My Ole Buddy

On Friday I found myself over in Cody, so I looked up my ole friend Doug Reachard. We go way back to high school, 94-98. Doug, Mr. Reachard back then, was my shop teacher. He left a lasting impact on me. His life long encouragement has taught me not to try, but to do. Thanks Doug for your continued friendship and mentorship. The world could use a few more Doug Reachards in it. 

There’s little Doug can’t do. This old Avery is in the process of being one of the many sod busters that he has rebuilt. Keep feeding that fire of desire, Doug. It keeps you young at heart. 

Later Lee

Well Lee it’s been fun having you around. We started with a branding and ended with a rodeo. You’re a good sport. Remember, ol’ son, to always wear your hat. 

Me, Lee, and Kelly Hand at Lee’s Super Puncher investiture

It was a fun summer Lee. Just a reminder when life gets tough at the seminary, You ain’t no cowboy!

You Ain't No Cowboy

Well we bucked, and got bucked off. This time I was on for a good 6, well most of it was barely hanging on. Maybe someone got a video, but this is what went down from my perspective. I nodded my head, they pulled the gate, this ole buckskin comes flying out and and just about dumps me over the front. I find a seat, then blow out my left swell and stirrup. I'm off to the right but still in the game, so I ride him out till my left hand gives out and I hit the dirt. Again, I make the long walk of humility back to my hat in front of the home town crowd. The worst part about it is that now everyone knows I'm bald. Wouldn't trade it for the world.

Fr. Bryce, relieved that he survived his last ride. Chris Ledoux says, "when you ride your last one, make sure he's the best one. Jump while he's moving. Tip your hat boys, and walk away." Special thanks to all my fans. On to the next one....

The Unreflected Life is Not Worth Living

Jesus, the Word made flesh, can also be translated as Meaning made flesh.

Trouble viewing, click on web version below, peace

The Church Needs More Cowboys

Rodeo Roy is back, but this time he's back in black.

Trouble viewing, click on web version at bottom

Martha, Martha, Martha

Martha gets a bad rap. She is a woman of extreme faith!

Trouble viewing, click on web version

AMDG

All for the greater glory of God 

Trouble viewing, click on web version below

Cattle Company Day

The day finally arrived - Cattle Company day. Super punchers can't fly alone so I called my right-hand man Seth. Off to Worland we ran in White Horse and a fancy Featherlite trailer that ole Ernie Blohm finally let me borrow. Couldn't have asked for a funner couple of days.

Seth and I and his 10gal hat. Looking good ol' son. Always wear your hat Seth.

Here's the Lungren Brothers: Luke my brother, his boys Carter and Kendrick, ol' son, and Dad

You can get a lot of the world's problems solved around a branding fire.  Here's Uncle Vance, who raised the cattle, and Dad and I.  Dad and Uncle Vance have worked many a cows in this corral.

We own them now. My cousin Vannie ran the chute as I branded the first Lungren Brothers Cattle Company livestock.

That'll leave a mark

Six open heifers is what we purchased. Weighed in about 1200 lbs. Good looking bovine.

They are plumb happy along Wyo Hwy 24 in the Black Hills outside of Hulett. The motorcycles and Corvettes like seeing them too. It's gonna be fun watching them put on a little weight. My game plan... fatten them, slaughter them, cut em up and sell the beef. Anyone interested?

Getter Done

Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord

trouble viewing, click on web version 

The Truth Will Set You Free

Truth is when my mind corresponds with reality

trouble viewing, click web version at bottom of screen

Cowgirl Ride

We ride never worry about the fall, guess that's just the cowboy in us all.

Trouble viewing, click on web version

Mary!

The saint God wants you to be is the man He created you to be.

Trouble viewing, click on web version at bottom

The Fire of Desire

Me: Lord, I desire to do Your will.  God: Your desire is My will.

Trouble viewing, click on web version at bottom of page

Ride for the Brand

One can't go into the cattle business without a trade mark. Wyoming brands have always captivated my interest. All us boys have one. My brother registered mine for me back in 05. I've never used it, but now the time has come. Its cattle company time.

So I turned to my faithful ole buddy Ernie Blohm. He usually shakes his head at me, but is always willing to lend a hand. It always comes with a little advice though. Thanks Ernie. Your are truly a wise man.

L hanging B is cool but I haven't gotten into using it much because it has my initials reversed. However, I think it will serve our cattle endeavor well.  How about "Lungren Brothers Cattle Company"? Now that has a nice ring. Lungren Brothers was the company name of my granddad's farm growing up.  How does that fit our operation today? I don't know.... my two older brothers Matt and Luke are my biggest fans. My cousins are who I'm buying the cattle from. My dad and uncles have always been my heroes. Like it or not, everything I do is a family affair. Now its time to trade mark it. 7/20/20, Lungren Brothers Cattle Company is born. 

The Church Needs More Cowboys

...a few more people who ain't afraid to make noise.

Trouble viewing, click on web version below

Holiness Baby

Believe it or not, all of us are called to the heights of contemplation.

Trouble viewing, click on web version at bottom of page

We Work Hard. We Play Hard.

God is so good.  I'm always hunting for pasture to run a few head of cattle on, and Joe Ortner had just what we were looking for. So off to fix fence Lee and I went.

A pretty rowdy crew: Boone, Joe, me, Lee, and Chief

I thought it would be good if Lee fixed the fence on the hill sides. Martha the mule also tagged along.

Just ranchin 

Just lookin pretty

Whoa Boone!

You ain't no supper puncher if you get off your horse to fix fence.

Once Lee got all the work done he got to go surf Cook Lake.  Lookin good Cowboy!

The Ortner family just completed their beautiful home in the Bear Lodge Mts.

Take a load off dad

Here's the family: Young Joe, Terry, Joe, James, and Lee. Thanks family for making us part of yours.

Bryce and Jose contemplating the universe as we rolled back into town.

So fun. There's little I'd rather do for fun than cowboy. It's tough to beat life in the northeast corner of Wyoming.  Lee and I gotter done. Now all we need is cows. That'll come at the end of the week. Until then, sit tall in the saddle. 

This is a Tough Job

Some times a man just has to suck it up and do it. Guess that's what I had to do today. I'm not a golfer, but I had fun. Such good people. Such a good cause, support Catholic schools. Catholicism is about being fully human. We need God's grace to do so.

This was my posse: Kandis Ford and Paul Casey. Good friends, good peeps. Lord knows my life would be way more dull without them. Peace kids.

There comes a time in every man's life when someone has to step in and say, "roll your pant legs back down bro, you look like you're riding a chicken." So fun.

Just ranchin    

All for the Glory of God.

We had fun today, and it's only just begun. You got two choices in 2020, hide behind a mask or cowboy up and have fun.  I choose the latter. 

A Properly Ordered Life

The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath

Trouble viewing, click on web version at bottom

The Lost Art of Pondering

Our Lady of Mount Carmel, pray for us!

Trouble viewing, click web version at bottom of the page

Faith and Reason

Grace perfects our reason

Click on web version if trouble viewing

St. Kateri Tekakwitha pray for us!

Inculturation vs. Syncretism

Trouble viewing, click on web version at bottom of screen

Just Ranchin

I think if young men really knew how fun the priesthood could be they'd flock to it.  Here's my Monday

Every cowboy needs a couple cowgirls around him. Here is my Grandma Ruth and Aunt Vic. They were passing through so they stopped to buy me lunch. I love them

Here's what I'm really excited for. This is my old buddy Dave Craig's horse Boone. It's so great his name is Boone, just like DB's horse. Dave died in the saddle two months ago. It's an honor to get his horse back up and running.

King St. Henry and the Kingdom of God

Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you!

Trouble viewing, click on web version below

The Truth Will Set You Free

Be not afraid to speak the truth in love

trouble viewing, click on web version at bottom

A Typical Wyoming Catholic Cowboy Priest's Vacation

Some people wonder what priests do on their days off.  I figure my vaca's are pretty typical for priests, at least for Wyoming Catholic Cowboy priests.  Here's what my past five days back home in the Big Horn Basin looked like.

The week started out with a hotshot trip to Pinedale WY with Fr. Carl Beavers and Dad to pick up a tractor from Fr. Carl's buddy Joe. We arrived back in Worland Monday at midnight with the only casualty being an antelope on the Red Desert.

The next morning we were up with the sun to celebrate Mass with some family, Uncle Phil, Aunt Rhonda, Mom and the Beavs.  Fr. Carl is a Wyoming Catholic priest. There's nothing he doesn't know, or at least has an opinion on, and his stalwartlyness is not only admirable, but also inspirational. I hope I can be like Fr. Carl Beavers when I grow up. 

As we hauled his tractor to Dayton and picked up his car in Buffalo, we discovered he had lost his alternator belt. These two shade tree mechanics had her up and running in no time.

Since we were in the mood for mechanics, Dad and I tackled putting a new head gasket on our little JD-450 dozer.  Dad, I, and dozers go way back.

This is not a pose. I did get my hands dirty. But I think I'll stick with my cowboy hat, even though this is a ba Black Tooth Saddle Bronc hat.

There she be, four cylinders of pure muscle.  Fun little project. 

So we had to take her up to the mountains and put her to the test dragging some dead trees out of the creek.

Dad's a better cat skinner than I

These stumps could have cost us our friendship.  Instead they stand as a testament to the power of working together as father and son in cooperation with the grace of God.

I know that there's nothing Dad would rather do on his birthday than load fire wood

So we went paddle boarding instead

Not bad for a 69 year old Wyoming Catholic Cowboy

I should have started out on my knees too, that way I wouldn't have fallen in.  But you always got to think of the cool factor.

I love life in Wyoming. Today is her birthday, 130 years old.  I told my buddy one day that my dad and Wyoming share the same birthday, and he told me: "Your dad is Wyoming."  I agree.  Dad taught me everything I know about being a man.  What a great grace to spend a few days with him and Mom and all those whom I love and have made me the man I am today.  I got to get back to Gillette so I can get some rest.  On to the next one...

I'm Proud to be an American...

(IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO VIEW THE VIDEOS, CLICK THE WEB VERSION AT BOTTOM)

What an awesome weekend. I'm so thankful to live in America. I'm so thankful to be Catholic. And I'm so thankful to be a Cowboy.  

Special thanks to my buddy Twain Ayers.  Providence brought us together.  Not sure who helped who more, but I do know I'd still be staring at my saddle if it wouldn't have been for him.  You have a gift for coaching rodeo, Twain.  May God bless your journey.  Thanks for being on mine.

Pregame

  

The Ride

A Real Ride

One to the next one.

Dad and I.  You always got my back.

2020 is not a summer for wimps.  It's a summer for Cowboys.  We work hard, we play hard.  These are my boys: Seth Hostetler, Lee Noel & Kurt Mentele.  Wyoming Catholic Cowboys don't roll alone.  We need each other to lean on.  Thanks to all of you too.  We did buck for America and we will continue to do so.  Life is a rodeo, you get bucked off, you get back on again.  In all seriousness, this'll probably be my last stab at saddle bronc.  The only way to get better is to get on a lot more horses.  That's probably more time and effort than I have to give. Check it off the bucket list I guess.  But for now, we're on to the next one!

FREEDOM!

Happy 4th of July weekend.  God bless America!

Having trouble viewing, click on web version at bottom of page

Will the real Communion of Saints please stand up

Happy Feast of St. Thomas

Having trouble viewing, click on web version

Priest Prophet and King

Giddy up

Trouble viewing click on web version at bottom of page

A Day in the life of Fr. Super Puncher

trouble viewing, click web version at bottom

Speaking the truth about BLM

Hang on to your hat

trouble viewing click on web version at the bottom