Another Monday

Bonjour everyone.  Did everyone have a great Valentine's Day Weekend? Today is President's Day so some of you stateside have a three day weekend.  Of course, if you're from the New England states I believe you are having a twenty-six day weekend just to deal with the snow. (Sorry, couldn't resist)  Have faith, spring is only five weeks away.

Tomorrow is Mardi Gras?  Is that really possible?  Easter must be super early this year. We spent the weekend with our kids and grandkids in PS.  Actually, we're probably still there now, but due to come home later today.  

I"m cheating again - no new story, but this is the whole first chapter of The Starr Crossed Cowboy, so if you've not already read it, you might enjoy.  If you have, you know how it turns out and if you haven't you'll have to go to Amazon.  

Have fun tomorrow and I'll see you later for more Aimless Ramblings.

The Starr Crossed Cowboy -

Starr Winslow was dressed for the day in her usual get up of long johns, weathered green chambray shirt, careworn blue jeans and scruffy boots. Until the sun rose higher in the sky, she might need her shearling jacket and gloves. She greeted Catie, who was busy packing up and getting ready to head for the base camp and took the cup of coffee she offered.  Catie only cooked for her and Buck now.  Jesse, a gnarly old curmudgeon, took over the chore of cooking for the cowboys' years ago, and the ranch hands now had their meals in the bunkhouse instead of the ranch house.

This time of the morning was special to her; so peaceful, and everything was right with the world.  Looking up at the now fading stars, she admired the pre-dawn sky with the streaks of light and the colors.  Everyday was different, the departing night clouds shrouding the sun to color the sky with shades of red, orange, purple and midnight blue before giving way to the usual azure blue sky of morning.

Halfway to the barn, she met with Buck.  She never remembered a time when Buck wasn’t there, he was as much part of the ranch as the landscape.  He had wandered onto the spread when he was a raw kid and hired by her granddad, Micah Winslow, when he took over the ranch from his granddad.  He remained through thick and thin, life and death. He had helped her dad Zack, when his dad Micah passed and was about to retire when her dad passed suddenly. Somewhere along the way, he met and married Catie. Buck and Catie lived in the small house he built under orders from Micah when their son Justin was a babe. When Starr’s mother left, Catie took over the cooking and cleaning and raised both Starr and her son Justin together.  They were looking forward to retiring to Arizona to be near Justin and his family when that crazy-ass  bull decided to break out of his enclosure and gore her dad, killing him. Their plan was currently on hold because Buck couldn’t leave her alone to run the ranch. Until they hired a foreman, he felt was right for Starr and Whispering Pines Ranch, he was on board.  His body may not be as spry and pliant as in years gone by but his heart carried him through.  He guided Starr each day, and his knowledge was invaluable in teaching her the necessities of being a successful ranch owner.         

Winslow Whispering Pines Ranch, located in the heart of the Big Sky Country with stunning views of Castle, Crazy and Bridger Mountains as a backdrop, was home to the Winslow’s for generations.  Starr was the last of the line and was determined she was going to prove she deserved her birthright. Starr had worked on the ranch alongside her Dad and Buck since she could first sit a horse. The only time she had not lived on the land was when she attended college.  After graduation, she came back to take her place next to her dad.  She expected to have years to glean her daddy’s knowledge and experience, but a rambunctious bull had changed everything. He was gone and now it all sat on her shoulders. There were easier paths in life, but not for her.  She was born to live on a ranch much to her mother’s chagrin. There was no girlie girl in her, and it was one of her pet peeves when some men naturally assumed she was of the weaker sex and couldn’t run the ranch or the people on it.  They were mistaken, and she intended to prove they were wrong. Selling off Winslow Whispering Pines Ranch to some city slickers who wanted to turn all of Montana into a haven for the rich and famous wasn’t an option.

“Did you put that ad for a Ranch Foreman on the web last night, Starr?”

“I did, Buck.  I upped the salary and made it sound really pretty.  Except that anybody worth their salt will know it's all just flowery words.” 

They laughed at the truth of the statement. Buck headed to the bunkhouse, but Starr walked to the barn.  Starr walked the length of it, greeting each of the horses along the way.  The last stall belonged to Sundance who was crooning his head over the stall at the sound of Starr’s voice.  She stroked his long neck and whispered in his ear.  He shook his head and brought his face up close to hers. 

“Are you ready for this, boy?”  He shook his head again as if he knew exactly what she was asking.  She opened the stall gate and started to get Sundance ready for this day.

At the bunkhouse, Buck gave the ranch hands and trail drivers their assignments.  Their chore over the next few days was rounding up and bringing the cattle down from the summer pasture to the lower elevation for the winter. They had taken on extra hands known as trail drivers who did nothing but go from ranch to ranch to assist with this task and one of Buck’s duties was to oversee and keep a fine eye out for anyone who might fill the ranch foreman’s duties.

Buck Sampson hoped this would be his last cattle drive.  He was getting too old for this shit but he couldn’t leave Starr to do it by herself.  She desperately needed a ranch foreman; however, so far, they hadn’t had any luck with the candidates they had interviewed. Apparently, working for a woman put a damper on things for the cowboys who applied.  Of course, he might have felt the same way once upon a time.  Even so, Starr was different; she was as much his daughter as she was Zack Winslow’s.  He loved her as his own and praised her when she was good and spanked her when she was bad. Even now, when he deemed necessary and out of eyesight and earshot of the ranch hands, he still delivered a swat to her backside when she got too full of herself.

Starr had Sundance all saddled and ready to ride when a dusty red pick-up pulled into the yard.  She watched as six feet of jean clad legs stepped out of the cab.  Seriously, he had to be at least a foot taller than her, and she was 5’5.  His hat was pulled down over his face so from her distance it was hard to determine his age, but she would guess about 35.

“I’m looking for Starr Winslow or Buck Hastings,” he called out to her.

“I’m Starr Winslow, what can I do for you?”

“I hear you’re looking for a Ranch Foreman.”

“We are, but now is not a good time.  I don’t have time for an interview.  We are heading up country to bring down the cattle for the winter.”

“Then now is the perfect time.  You get me a mount, and I’ll saddle up and go with you.  You can see how I work, and I can see whether or not I want to work here.

Buck rode up and listened to the last part of the conversation.  He didn’t say a word but waited to see how Starr responded. Starr liked his spunk.

“Okay, Mister.  We can always use an extra hand on roundup.  She dismounted and went over and offered her hand.

“You know who I am, now who are you?”

“Jude Barlow, pleased to meet you Starr.”  He liked the strength of her handshake and noticed her nails, clean and cut down low, a little clear polish maybe, but that was it. They were the hands of a working girl and had the callouses to prove it, not some skirt pretending to be a rancher.

“Drive your truck over to the barn and park it on the side.  Buck and I will meet you there.”

Starr and Buck had a quick conversation while they led their mounts to where Barlow parked his truck.  Buck led him into the barn and introduced him to Billy Jack.

“He’s a fine gelding, young enough to still be spirited but old enough to be more of a help than a hindrance on the drive.  Saddle up and we’ll talk more on the way up.” Buck told Jude.

“So who do I answer to you or Starr?”

“Son, this is Starr’s ranch and we all answer to her.  If that’s a problem, you best not bother going through the trouble of saddling up Billy Jack.”

“Fair enough."

Kate was driving the ranch truck containing everything needed at the base camp.  Several of the ranch hands rode ahead to make sure the road was clear and to start rounding up the cattle.   Starr, Jude and Buck rode together with Buck between them. Starr spoke first.

“So Jude, let’s hear your story.  First, how did you hear about Whispering Pines Ranch?”

“A friend of mine interviewed here a couple of weeks ago.  He told me about it.”

“Obviously, he didn’t take the job.  Did you ask him why?”

“He said there was no way he could work for a woman, and a young, pretty one at that.”

“You are honest. I like that.  So what makes you think you could work for a woman.”

“I was raised by a single mom.  She gave me orders all the time and when I didn’t pay attention, she had me go out back and cut a switch.  I learned some good dance moves as she wielded those switches, but eventually, I got the message and learned to listen to the lady; she cut me no slack.  I learned to respect women, I may not always agree with them, but I will listen to their opinion and then make my decision.”

“Does that mean if you don’t listen I should cut a switch?” Starr asked.

Jude smiled at her remark, and his whole face lit up.  He didn’t look as embarrassed as she felt asking the question.  When she heard it, she couldn’t believe she said it out loud; it was what she was thinking but didn’t realize she had verbalized the thought.

 “If you want to see my dance moves all you have to do is ask.”

Starr blushed, and Buck rescued her by asking him where he last worked and why he thought he could handle the job at Whispering Pines.

“I have worked on a ranch since I was about seventeen years old.  I went to Texas Tech on a football scholarship and blew out my knee in my freshman year. I found work on a nearby ranch that allowed me to stay in school.  I worked for Mr. Ray Danforth for sixteen years. Unfortunately, Mr. Danforth passed, and the ranch was sold and parceled out to a home builder, and I was out of a job.  I’ve been looking for another since.  I have a degree in financial management, which is a joke because I have no finances to manage.  I do, however, know how to manage a ranch. I don’t think there is any ranch job; I haven’t done.  You can check my references.  Silas Minton, Mr. Danforth’s attorney, will vouch for me.”

Buck listened to Jude, and his story had a ring of truth.  He would still check if out though.  He was not about to head off to Arizona until he was confident that Jude Barlow was everything he claimed to be.  “That’s quite a story, Jude, and you can bet we will check it out once this roundup is over. Until then, we’ll pay you the same as the other hands -that’s salary plus room and board.  Is that agreeable to you?”

“Sure, I’m willing to prove my worth.”