#45 Rich Man. Don Shaffner--his 100th Birthday

#45 Rich Man.   52 Ancestors in a Year.  100th Year for Don Shaffner

In the west and ranching lifetyle, a rich man describes himself wealthy if he: 

Has a good wife, a good dog and a good horse

Don Shaffner considered himself a rich man since he had all 3.  

Since today is Dad’s 100th Birthday, I dedicate this blog to him.  

Dad & Mom celebrating an anniversary at the ranch at Grasshopper Creek

Dad married an incredible woman, Helen Lloyd.  She stood beside him in his ranching and veterinary practice, yet she wasn't fond of animals and allergic to them!  But she could cook and host a party, sew for her daughters, as well as being a bookkeeper at the veterinary hospital.

Dad doing what he liked best.

Feeding his calves

Dad loved a pack horse.

He grew up packing to his sheep camp.

He had more than one good horse in his lifetime

He loved big Morgan horses that could travel the country; mostly at a trot!

Dad and his dogs!

Unfortunately I couldn't find a picture of his favorite dog.  It would be hard to tell which was his favorite dog, because he always named them Smoky!  Always a blue heeler and always a spayed female.  I will keep looking for Smoky pictures.

But in the meantime, his last dog was Blackjack.

After his head injury, Dad was spending time at our house.  I thought maybe a dog is what he needed to help heal as a dog would need care.  Dad was very good at caring for his dogs and they were always well manner, house broken and knew their owner.  We visited a neighbor who raised dogs and I knew they had good border collies.  They also had a miniature schnauzers.  And to my amazement, Dad chose a miniature schnauzer.  He said he knew that he would no longer be riding and didn't need a dog that required work.  He picked out Blackjack and I convinced him that we should go home and think on it.  The next day when I returned home from work, Dad asked if we could go get his dog and he had already named it Blackjack.   He smiled as we left, carrying the puppy in his arms.  As everyone knows, Schnauzer's bark-maybe even when a leaf falls off the tree!  But what we didn't know, is that Schnauzer's don't know where home is and like to wander.  As dad's condition worsened, he paid less attention to Blackjack.  Gail and her family spent hours looking for Blackjack and I think the town of Dillon knew Blackjack!  

I am not sure if this was his best dog!  

After all, it wasn't named Smoky!

But it was a dog that gave him lots of happy moments.

Happy Birthday Dad!