On Labor Day, we went to Leamington, Utah for their Leamardo Days celebration. We bought tickets for the BBQ dinner, rodeo, and raffle. We also signed up the kids to participate: Desert Girl in mutton busting and Desert Boy in calf riding.
Mutton busting (little kids riding a sheep) was up first, and one of Desert Girl's classmates also participated. He rode the sheep backwards to get a better grip, and he sure did hold on tight.
What a face! He was bound and determined to stay on.
Eventually, though, he started sliding off, but he stayed on a good while, good enough to earn $20!
He had a little jaunt walking back. He had done it!
Desert Girl was very nervous about doing this, but she wanted to give it a try. She wore her cowboy boots and cowgirl shirt and some decorated leggings (she's going through a not-liking jean phase).
That sheep moved fast, and soon she was only holding on around the sheep's neck. (That darn railing was in my way for the photos!)
And then her arms weren't even around the sheep.
She was on the ground and getting up.
She was not at all happy about the falling part of the ride. But she did better than some of the participants, who didn't really even make it out the gate. She was awarded a package of Skittles, and that helped make her feel better.
Next up was the calf money run, where a calf has tickets on it and the kids try to pull them off to earn a buck. Kids were running all over the arena, including Desert Boy.
Next up was calf riding. Desert Boy was very nervous about this.
He loaded up in the chute.
And then he was off!
I mean literally off! He had a rowdy calf.
Ouch!
He didn't like the falling part either.
He said his calf riding days are over.
Soon after was the greased pig competition. Whoever tackled the pig got to take it home. Desert Girl was motivated. She wanted a pet pig.
The kids ran around and around in circles.
This kid dove for the pig but didn't quite get it, but eventually someone did.
There were other events like barrel racing, saddle bronc, and hide racing, but I didn't get photos of those because the kids really wanted to have snow cones and we were kind of worn out from the camping adventure the night before (more on that later). After it was all said and done, Desert Girl was really glad she had done the mutton busting, and wants to do it again. She's near the weight and age limit, though, so I'm not sure she will. Desert Boy is upset he can't do mutton busting, as that seems to him a lot less painful than calf riding. I'm glad the kids got the chance to participate, and I'm quite all right if they don't decide to take up rodeoing for a hobby or career, it's not an easy sport and the chances of injury are pretty high! It was great having an event where they could give it a try.
While I was driving the other day, I had to slow down because these sheep thought they should be on the road. Sheep are just small enough and dull-colored enough that they often blend in with the surroundings, and it can be really hard to see them from a distance. So nearly every time I come upon sheep, I have to hit the brakes rather hard. 
Sheep aren't known for being especially fleet of foot, so it's important to brake for them. Then they take their time meandering, with some getting off the road, while others walk onto it. You can tell they just don't care much one way or another where they go.
I was kind of glad to stop because the scenery was spectacular. The higher elevations are still snow-covered, making the mountains seem so much taller than when the snow melts. I wonder if the sheep ever look up at the snow and wish it were cooler down where they are. After all, they are wearing extremely thick wool coats.
If you ever do get stopped by sheep crossing the road, be sure to roll down your window. Listening them to baaaing is quite enjoyable and will put a smile on your face. Trust me, it will.
Finally they had cleared out of my way. In fact, they almost look like they're taking in the beauty of the mountains. Sheep contemplating. Perhaps that's an oxymoron. Oh well, I was entertained by them.
Merry Christmas! Tonight we will be celebrating by going to a Candlelight Service and Nativity Play. The play will include Desert Boy as a sheep. It will be his first opportunity to be in a play, and I have a feeling he will like it.
The play also features these three adorable angels, who tend to get distracted easily, as you will see. 
Desert Boy's cousin Kayli has a solo, which she sings quite well. She is the angel Gabriel, so she had a lot of lines to memorize.
Here she is appearing to Joseph to tell him that his fiancee is with child and that it's okay.
The play is set up so you see most of the cast of characters for the entire performance. King Herod and his messenger are on the far left, the angels in the middle, Mary and Joseph in the stable on the right, and the shepherds and their sheep just off the stage.
The angels appear to have a little attitude here.
Mary and Joseph entertained themselves during slower parts by picking straw out of the manger.
Later the angels appeared to the shepherds to tell them about the newborn king.
The shepherds traveled to the stable to visit.
The sheep was left behind and was content for a little while.
The angels started singing a song...
...and the sheep decided to make a run for it, heading straight for Mama. I wonder if that will happen tonight. It will be dark in the auditorium, so it might make it harder for him to find me.
At the end, the entire cast performed Joy to the World. Minus the sheep who was hanging on to Mama. And another sheep and angel who were napping during the dress rehearsal. I think it will be an entertaining show!
This weekend we went to the Sheepherder's Party out on the Utah/Nevada stateline. This area, generally called the West Desert, has been a big winter sheepherding area for over a century. This party is put on to encourage sheepherders, sheep owners, and others involved in the sheep industry to celebrate their heritage and to take a break from the mundane routines of winter.
Denys Koyle, owner of the Border Inn, organized the event, which went from Friday evening to the wee hours of Saturday night. Friday night was a dinner and sheepherder's stories; Saturday was a pancake breakfast, presentation by Sour Dough Slim, a dinner, and the sheepherder's ball, with lots of good music to kick up your heels to. 
Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons opened the program Friday evening with remarks.
Some of the actual sheepherders came. There aren't so many of them anymore as transportation has improved. Nevertheless, they still do a lot of the sheepherding the old-fashioned way, living in small sheep camps, riding horses to move the sheep, and having only their border collies and sheep dogs for company most of the time. At one point most of the sheepherders were Basque, but today they are all from Peru. 
Sourdough Slim showed off his excellent musical abilities and sense of humor.
The program included those of all ages, including young Melanie singing a pretty song in her pink cowgirl hat.
This gentleman showed off a quilt his made. He explained that he wore the elbows out of his wool shirts, and they would mysteriously disappear from the closet. He wanted his wife just to cut the sleeves off to make short-sleeved summer shirts, but she used them to make this beautiful quilt--her 100th quilt!
The emcee was the hilarious Hank Vogler. His son got up to take his turn at filling the room with hot air.
