CALEB RIDING BUCK AT MISTY MEADOW ON LONETREE CREEK

LONETREE RANCH BRANDING 2019 WITH THE REINHOLD FAMILY AND FRIENDS

WALK OF AGES... "WHAT'S IN A NAME?"

As we prepare for camp, we continue to look new items of interest to teach our campers. In this case, the new items are all quite old. Caleb Reinhold brought along the camera to capture some shots to aid us in our study of “What’s in a name?”

A BEAUTIFUL EVENING ON THE LONETREE (PHOTOS BY RACHEL REINHOLD)

PLANTING SPUDS

We took some time while the sun was shining and before the next rain to go and play in the soil. It seems late to be planting potatoes and onions, but the way the weather has been, we have had no choice. We did get some lettuce and spinach planted a couple of weeks ago.

This garden is called “The Patch” and the soil is amazing. Most of the ranch is “gumbo” which is a heavy clay. This location has had tons and tons of organic material and manure added to the sight. Each year, as we clean the corrals, we just lay out another strip about 20 feet wide. We work it in and then plant the following year. The soil is just beautiful. With all the rain we have had, this is the only place that we could work in the soil. The gumbo would have proved impossible.

OUR SON, DANNY, CELEBRATES THE COMPLETION OF HIGH SCHOOL

We certainly enjoyed the celebration last evening to honor Danny. The way the weather and roads had looked, we wondered if we would even have a party. We will not know who could not make it, but the folks that did , made for a great time. Danny, on to the next chapter... "And let God write your story."

IT JUST KEEPS RAINING. (PHOTO ESSAY)

We have received over 4 inches of rain in the last couple of days.

Castello Point... A Treasure

NEARLY A TREASURE... AT LEAST A TREASURED LOCATION

We had three surveyors at the Lonetree Ranch yesterday "rediscovering" Castello Point. There may have been that much attention given in 1925 when a bronze disc was set in a concrete base . That was placed there by the US Coast and Geodetic Survey. The original stone is also present and is engraved with the letters USGS. It was one of 18 triangulation points that was used to to map the Black Hills in the late 19th century. Many campers have been to this historic locale and it was quite rewarding to our "grown up" guests to find the markers in such pristine condition. Jerry, LInda and John... It was a pleasure having you and thank you for sharing your insight into Castello Point.

Over East

We have been busy. This is Over East. My grandparents referred to this as the "Dam on the East Range" Dad told about he and his brother fencing this pasture"out". Abandoned homesteads and unclaimed land had been the norm. This pond has been in our plans for a couple of years. It had been washed out for nearly 40 plus years. We repaired it and have since stocked it with fish. We planted around 100 seedling trees around it this spring as well. The soil around it is ranges from shale that grows little or nothing to hardpan to this draw that is filled with beautiful grass and flowers. We 'trimmed things up and moved the sheepwagon over and set up camp. It is located about a half mile from the headquarters. The RBR crew can hardly wait to share it with our young guests this summer. Looks very inviting... "Low population area"

"CHOOSE THE LIVING" BY SHANE BARBER

Choices.....Here's to all the ag guys out there that have walked out of a season of cold, grey, sick, unrelenting winter....and wake to another morning of choices.
As I looked at the sunset and the smartphone time that said 9PM was coming soon, I had but a few quick chores before supper (mine..my family had to eat or suffer the never ending "wait till dad gets home" trauma). The chores were pretty straightforward: make and feed a bottle to a sick calf who was starving and suffering, and put another calf out of his misery because he wasn't going to win the battle. As my mind calculated the steps in the tasks, I asked myself, "Which one do I do first?" I knew it mattered little because the chances were very slim that one might be left undone, but philosophically : which comes first?.....the comfort of food to something living....or the humane act to a suffering creature.

The gravity in this question lies not in the answer, but in the reality that my brothers and sisters in the ag industry have had to make these kind of choices...and press forward each day. Sometimes it would help if there were a way to answer these questions and smooth the tiny crack that gets created in your heart, when you know you did your best, but you know it wasn't even close to enough. When you know it's not your fault, but you know things could have been different. When you're tough enough to handle it, but you're not sure if you can handle much more of it. 

The choice is made....The bottle....then the bullet. The calf gets some food and gains the hope of another day...and warmer weather...and I move on to finish task number two.

I arrive at the suffering calf to find my task already done. I'm too late. He's already gone....

Friends.....it's been a long season. You've been through a tough one....and spring is starting to break. You've got many choices ahead, but when it comes to the toughest ones...

Choose the living before the dead! You may have to walk through the hard and the impossible, but the life around you will continue to grow, and the death only decays. There is a time for both, but choose the living stuff first.

Update on Moisture

Just an update on the moisture situation here at the ranch. Even with the good moisture that we received in the past months, the evidence is obvious how dry our area was and is. Most of the water continues to go down rather than runoff. We believe the grass and hay situation will be much improved over last year... but this area still remains dry. Our hopes for more runoff into the Big Dam did not come to pass since so much soaked in. The rain that came this past few days resulted in .20" here. Please continue to pray with us that the water levels be replenished. It has been a long dry spell

CRANKY OLD MAN

SUCH A GOOD REMINDER
The poem itself has a long and obscure history. The original version featured an old woman rather than an old man and is sometimes attributed to English nurse Phyllis McCormack who reportedly penned it in the 1960's. The "old man" version of the poem was apparently adapted from the original by David L. Griffith of Texas and can be seen in its original context on the poet's website

What do you see? . . .. . .What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . when you're looking at me?
A cranky old man, . . . . . .not very wise,
Uncertain of habit .. . . . . . . .. with faraway eyes?
Who dribbles his food .. . ... . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice . .'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . .the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . .. . . A sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not . . . ... lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . .The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking?. .Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse .you're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am . . . . .. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, .. . . . as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . .with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters .. . . .. . who love one another
A young boy of Sixteen . . . .. with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . .. . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . ..my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows .. .. .that I promised to keep.
At Twenty-Five, now . . . . .I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . .. . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . .. With ties that should last.
At Forty, my young sons .. .have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, .. ...Babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . My loved one and me.
Dark days are upon me . . . . My wife is now dead.
I look at the future ... . . . . I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing .. . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . And the love that I've known.
I'm now an old man . . . . . . .. and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age . . . . . . . look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles .. .. . grace and vigour, depart.
There is now a stone . . . where I once had a heart.
But inside this old carcass . A young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells
I remember the joys . . . . .. . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . . . life over again.
I think of the years, all too few . . .. gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people .. . . . .. . . open and see.
Not a cranky old man .
Look closer . . . . see .. .. . .. .... . ME!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON


"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SON!"
We won't make too big of a deal about this, as that would not be in Danny's style. However Robin and I wish to make it known, how grateful we are to be Danny's parents. We so appreciate his unselfish willingness to make a difference in people's lives. And we love seeing growth in him. We are proud of you young man. May God abundantly bless you.

Lonetree Ranch
14666 Lonetree Road
Sturgis, South Dakota 57785

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