The days are getting longer and the sleep is getting less. The sun is up by 6 am and it doesn't go down until 10pm. I find myself feeling guilty if I'm not outside during these hours to, as they say, "Make hay while the sun shines." "They" did not live north of the 39th parallel or "they" would have died of sleep deprivation. Today, as I was mowing and singing along to the ipod, the neighbor walked in the yard. Turns out he ran his grain truck out of gas down the road. I found a hose and a gerry can and we headed down to siphon gas out of one tank on his truck to another. For some reason unbeknown to him, the tanks would not switch over. As hard as it is for most of you to believe, I got my very first lesson in siphoning today. I learned enough to know that a mouthful of gas will make an old man gag. While he plugged the hole on the hose, I would run around the truck and empty the can into the other tank. Everytime he stuck the hose back in the can, he poured gas all over my feet. Now, I was wearing shorts and flip flops because, as I said, I was mowing. My pasty white legs soaked up that liquid gold like a sponge. I now smell like a lawnmower mechanic and don't anyone dare smoke around me for few days.
Jessie had her second ball game last night. I have decided that maybe I am a bit too competitive to be out helping on the field. I got a dirty look from another parent when I told his child, who had a handful of dirt and no ball glove on while playing short stop, to pay attention. I was also at fault when another kid got tagged out when I told him to run to second. Well, you know what, you never learn anything by playing it safe. It was gonna take fifty batters at the pace we were going to get him home anyways. I'm sure I won't be asked back to coach.
Also, if anyone is interested, Jessie has kittens. Kelly has told me to find a home for all 13 of them now and start counseling Jessie on the departure of these kittens. I assured him that 95% of them would meet an untimely death. There are 34 tires on various moving vehicles here, and only 13 kittens. Not good odds I should say.
Well, I have finished my tea, so I should head back outside and see if the horses are any closer to the barn. I tried calling them in earlier and they looked at me from across the slough like I was an idiot.
Fall 2016
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
It's Raining It's Pouring....
Well, summer has been and probably gone the way it works here. The last week has been beautiful. We have got most of the cows out on grass which was no easy task. Sorting pairs is not that much fun here. It has been raining for the last two days. Even the ducks are seeking higher ground. However, the rain is much needed and no one is complaining.
Jessie had her first baseball game last week. When the jerseys were handed out, she picked 1 because she is the only girl on the team. She did very well. She got four runs and got one kid out. They lost 20-17, but they were still very excited. We took her out to eat after, and instead of picking Dairy Queen or McDonalds like most children, Jessie picked the nicest restaurant and ordered spaghetti and Creme Brulee for desert. I think she figures she is in the Majors now.
Not too much exciting has been happening around here other than baseball and work. Kelly and I worked our calves the other day. Thank goodness there aren't too many beef calves to work. Kelly flanked and tied them so we could get them cut. I vaccinated, implanted and notched ears. Kelly bled more than any of the calves after he stuck the knife into his thumb and the implant gun in his hand showing me the "right" way to implant.
Jessie and I are headed to Sheridan to meet Bobby and Cita this afternoon. Jessie is pretty excited to get her horse, but she really feels that I can make the trip myself. She doesn't want to drive that far. I'm sure it will be a pleasant drive.
Jessie had her first baseball game last week. When the jerseys were handed out, she picked 1 because she is the only girl on the team. She did very well. She got four runs and got one kid out. They lost 20-17, but they were still very excited. We took her out to eat after, and instead of picking Dairy Queen or McDonalds like most children, Jessie picked the nicest restaurant and ordered spaghetti and Creme Brulee for desert. I think she figures she is in the Majors now.
Not too much exciting has been happening around here other than baseball and work. Kelly and I worked our calves the other day. Thank goodness there aren't too many beef calves to work. Kelly flanked and tied them so we could get them cut. I vaccinated, implanted and notched ears. Kelly bled more than any of the calves after he stuck the knife into his thumb and the implant gun in his hand showing me the "right" way to implant.
Jessie and I are headed to Sheridan to meet Bobby and Cita this afternoon. Jessie is pretty excited to get her horse, but she really feels that I can make the trip myself. She doesn't want to drive that far. I'm sure it will be a pleasant drive.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
I'm Back!!
Sorry it's been so long. Warm weather is here and it is daylight at 6 am and doesn't get dark until 9:30 or 10 now, so I don't get much time inside.
We have been quite busy around here. With the action comes the heightened danger threat. It all started with a trip to Trail, B.C. You know when you see a sign like this, that things could get hairy.
Anyways, we made it home safe and sound from there. We have been working to get cows out to pasture and out of our hair. We thought it might be a good idea to tag calves this year since they are all coming out either red or black. Since this wasn't a good idea when I suggested it when they were too small to run, we are risking life and limb to get it done now. So, with Kelly in the back of the truck with a rope, and me driving with the ear tagger we are getting it somewhat done. It is like a scene right out of Crocodile Hunter. You may ask why we don't use a horse. Well, for one, we don't have a horse fast enough for these calves. Two, who is going to get off their horse and tag the calves with the mother trying to kill you. Three, when the first person does get off to tag, I refuse to stand my horse between the cow and him to keep him from getting it. This comes from experience. Trust me. It is way easier to pull the calf into the safety of the bed of the truck. So far we have had two cows nearly in the truck and one hooking the door.
We did get part of our arena up. We don't have the roping chute yet, and we still need a few panels for length, but it is big enough to start bucking bulls. Kelly and I tracked a few calves around in it yesterday. He is planning on busting out his new gray horse today. It bucked him off the other day. It was good watching. He was mad because the horse was supposed to be well started. He later found out that the guy had only been on it snubbed to another horse. Kelly's comment was, "Well, I guess that wasn't bad then for his first ride." He has designated today as "young horse day." This should be interesting. I've got ten that says he is sick of his young horses after he rides the first one.
Mother's Day was spent at the neighbors branding. I got flowers from Jessie. She knew her dad wouldn't help her, so she called her grandma and asked her to go shopping for her. She was so proud. We went to the branding where all the mother's got roses. Craig, the neighbor, felt bad for us all spending the day working. We all thought that was the perfect way to spend Mother's Day. Jessie was the marker girl. She marked all the calves after they were branded. She was very good help and had a lot of fun. She did get wiped out by a calf, but she got up laughing. She wants to be the marker at every branding now.
The school called Monday for me to come get Jessie because she was sick. I got there and she was laying in the Nurse's Office looking like death. On the way home she told me that she was playing ballerina on the tire swing and the spinning made her sick. If I hadn't been halfway home, I would have turned around and made her go back. Needless to say, she was fine an hour later.
Jessie has her first ball game tonight. She asked me if it was going to be in a stadium. I assured her it wasn't. Then she asked Kelly if there was going to be an announcer. She is quite sure she is playing in the Majors.
Well, I better get outside and start saddling horses. I hope everyone has a great day.
We have been quite busy around here. With the action comes the heightened danger threat. It all started with a trip to Trail, B.C. You know when you see a sign like this, that things could get hairy.
Anyways, we made it home safe and sound from there. We have been working to get cows out to pasture and out of our hair. We thought it might be a good idea to tag calves this year since they are all coming out either red or black. Since this wasn't a good idea when I suggested it when they were too small to run, we are risking life and limb to get it done now. So, with Kelly in the back of the truck with a rope, and me driving with the ear tagger we are getting it somewhat done. It is like a scene right out of Crocodile Hunter. You may ask why we don't use a horse. Well, for one, we don't have a horse fast enough for these calves. Two, who is going to get off their horse and tag the calves with the mother trying to kill you. Three, when the first person does get off to tag, I refuse to stand my horse between the cow and him to keep him from getting it. This comes from experience. Trust me. It is way easier to pull the calf into the safety of the bed of the truck. So far we have had two cows nearly in the truck and one hooking the door.
We did get part of our arena up. We don't have the roping chute yet, and we still need a few panels for length, but it is big enough to start bucking bulls. Kelly and I tracked a few calves around in it yesterday. He is planning on busting out his new gray horse today. It bucked him off the other day. It was good watching. He was mad because the horse was supposed to be well started. He later found out that the guy had only been on it snubbed to another horse. Kelly's comment was, "Well, I guess that wasn't bad then for his first ride." He has designated today as "young horse day." This should be interesting. I've got ten that says he is sick of his young horses after he rides the first one.
Mother's Day was spent at the neighbors branding. I got flowers from Jessie. She knew her dad wouldn't help her, so she called her grandma and asked her to go shopping for her. She was so proud. We went to the branding where all the mother's got roses. Craig, the neighbor, felt bad for us all spending the day working. We all thought that was the perfect way to spend Mother's Day. Jessie was the marker girl. She marked all the calves after they were branded. She was very good help and had a lot of fun. She did get wiped out by a calf, but she got up laughing. She wants to be the marker at every branding now.
The school called Monday for me to come get Jessie because she was sick. I got there and she was laying in the Nurse's Office looking like death. On the way home she told me that she was playing ballerina on the tire swing and the spinning made her sick. If I hadn't been halfway home, I would have turned around and made her go back. Needless to say, she was fine an hour later.
Jessie has her first ball game tonight. She asked me if it was going to be in a stadium. I assured her it wasn't. Then she asked Kelly if there was going to be an announcer. She is quite sure she is playing in the Majors.
Well, I better get outside and start saddling horses. I hope everyone has a great day.
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