a hat on her head, Lexi blended in with the rest of the cowboys and cowgirls. Her raven hair fell in a thick braid down her back. Ty noticed the roses in her cheeks and the pink of her lips as she worked through the crowd.

She was nearly to the bunkhouse when a rig stopped nearby and a woman barreled out of the passenger door of the pickup, sweeping Lexi up in a tight hug.

“Oh, my sweet girl, I haven’t seen you forever!” The woman looked like an older version of Lexi.

“Aunt Bertie! I didn’t think you guys could come,” Lexi said, beaming as she hugged her aunt.

Bertie let go of Lexi, only to pass her off to a slim, lean man that appeared to Ty to top him by at least three inches.

“Uncle Linc!” Lexi laughed as he swung her off her feet and spun her around.

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