Looking for these Mamas and babies

We pushed our cows out just a few weeks ago. Randy Sue heads up the operation--planning and executing the ideal procedure for moving the cows out onto open range for the summer. But now, the cows are out there somewhere and, as usual, they've been a-wanderin'. We've seen a few pairs here, a few pairs there, and a few way up there while a few others are way down there. We never know where they'll end up. Tomorrow, Randy Sue will head up one of her famed all-day cow rides. Now, not just anyone gets to go out looking for and mooooving cows (sorry, [...]

Looking for these Mamas and babies2011-07-12T19:50:00+00:00

Falling for Drowsy Water Ranch

"Sigh!" "Yee-Haw!""Phew!" "At last!"Those are the sounds we've been hearing around the ranch lately. We just finished up the last week of our 2010 season and, gee whiz, was it a fun-filled, exhausting, beautiful, magical few weeks or what?We wound down our season nicely with three adult-only weeks. The first we had 25 guests, the second 15, and the third only four. We included an art week in there too, which was a first for everyone involved and a ton of fun for both the folks who came to the ranch to paint and for the folks that came to the ranch to ride [...]

Falling for Drowsy Water Ranch2010-09-22T22:20:00+00:00

Opening Week Howdy

Just wanted to say "Howdy!" and let you all know that we did it! Drowsy Water Ranch is now open for Ken and Randy Sue's 34th year!We may only have eight guests this week, we've been busy! Many of the horses were still out at pasture, frolicking in the Colorado sunshine. So we'd catch those doggies, load 'em in the trailer, and bring 'em home. And we've been having a lot of fun with our small crew of guests. We had a few go rafting on Tuesday, some great rides, a beautiful morning for our breakfast ride where we serve breakfast on top of [...]

Opening Week Howdy2010-06-04T18:00:00+00:00

It ain’t all romance and ribbons at Drowsy Water

I like to portray the ranch life as one full of adventure and romance. And, honestly, there is a lot of that happening around here. There are colorful sunrises during morning roundups--horses neighing and snorting as they charge back to the ranch for their morning feed. There are country songs by campfires on cool summer evenings. There are blooming flowers, falling snowflakes, and singing birds. But it's not all romance and ribbons around here. Take, for example, the end result of our countless hours of work in the hayfields. After hours, days, weeks, and months slaving away to mow, rake, and bail our hay [...]

It ain’t all romance and ribbons at Drowsy Water2010-03-16T20:22:00+00:00

Cabin Fever RX: Carrot Cake at Drowsy Water Ranch

The long winter starts getting to me right about now every year. I start getting sick of layering up sweaters and socks to go outside. I start wishing for beaches and sunshine and little paper umbrellas floating in cool, brightly colored drinks. Lucky for me, we have the perfect prescription here at Drowsy Water Ranch. We share this little secret with our family and friends each summer at our Colorado Dude Ranch. It cures my dreams of islands and my addiction to saltwater. I'm going to share our cure with you; I'm going to show you how we make our mouth-watering carrot cake. And, [...]

Cabin Fever RX: Carrot Cake at Drowsy Water Ranch2010-02-23T17:29:00+00:00

Ode to Rocky: The King of the Drowsy Water Bovines

We have a lot of animals. And I mean a lot. We have horses, cows, bunnies, cats, dogs, chickens (sometimes), ducks, and other domesticated animals that live with us now and then. Of all of the animals we have, I think the one animal that has the best life, the guy that has it made more than any of our other pampered pets, is Rocky, our bull.Yep, Rocky has the occupation most males dream of. First of all, Rocky is a big dude. He's a a ten year old Black Angus and Tarentaise cross. He weighs in around 2000 lbs. He eats pretty much [...]

Ode to Rocky: The King of the Drowsy Water Bovines2010-02-15T22:39:00+00:00

Bovine Adventures at Drowsy Water Ranch

Ahhh, the Bovine. What a wonderful creature. Here at Drowsy Water Ranch, we have one or two of them to play with. In the winter, Randy Sue keeps about 30 mama cows down the road and a few younger "yearlings" up here at the ranch. They eat, a lot. And they moo. And then the food comes out. It sounds boring, I know, but really, they're great fun. The next blog or two will be about keeping cattle at a Colorado Dude Ranch--a fun but time consuming endeavor. We'll start now, with the little guys that eat and moo and poop just a few [...]

Bovine Adventures at Drowsy Water Ranch2010-02-01T23:47:00+00:00

Ranch Lessons

After having lived at Drowsy Water Ranch for the past year and a half, I’ve learned quite a few things. I’ve learned that horses eat…a lot. And when they finish all the hay in a pasture, they have to be moved to another place with more grub. Yesterday I went on a ranch field trip to help move all the horses from one winter pasture in Walden to another. It was another lesson in my ongoing ranch education. I’ve learned that it is really really really cold in Northern Colorado. I’ve learned that things never quite go as planned. The initial game plan was [...]

Ranch Lessons2009-12-29T17:18:00+00:00

Drowsy Water Ranch SkyDeck Now Open for the Season

Tomorrow, July 2, 2009, the Sears Tower is opening the new Skydeck on the 103rd Floor.  At 1,353 feet, the deck is the highest observatory in Chicago and offers a fine view of the city's architecture.Well, out here, we've had our Skydeck open for a month now. We didn't alert the press or call the president, we just invited friends.  At our ranch, the Skydeck is around 8400 feet high.  It is Colorado at it's finest. Unlike Chicago's version, you can't see any skyscrapers or cathedrals, all the mountains get in the way.  Our Sky deck has a world-class tour guide,High-Speed Shuttles,and a high-tech kitchen [...]

Drowsy Water Ranch SkyDeck Now Open for the Season2009-06-26T17:39:00+00:00

Our Drowsy Water Ranch Cowgirl

I've been trying to keep the blog to ranch happenings: moving cows, moving horses, the snow, the mud, the chicken, etc. etc. etc.  I know, I know, I slip in random personal facts, but I really do try to keep it focused on Drowsy Water Ranch and life in Colorado and things like that. But this week I won't even try. Why?Peyton had her first birthday yesterday. That's why. I was downright overcome with emotions.  I was happy that we've kept her healthy this long, sad that she's no longer a little tiny baby, happy that she can walk and be a little bit [...]

Our Drowsy Water Ranch Cowgirl2009-04-29T16:23:00+00:00