Is it really May already? Seems like most of April’s showers took a detour around Willow Creek. We’ve been in need of a good soak and luckily last night Mother Nature delivered.  She might not have been on time, but at least she didn’t forget about us this time around. It’s amazing how a good rain can freshen and perk things up in a hurry.

In addition to our nightly rain dance, we’ve been busy planting crops, burning ditches, servicing wheel lines and pivots, moving the cows & calves out to pasture, and doing a little spring cleaning in between.

Last weekend was the annual Horse Drive so we did take a quick break to watch all 200+ horses run through Willow Creek on their way to Three Forks. As it turns out, this year marked the final Round-Up and Horse Drive. The Mantle ranch held the initial drive 11 years ago and since then it has grown into quite an event. I just visited the Montana Horses website and read a post on their blog written by an attendee of the event complaining about how they were “sorely disappointed” about not having the opportunity to “see the horses fly into the pasture, to have photos for painting references.” Given that the horses run directly past our ranch I’ve never taken the time to drive into Three Forks and see the end of the drive or to participate in all the festivities. However, I thought it was funny that this person thought the Mantles’ priority should be in providing photo opps. for onlookers. Wowza!

Anyway, below are a few photos provided by a good friend from Bozeman who drove to TF to catch a glimpse of all the goings-on. He didn’t seem to have a problem with the photo opportunities he was provided with : ) Thanks Brian!!