Pray for Rain

Pray for rain. Please.

The road graders rolled out of the county yard early this morning to try to repair the damage. Not a speck of gravel left on the county roads, ranchers’ teeth rattling around the washboard-covered curves this morning as they set out to feed cows, check for calves, and start the neverending task of fixing fence.

The fences are all bearing the load in one way or another. Some lean under an invisible force to the south. Others stand in sand, covered in tumbleweeds, with drifts of dirt from someone’s field or pasture covering them to the top wire. They look like something from the Dust Bowl or the desert or somewhere haunted by ghosts of people

From the FarmWife Project, I Should Have Known Better, Amy Vice

I had plans yesterday.  I was going to stay home, catch up on laundry, do some spring cleaning, and listen to good music.  My husband took my youngest with him to the farm to do chores.  She is my busy ornery child, so I was thinking about how much more I was going to get done without her help.  They had 3 calves to tag and then move momma and baby to the other pasture.  We have a pasture we calve all the cows out in and then we move them to another a day or two after birth as we feed them differently according to their needs.

Heading down the road.

They weren’t gone 20 minutes when the phone rang.  Our neighbor needed to move some cows down the road, just over a mile.  He always helps us, so we are always glad to return the favor.  I love our neighbor, not only is he always willing to help, he is so kind to our girls and is always helping them with their horses when he can.  His cows are also slower movers than ours are, so it was a perfect time to let the girls ride and help.  So I quickly threw on my jeans, a sweatshirt, and my new tennis shoes.  I got my other daughter dressed and was going to take her to the farm so she could go with them.  I was going to drop her off and have the house to myself for the morning!  I should have known better…

Lions, piglets and calves. Oh, my!

I think mountain lions are pretty. I also know that mountain lions and piglets mingle poorly.

A mountain lion, weighing in at 130 lbs., was taken within five miles of our house this week. I know the arguments against shooting these beautiful creatures. I also know that the lions are a direct threat to local ranchers as we are all in the midst of calving.

From the FarmWife Project: Busy Day, Amy Vice

• Steam cleaned the living room, hallway, and basement.
• Rearranged said living room.
• Fell down the stairs to said basement with the steam cleaner.  Finding many more sore points today.  Ouch. 
• Planned to take kids to ride their horses.

From the FarmWife Project: Hockey, anyone?, Jean Meinzer

I figure when it’s cold outside and we’re facing daunting chores such as chopping ice half of the morning, we might as well enjoy it. I like to “become one” with the ice, so to speak. It takes my mind off the sore muscles I know I can expect later that night and off of the seemingly unending striations of ice I have to chop through before I see the “liquid silver” (water).

Joe, the goalie, celebrates a block.

            So a few days ago, I thought I’d try my hand at ice hockey. I’ve never been much of an ice skater—my ankles can’t handle the stress of standing on a thin blade while I’m sliding down a sheet of ice at autobahn speed. I love watching ice hockey and my husband and I even attend games at the Air Force Academy when we get the chance.

From the FarmWife Project: Planners, calves, and the grumpies, Amy Vice

My husband is a planner.  And everything must go according to plan.  If not, I deal with a grumpy husband.  For as often as his plans change unexpectedly, you would think he might have learned to be more flexible.  Not so much.  Sigh.  I however, have learned to deal with the grumpies.  Most days.

In December of 2001 we were asked if we would like to buy an older friend’s last 8 cows and their calves.  They were registered Red Angus, big beautiful cows.  Their calves Red Angus-Hereford cross.  The calves were currently in a feedlot and had been since they were weaned.  We chose to buy the 8 cows and heifer calves.  We planned to raise the calves to add to our herd.  We were told the cows were due to calve at the end of February.