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Mad Jack Hanks: Tales from the O-NO Ranch 12-20-10

Mad Jack Hanks
Wellington, Colo.

Gentle readers, as I sit at my computer trying to put together another column I am slightly distracted by the view just outside my window. There are a dozen or so antelope peacefully grazing just across the road maybe 75 yards away. They are framed by the beautiful Rocky Mountains and a large billowy formation of clouds just above the mountain tops. A sight for sore eyes for sure.

Hopefully I have mailed out all the Christmas cards that I am supposed to mail. I said hopefully! When you get this column it will only be a few days until Christmas and I am expecting all the kids and grandkids again this year so I have lots to get done.

I went out yesterday and put lights on a 9-foot blue spruce in the front yard. I’m tryin’ to convince myself that maybe I will not put up a tree in the house as both families will have had a small family Christmas at their house before coming to Grandpa’s house. I have yet to go shopping but I did order a new pair of lace up boots for dancing. I am waiting for “Brown” to deliver them sometime today. I have a bad ankle and need extra support on it when I go to scoot my boots around the dance floor. I did put out a good many decorations around the house yesterday and most likely will add a touch or two of something else before company arrives. I’m still struggling over the Christmas tree in the house. I want my kids and grandkids to remember these special times at Grandpa’s house when I’m long gone and I want those memories to be happy ones. Chances are I will go find a small tree and get it up and decorated just so the little ones won’t beat me up when I’m gone!



This weather is something else. I mean we are havin’ some great extended fall weather from time to time. It may hit close to 60 today but it’s windy out there and that’s a minus for me. No snow down here on the prairie but the mountains are loading up it seems. Down in Texas we never expected snow for Christmas but were pleasantly surprised one year with about 4 inches. However, that 4 inches came with zero-degree temps and high winds. We had 47 ponds on the ranch and they all froze over and we lost over 60 head of steers that fell through the ice trying to find water and it was a terrible Christmas from that standpoint.

I could do without snow this Christmas and be OK without havin’ to shovel snow or remove big drifts with ole Alice my tractor. It makes doing chores so much easier if you don’t have to fight snow drifts and it hardly snows here without having some type of drifts around the house and corrals. I’m an organized feller so you can bet whatever I need to get done will get done and I’ll be ready for family and Christmas fun.



I hope your Christmas goes according to plan and it’s one to remember for all of the good times you had. Stay tuned, check yer cinch on occasion and I’ll c. ya.


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