Diary of A Cow Tippers Wife

08/02/2026

Gooseberry Pie

Well, I owe all of yall my apologizes, I have been slacking on my journalistic duties these past few weeks. In my defense we have been rather busy. But truth be told, I'm really just lazy and would rather scroll mindlessly during my freetime then an hour or two of writing. So please forgive me.

All in all, our summer trip is at a close and we are now safely back home. We left Texas may 28th and returned July 28th. So 61 days of travel in 15 different states! Thats a whole lot of miles. And I got to spend it with man of my dreams. And the cat. And the dog.

My incredible husband made it very memorable! The tail end of our trip was a hoot. We got to meet with an old friend of Samuel's in Bighorn Wyoming who is a truly incredible hunter and taxidermist. He kindly let me see his trophy room. Well, its less of a room and more of a warehouse. If you can name a wild animal, he's probably bagged it, tagged, and stuffed it. Or guided for it. Musk Ox, lions, moose, beaver, giraffe, antelopes of every variety, mountain goats, and even a polar bear. Been to countries I didn't know existed and has massively helped conservation efforts for rare animals. He's a wonderful guy and I could have listened to his stories for hours. But I had to be pried away so Samuel could show me another surprise. It was dancing in Laramie Wyoming! It felt like I was living in a hallmark movie. Strapping young handsome cowboy whisking me away on the dancefloor. It was better then anything I could ever have dreamed of. I never would have imagined such a wonderful life for myself. I'm the luckiest girl that ever lived!

We then drove the long way from Wyoming, through Nebraska, then on to Jamesport Missouri working ranches along the way. We met with our friends the Landes's who were kind enough to host us. It was hotter then the blue blazes and humid as all get out, but they made the work fun. And spoiled us with a nice covered set of working pens, fans, and cold drinks. Chuckwagon and Heifer were delighted to run around and supervise the cattle operation. Chuck was "volentold" into riding around on the 4wheeler with us to see the herd in the back pasture. He was not a fan but it's a necessary skill for a ranch dog. We had so much fun looking at cows and hanging out with Micah and Aaron. Plus they hosted several ranchers on their way to the cheesehead futurity so we got to hang with all of them. It was a mighty good time.

While in Jamesport, on a break from working, I over-heard some older gals talking about gooseberry pie. I nearly got whiplash from how quickly my neck snapped around. I haven't had gooseberry pie in 15 plus years. I can't find gooseberries anywhere! Let alone someone who sells them, or makes anything with them. Thankfully those sweet old ladies shared their secrets with me and I got a whole pie (and really good fried chicken) from an Amish buffet resturant down the street. Goosberries are similar to wild huckleberries in the fact that they are extreamly sour and tart. You have to use heaps of sugar to get it to balance out. The Amish place did a decent job but it was still too tart for me. Hopefully next year when we go back I can get some berries and make my own.

And finally to end our trip off we got to celebrate my birthday in Oklahoma. (Thank you to all who sent a sweet message or text with birthday wishes, yall are too kind)! My fantastic husband saved several days so we could drive down to see my family. It was so wonderful to celebrate with them. I'm a twin so it was extra special to celebrate OUR birthday together. She's my best friend and I loved getting to spend time together! My mom decorated the kitchen all cute and slaved over making my favorite cake (carrot cake with cream cheese icing). Then presented me with a fancy taxidermy stand and my dad is 3d printing little things for my critters to hold as props. (Right now I'm working on a marmot from Montana holding a banjo that my dad 3D printed, its so cool! I'll post pictures when its done.) So I had a fantastic birthday! But the best gift of all was safely returning home. That the Lord provided so many wonderful opportunities. That we made so many memories and saw friends new and old.

07/16/2026

Chuckwagon's Arrival

Boy do I have sympathy for cowboys way back in the day and modern day cowpuchers. I thought dust storms were over dramatized in movies and TV. Man did I get humbled on what little I know! Halfway through dinner with our friends Bonnie and Shadow we nearly got swept away. Huge blasts of air with ripping gusts and sand so thick you can't see 100 feet away. I had to run out to rescue my poor tramatized cat. Praise God the dust storm didn't happen till after we finished working cattle. It was a scene right out of the Good the Bad and the Ugly!

Speaking of western, our lives have gotten alittle more intresting. Our friends the Campbells kindly hosted us for a few days. We had a great time hanging out with them. They made us some dang good food, took us to my favorite hibatchi place ever, and I went paddleboarding with their daughter. While there it just so happened that their pair of working cattle dogs had some pups that were ready to go to a new home. All that to say, we now have a cattledog of our own! His name is Chuckwagon. Why you ask? 'Cause that little fella snuck into the feed room (twice) and ate a whole lot of dog chow. So he helped himself to the chuckwagon. His dam's a full border collie and his sire a catahoula and heeler cross. He really fits right in with out little family! His tail must have gotten stepped on as a newborn since its broken in two spots. Between Samuel's broken pelvis, hip, pelvic bone, and neck, my broken immune system and stomach, and Heifer's broken pelvis. He really fits right in with out little family! He doing phenominal for being away from his mommy and brother. He is timid but very sweet. And being raised on a ranch he's more at home with being outdoors and around cattle then inside.

We gave him his first "day on the job" in McCallister Montana. There our friends Holly and Patrick greeted us with big ol hugs. We haden't seen them for two years and it was so great to see them and their cattle again. Their ranch is literally one of the most beautiful views of the mountians I've ever seen. It was so breathtaking! We kicked our boots off, relaxed on their porch, and chatted for hours (and got fed really really well). And we had free entertainment in the form of watching Heifer, Chuckwagon, their dogs Goose and Mavrick, and their cats Toaster and Waffle Iron play. It was hilarious! We trimmed their cows the next day and then got to play wack a mole! Well, shoot a gopher technically but whose counting! To my total shock I shot one in the head, on my first try from a good ways away. (It really was beginners luck). I named the bu**er Victory as she's the first critter I've ever successfully hunted (I've trapped plenty but never had luck hunting). It wasn't till later that Samuel bagged one as did a visiting friend who's a retired cop, and Patrick shot me the prettiest one. Safe to say, I now have some taxidermy projects to work on when I get home

After the passing of our beloved Charlie this year, we were devastated. That was Samuel's best friend. While we know this little pup will never be Charlie, we hope he will make a wonderful working companion. Youll see him and Heifer at the cattle events from now on.

07/06/2026

Old Stomping Grounds

It was surreal to be back among ferns and trees I once played in. Places I watched as we drove by brought back many happy memories I’d forgotten. My friend Robbie, whom I haven’t seen since high school (and my de facto older brother), played banjo as a belated wedding gift after treating us to dinner. Later on Samuel and I strolled around gigharbor at low tide. We saw jellyfish, seacucumbers, bright orange and pink starfish, and crabs. And we found a local market that had fresh fruit. Tucked inside was a hidden speakeasy that only the locals knew about. It had over 40 beers on tap! All coming from Washington state. It was so cool!

Having enjoyed a new hangout, we got to see my aunt, my great aunt, and my uncle. Aunt Shirley (my great aunt) is who I want to be like when I grow up. She’s a horsewoman through and through. Even in her 80’s she is loving on her ponies and determined to be at the barn as often as she is able. She kindly let me ride her Tennessee walker Casper. He was a very good boy and rather shocked that some cowgirl from Texas made him work and got him to sweat. I gave him a good bath (bathing horses is surprisingly soothing….as long as you don’t get too wet!) and a cookie afterwards. Then we met my Aunt Gina and Uncle Eric at their place and had an excellent dinner in their historic home. (It has a 100 foot well in the basement, used to be a speakeasy, and later was turned into a brothel). Safe to say, it has now been converted to a beautiful estate that may or may not be haunted. As good as the cot in the truck is, a plush bed loaded with pillows, blankets, and a bathroom you don’t have to go into a gas station at 1am for, was lovely. But the feeling of being with some of my family was better. My cheeks hurt from smiling, and we had a whole lot of laughs. The love of life sitting next to me, holding my hand as we told stories of days gone by. Oh and ate food. SO. MUCH. GOOD. FOOD. If you starve at the Nelson house it's your own dang fault! The next day we visited Port Townsend all together. We saw a real life grey whale skeleton (his name is Gunther), a woodworking shop (I got some very pretty wood my Uncle fixed up for me to use as bases for my taxidermy), a norwegian shop, a hyena rug at an antique store, a historic lighthouse, and a historic battery (where they held the big 9 inch guns) at Fort Worden.

All fun aside we did have a job to do while on “my side” of the mountains. A hindu sanctuary had some miniature Zebu that needed trimming. More importantly they wanted to learn how to trim themselves in the future. Seeing as that location isn’t usually on our route, and they were not going to trim any other cattle except their own, it would not compete with our work. Samuel graciously and meticulously instructed the very nice sanctuary volunteers on how to manually tip the mini’s over with ropes and how to trim their feet. The best part was that my aunts got to see the whole process! They were fascinated and got to see a slice of our life. We had a few rodeo moments (a cantankerous bull ran through a gate and we had to rope and drag him to the chute). But overall we had a great time! The finishing touch with my family was watching a spectacular firework show in their backyard in Bremmerton overlooking the port. The naval port there uses an aircraft carrier as a launch pad for some seriously massive displays. Afterall, if anyone knows how to use explosives it's the millitary! I said a very sad goodbye to my family the next morning (Bless my wonderful Uncle Eric, Aunt Gina, and great aunt Shirley, for putting up with us).

As one last hurrah in Washington, I got to see my best friend Emma in Mount Vernon. It was so good to see her in person again. The downside of a traveling cowgirl life is not seeing old friends as often as you like and being thousands of miles apart. She invited us to a fourth of July BBQ with her landlord and roommates. They treated us like family and “adopted” us in and we had a wonderful time. I also got to see her sister Audrey, who I love. I haven't seen her since she was a teenager. She is married now and expecting their first child. It was so good to see her gain. After catching up, I stole Emma away for some thrifting and a trip to The Bony Pony. It’s a tack store I grew up going to. I bought toy horses there, always hoping to have a horse of my own, but tearfully thinking I would never get one. But Jesus knew better than to give me an old worn out unsound quarter horse I cried for in passing. Instead he gave me the man of my dreams that then gifted me an incredibly fancy Colombian Paso Fino. Better than anything I could have imagined! So I bought a small toy horse that looks like mine, and a hackamore (a part of a bitless bridle) for Gallo Del Cielo. Beaming with joy, hanging with my bestie, the love of my life holding my hand (and rocking a spectacular cow puncher mustache), and surrounded by new friends. We watched fireworks by the sea and celebrated 250 years of freedom.

07/06/2026

The Oregon Trail

What a view! Crater lake stretched before us with a vibrant blue. Bluer then the glacial waters of Alaska, or the springs in Florida, or the warm Caribbean coast. The kind of blue that seems entirely fake but happens to be real. And we got to witness it with our own two eyes. Onwards we roamed further into Oregon. The roads twisted and turned through the forests and rivers. For a few hours we did nothing but watch the scenery (it was far better then any tik tok videos.... plus we had no service, so there is that.). That night we parked by a lake after a lovely walk. The next day our friends Rebecca and Wes were kind enough to host us. As a small thank you I picked wild foxglove flowers for them. Which they graciously accepted and then laughed that they had been pulling the flowers out of their pasture for the past two days. Fox gloves are toxic to cattle apparently. I was mortified, but they were so sweet about it and we all had a good chuckle. They treated us to crab dip from local crabs (which Wes caught). And elk steaks from bulls they shot off their property last season. Oh and homemade applepie. We were very spoiled! We trimmed their cattle the next day then blasted up to Tillamook with bellies full.

On to the trail sale! We were greeted to a perfectly manicured farm houses with flowers blooming everywhere, a longhorn topiary, a fishing trip at their river (Samuel and I got the biggest fish of the day), free flowing beer, and a homemade pizza dinner that evening. Dang good pizza! Longhorn breeders from far and wide came unloading with fingers crossed they would take home a buckle or a fat cheque. Samuel and I trimmed a critter or two but mostly chatted with folks and set up trim appointments on the calendar. There was a whole lot of laughing, catching up, some dancing, and eating really good food. The only downside was the howling wind and occaional sprinkle. But other then that, we had a lovely time.

Our next stop was my old stomping grounds, Washington state.

06/24/2026

06/24/2026

California Dreamin'

What an adventure! Truly it was one of the most magical experiences of my life. I found a company that does guided trail rides ( It's called Gaited Pleasure Horses in Watsonville CA). It was near the ranch we were working at. Coincidentally they have gaited horses (my favorite!), which are difficult to find guided rides with. My dashing Texas cowboy and I met with our guide Adolfo and rode Tennessee walking horses on the beach in Monterey CA. Then the next day we rode the same horses in the redwoods. Adolfo, our guide was fantastic! He made an already awesome ride even better. Plus he told us about his experience as a horse trainer and Mexican rodeo rider. It was so cool to hear his stories. I've been on some incredible trail rides, and rode some fantastic horses. But this was hands down the best! I'd never ridden on the beach before, so that was super fun. Even better was that my husband and I got to ride together. We got to canter side by side (I was so happy that I cried. Twice). And the Redwood ride was heart pounding. The trails were super rugged and beautiful. We passed by trees so giant they don't seem real anymore. So comically large they seem straight out a movie. Then we rode down super steep twisting trails. Roots twisting and turning, narrow bridges, and barely there trails. Praise God our ponies were more surefooted then mules! Bless Adolfo for trusting us, as both Samuel and I are very experienced horsemen (horsewoman in my case). So we got the special treatment of more challenging trails. It was AWESOME! The cherry on top was that we rode through a river. It was so deep in spots that the water tickled the horses bellies, and was as high as the bottoms of my jeans. Words cannot express how happy I am!

I'd like to point out the great sacrifice my husband made for my happiness. He has a fractured spine, only 70% of a pelvis, hip dysplasia, and has had over 30 surgeries on his pelvis and abdomen. Being in a saddle is terribly painful for him, on his hips, spine, and knees. But he insisted on riding with me (and wouldn't take no for an answer). He would not stay by the truck and watch from afar, or ride for a few minutes and hop off. All because he wanted to see my joy, and to be there with me. Because he cherishes me. Treasures me. Value's our time together. (Ladies take notes, get you a man that treasures you more then silver and gold). God answered a whole lot of prayers I've made over the years in one glorious moment. And even better then I ever would have imagined.

We made memories I will cherish for the rest of my life.

06/20/2026

Faith, Fun, and Family

Our amazing ( and extremely generous) friends Joanna and Cory let us stay with them for nearly a week! The Waymond/Howard accommodations were top notch! A nice big room all to ourselves, with a huge bed, really good ac, and even a welcome goodie basket with snacks, towels, and a handwritten note! Oh and they put up with my cat being a total jerk to everyone. ( she gets cranky whenever there’s dogs about). I then got a hair salon treatment from the littles and rocked bright pink hair chalk! We watched the kiddos crush it at softball that evening. The next day we went to the zoo where one of the teens works. I caught a wandering goose, as did Samuel, and we pestered Kenna endlessly with animal questions. We picnicked in a park before returning to the house. I got to show the kiddos my hoard of taxidermy I've collected on this trip. They loved it and were equally fascinated by all manner of dead things lol. The next day we worked cattle. It was so much fun! We had a gourmet breakfast spread and took our time between relaxing in the shade and moving cattle. It felt more like a vacation then work!

The following days we spent our time eating and drinking like kings (bless you Jo, you are an amazing cook), playing games with the kiddos, hiking together, and working on the groundwork stages of training a riding steer. We had a bonfire, a game night, and a movie night. We also did laser tag, and an escape room (we failed by 10 seconds). Cory very kindly told me about an amazing taxidermist, where I got a ton of really cool hides. Like blue wildebeest, impala, black wildebeest, hartebeest, and elk scraps. Also including badger skulls and fox skulls. I shared scraps with the kiddos and did a craft making animal hide ornaments. Scott Hill the taxidermist introduced me to a trapper and I got a whole badger, mink, marmot, ringtail cat, and two ermine! Plus we went go carting and my incredibly talented husband managed to pop a tire on a vehicle that goes under 20 miles and hour. I may or may not have accidentally ran into said tire.

I cannot stress enough how much fun we had hanging with the Howard/Waymont family. We were so welcomed and cherished, it was such a blessing to feel like one of their own. We had deep talks about the Lord and learned more about the Mormon religion. We talked about relationships and gave advice I wish I heard when I was a teen or kiddo. We played around with the little ones, and Mara taught me to make friendship bracelets (she is a fantastic teacher). Jo and I got to have girl talk and talk about everything under the sun (she feels like a sister from another mister). It really genuinely felt like we were family. I love all of them to bits!

What a gift the Lord has given us, being able to travel and meet such wonderful people. To share such awesome experience and make memories in beautiful places. And thank you to my incredible husband for working so hard so we can travel like this.

06/17/2026

Move Over Moab!

"What are men compared to rocks and mountains!" so says Mary from Pride and Prejudice. Preach sister! Never would I, a forest creature raised in wet and rainy Washington state, expect to be so fascinated by the scorching sands of Moab and Arches National Park. Indeed it was breath taking! Both metaphorically and literally because it was 100 degrees. We were so hot, we would very briefly run outside for photos before scurrying back into the truck. In the ravines, mesas, and badlands of Utah we weaved, finding shady spots to camp and praying for cool nights. Boy was it magical eating dinner under the starry sky after watching the sun set on the canyons. Killing time until our next ranch we would find interesting spots. Like hiking 2 miles through a canyon and exploring a mica mining site. Heifer trotted with us the whole way! I was incredibly proud of her. I only had to have her on a leash when she tried to chase after some lizards on a rest break. Silly girl!

On our way out of the desert we spotted dinosaurs looming in the distance. Dinosaurs! The love of my life slammed on the breaks and rolled us up to a dinosaur park. Bless that man! I shot out of the truck like a rocket, giddy as a school girl. My 12 year old self would have died and gone to heaven. Between that and the Dinosaur National Monument, I was a very happy camper. The monument is literally a wall of rock littered with bones from 14-15 different species of dinosaurs! Right there, where they breathed their last, decayed, and fossilized. It was like a layered cake of bones. All sorts, shapes and sizes. Paleontologist excavated the top layers for guests to see. The most complete skeletons were taken to places like the Smithsonian. Not just bones are in that area but also beautiful petroglyphs, carved into the rock by people long, long, long, ago. They surely told of stories lost to time and featured bighorn sheep, men with spears, and lizards. My wonderful husband had that sly grin as I jabbered on, chattering like a jaybird. All about ancient creatures and peoples. That man nourishes my heart and soul!

Finally bored of bones, we made our way to a gas station near our next ranch. A truck slowly rolled beside us with a guy rubbernecking at the trailer. We are used to getting stares whenever we roll up. It's not every day you see cow tippers after all! "Yall hoof trimmers?" this fella asked, gesturing towards the magnet on our truck. "Yes'sir" I nodded. "Got a couple a' show steers. Can yall trim them?". Indeed we can! We put him on the calendar and the next day we got their critters done. Who would have thunk that a gas station would bring in business! A few more dollars in our pocket, and a few more ranches satisfied. I met a wonderful new friend that's a new longhorn breeder. She was very kind and gave me a truly stunning domestic ram skull she cleaned up. I named him "Bighorn" for his beautiful curling headgear. Thats a heck of a gift! Our beautiful model holding him is a dear friend who will be featured in the next chapter of Diary of a Cow Tippers Wife. Stay tunned!

06/08/2026

Misty Eyes at 2 Miles High

The view literally took my breath away. Up at 12,000 ft in Estes Park Colorado bundled up in my coat, watching the sunset with the love of my life. I tried to not sound too out of breath. Thankfully it wasn’t just me feeling the effects of elevation sickness. Our trooper of a generator also was struggling. We made some shrimp in the airfryer as it sputtered and groaned. The wind howled around us. When we finally got the shrimp to satisfactory levels of “doneness” we got all cozy in the truck. (The wind up there is crazy strong). To our amazement a herd of cow elk trotted along the ridge in front of us. Dinner and a show baby! Snuggled together we nestled in our blankies and sleeping bags on the cot inside the excursion. Heifer settled herself under my chin. The cold mountain air soothed us to sleep. We witnessed so many incredible sights in the Rocky Mountain National Forest. Elk cows, young elk bulls still in velvet, mulies (mule deer), and two bull moose. One of which was the oldest bull in the park. He sported a fancy tracking collar with his name “K-9”. Weirdest looking dog I’ve ever seen!

Our adventures in Colorado were fantastic. We met some truly incredible people. One of our first stops was meeting with some good friends of ours. They helped us do repairs on our chute we trimmed their highland cows, and we caught up as if we had never left. (Those are the best kind of friendships). A new family of friends was kind enough to show me their extensive arrowhead collection. It was better then most museums! We also got to met a gal with a big ol bull that needed his feet done badly. She brought him to a vet clinic. They kindly let us borrow their runway system and let us use our chute. She was a delight and was a fellow horsewoman. So we chit chatted about ponies and refreshed my “horsey talk meter” which was severely depleated. And the bull got a very handsome pedicure.

Refreshed and renewed we took the swirly twirly roads towards Estes Park. Samuel’s longtime mentor, our dear friend, and brother in Christ, Bill, let us stay at his place. The next day he met us there after a very long drive from Texas to Oklahoma. Bill’s neighbors warmly invited us to have dinner with them. We had a wonderful meal, had deep discussions about the Word and belief in Christ. Oh and their kiddos were delighted to show me their fossil collection. And their black bear skull. Oh and can’t forget the skull of a big horn ewe that was attacked by a mountain lion. Safe to say, I was in heaven! Those precious kiddos were a delight. We could have chatted till the wee hours of the morning. But we went on an awesome hike instead and our friends kindly took our photos up on the mountain.

P.S. Bless amazing husband for driving an hour and 15 minutes out of our way so I could find arrowheads. I did not find arrowheads. I did find a piece of pottery though, so that was cool.