Spring season on the ranch brings with it lots of work. To name a few jobs, there’s calving and lambing, branding, getting the fields ready for haying season, irrigating and fence repair so that livestock can be let out into summer pasture. Along with all the chores comes the unpredictable weather and worries that come along with it (such as concern that the ponds won’t have enough water in them to hold the animals for summer or that there won’t be enough irrigation water). It isn’t unusual to have to re-schedule brandings and other livestock-working activities.

Meanwhile, the cattle and sheep are ready to be moved to summer grass. After all, some of them have been used to the turn-out for some years. So, wherever there’s green grass across the fence, the animals try to get it, leaving sagging and broken wires and sometimes pushing so hard on gates that they let themselves out. (Believe it or not, it has happened.)

So with all of these springtime stressors, things can get pretty tense. It’s pretty amazing what a difference positive statements can make when things seem negative — even made once in awhile. (By the way, being positive applies to everyone, not just ranchers.)

So, consider these statements…

• “Thanks for feeding the lambs when I was late coming home today.”

• “You did a great job on the fence!”

• “That pot of coffee you brewed at 3 a.m. was a life saver! It perked me up!”

• “I was so upset when the steer bloated that I might have forgotten to tell you how much I appreciated your help. Thanks so much!”

• “I appreciated your phone call to let us know that the cow was out on the highway. Thanks for being a good neighbor!”

• “Thanks for helping pull that great big calf.”

• “I was as cross as an old bear yesterday. Thanks for putting up with me.”

• “Thanks for helping brand today. It is always a big help when you give the calves their shots.”

• “It was great to have a hot supper. Thanks for keeping it in the oven for me. I wanted to finish harrowing the field in case it snows.”

• “The potted geranium on the front porch is beautiful. Thanks for making the house look cheerful.”

• “Night after night you have gotten up to check the heifers. If I haven’t said it before, I don’t know what I would have done without your help.”

• “Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to help us move cattle to pasture.”

• “Thanks for helping feed the cows, morning after morning, month after month.”

• “Dad, remember when you took time away from your chores to show me how that beaver made a house out of all of those sticks? Thanks.”

• “We appreciate you taking time to haul us the hay. It made a big difference.”

• “Thanks for being you.”