Haute on the Ranch: Long Line of {cowgal} Mamas

Here at S7s we love Mother’s Day ~ celebrating all the strong, independent, hard working women who have come before us! This Mother’s Day I wanted to bring you along as we take a look back through 3+ generations of women who have helped shape who I am today. I come from a long line of strong willed, bareback riding, wild hearted cowgirls that make me so proud to be theirs. Enjoy a little bit about the Burke ~ Herrin ~ Dent women, their recipes that are delish & special, along with a special gift you can share with your loved ones!

My mom, Mary Dent, & Raddish

My mom, Mary Dent (Herrin), is a Montana cowgirl native who followed her heart to the home of a Kansas Cowboy at the age of 19 (my dad, Darvin). She grew up on a cow/calf and sugar beet ranch outside Helena alongside 4 sisters and brother. With not always enough saddles to go around, the girls would race their horses bareback through the pastures. My competitive spirit and aspirations to be the horsewomen my mom and aunts are, will always be a driving force of mine. My mom has barrel raced and trained horses her entire life. Her knowledge and gentle ways with horses are truly something to be admired. Along with that, my mom is my favorite cook. I can’t tell you the number of times I have called her for the ingredient list of our family’s favorite recipes, while standing in the grocery store aisle.

I made this more than anything else growing up. Here is our simple Chocolate Sauce recipe that my mom grew up making as a kid.  An ice cream sundae topping like no other!

My Granny, Molly Herrin, & Little Sister

You can imagine the kind of cowkid mama my mom’s mom, Molly Herrin (Burke), was to raise 6 horse-crazy kids. I have the best memories of growing up getting to ride alongside her at race events.  She was cowgirl to the core. She barrel raced until she was 80 years old! That year she was at a big barrel race in Gillette, WY with my mom and aunts.  The announcer says through the loudspeaker “This team (her horse Little Sister and her) have 101 years of experience together.”  That’s a cowgirl, y’all! After long summer days or Christmas break days spent outside at her place in the Helena Valley the cousins, aunts and uncles would always pack into her kitchen for good food and good memories! 

My friends and family know me for making my Granny’s lasagna - maybe all too often - well, because it’s delicious and it’s about the only supper thing I know how to make that feeds a bigger group! haha

My Great Grandmother "Ma" Catherine Burke, my cousin Rafer & Cheyenne 1979

My Granny, Molly Herrin (2nd from right), My Great Aunt Mary Flax (far left), their cousins and neighbors - 1945 Dillon, MT Labor Day Parade

My Great Grandmother, “Ma” Catherine Burke, was there to plant the seed for all of our love for horses. She grew up on a ranch in Dillon, MT, raised with her siblings, by their young widowed mother, who kept their ranch running with the help of hired hands. Ma had two daughters that were just as horse crazy as the rest of us ~ Molly (my Granny) & Mary (my great aunt). I have just a few young memories of my great grandmother's feisty self in her 90’s and so many wonderful stories of her from my mom and aunts. I do know I come from a long line of women on a mission.  They are doers, movers and shakers. When trying to keep up with my mom’s fast pace as a child, she would tell me she learned to speed walk, to keep up with her Grandmother - Ma, when she was young.  I don’t think I’ve stopped speed walking everywhere I go since then. 

During Christmas all the Burke/Herrin/Dent/Wimer women love to make Ma’s super thin and tasty Sugar Cookies sprinkled in red and green sugar!

While it may be easy now to give them a quick call and have them share their recipes time and time again, they won’t always be here to do that. Write those recipes down, share them with your family and friends and keep those memories alive! 

I wanted to gift y’all some blank recipe cards that you can print at home, to share these recipes or your own with another Momma this Mother’s Day.  If you can’t print at home we do have these for purchase in our Trusner Designs x S7s custom Cactus Floral & Rio Rancho designs! 

Looking for a sweet and meaningful Mother’s Day Gift this year? Print this recipe card, write out a family recipe, bake that item and attach the recipe card to it.  A gift that won’t be forgotten! 

Happy Mother's Day to any and all women who have cared for, loved and mothered strong, loving and hard working kids!

'till next time ~ Ryley Wimer and the S7s Gals

Enjoy a few family pics of my family of cowgirls!

Mary Dent & Sontag - 1985 URA Finals, Columbia, MO

Mary Dent, Ryley Wimer, Molly Herrin - 2008, Justin, TX

Molly Herrin & Little Sister, 2007

Mary Dent, Ryley Wimer, my daughter Blayke Wimer - 2017 Brookville, KS Labor Day Rodeo

The Herrin {cow}girls - Mary, Carol and Kitty circa 1965 Herrin Ranch

Ryley Wimer & Jagger - Lincoln, NE 2012

"Ma" Catherine Burke, "Granny" Molly Herrin, my Aunt Carrol King (Herrin) 1990