4 January 2025

Creativity

The children have been building things. One of them more than the other but they both got in on the biggest build.

8 has been working on a little scooter thing. No one is really sure what to call it. He thinks maybe a three wheeler. Which it is. He found the pieces and has been assembling it himself. He’s doing a very good job with what he has available.

 

He had a friend over to spend the night. They went outside and didn’t come in until dark. I was starting to get a little worried. I needn’t have been. They were removing the wheels from the, thing, whatever it’s called. They never did do a whole lot with them. But they rolled them around a lot. I was just impressed that they got the wheels off.

 

Along with cousin Cade they created a sledding contraption. We don’t know what else to call it. 8 and his friend added on a little. The one piece I think is going to need to go. Sharp tin to land on seems like the worst of the bad ideas here. The black tube, culvert? The kids and I drug home in Nov. I thought it was going to be a horse toy. I was wrong. The kids took it off immediately and began improvising ways to hurt themselves with it. Or play. Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference. They slid down it off the swingest frame. They slid down it off their other toys. They rolled each other down the hill in it. Apparently that one hurt too bad.

When they ran out of snow to sled down they created this. You go through the tube, land on the mattress springs, then continue down the hill? I’m happy not to have seen it in action. But I’m proud of the things they are coming up with to do with it.

Category: 8, Goblin Child | LEAVE A COMMENT
30 December 2024

Chores

It’s snowing.

Not enough to add up to much, but it’ll keep the dust down.

We brought the cows in from the corn stalks yesterday just in case.

The wind is supposed to get bad as the day goes on. There’s no shelter out there. So we called them to the payloader and they followed a load of hay to the corrals. The children and I on 4wheelers to bring up the stragglers and to be there just in case.

I circled one way while they went the other. A long ways from when all four of us and a dog fit on one fourwheeler together. I could see them across the field as I circled. They tried to chase heifers who, curious and tame, circled them back looking for treats. Smart kids. They quickly gave up on chasing and lead with heifers following. I came around to bring up the rear, just in case.

A couple old lame cows eventually took their place in the rear as heifers galloped off to join chase on the bale. We walked them slowly along. Smart kids, they hung back and let the old girls set the pass. No chasing and hurrying here. In no time the whole herd was safe int he corrals. Fed up good and sheltered. Just in case.

One old girl is left behind. She hurt her hip somehow since we brought them home from pasture. She’s following slowly behind. We let her follow at her own speed.

This morning the promised snow did arrive! Not a whole lot, but enough to get us wet and make the cows unhappy. I forced one child to leave her school shoes in the house and switch to mud boots. Gloves and a coat might be a good idea too?

I drove the feed truck, pouring hay and corn to hungry cows. Peering out at a water color world, colors streaked and blurred through the dripping windshield. Window cracked just enough to let some fresh air in and maybe keep the windows from fogging too much worse, but hopefully not enough to let more than a little snow and chaff in.

Through the crack I watch as the children bring the old cow the rest of the way into the corral alone. She’s feeling better, moving better this morning and covers the last little bit of ground much quicker. We’ll keep her up when we let the other cows back out. Keep her where she wont have to move at all between feed and water. The kids do a great job all on their own, then are sent off to break ice.

Through the crack I watch as they get caught by their father and brought along to cut the net wrap off bales of hay for the cattle. Not long ago they were too afraid to get that close to the cattle and cutting net wrap was too big a job for them. They get gates and do all the odd jobs that make life so much easier. All in sweatshirts, and gloves! At least one concession made to their mother.

With cows fed and tucked away we all head back to the warmth of the house. They laugh when we say the work will build character. But we know it is helping them get ready. They’ll have the knowledge, experience, and confidence ready for one of these days when they need it. Just in case.

 

 

Category: Cows, Family, It's a God thing | LEAVE A COMMENT
27 October 2024

The Cows Are Out!

What is it with cows out this year!
I know it’s dry and everyone is running out of grass, but it’s getting a little out of hand.
Taking the kids to meet a friend to send them off with to church this morning we looked over and saw cows in our cornstalks. My daughter messaged my husband to let him know I knew they were there and would get something figured out as soon as I got back.
He called me on my way back to let me know he could see a couple of goats in with the cows. That told us both immediately who the cows belonged to.
Us! 🤣
I Picked him up on my way home. He was out building fence, in that particular field. We got 4wheelers, I got a bucket of corn, and went after the heifers.
Yearlings are famous for being difficult to chase. They’re like teenagers, slightly crazy and a little bit stupid 😉 They run off in every direction.
Luckily mine are treat trained, just like my horses! I got close to them and called. They came running and quietly lead back to the pasture.
We went round the pasture looking for where they got out. It was a gate in the far corner that we never use. We never use it partially because I can NOT open it. My husband can open it, bug strong manly muscles and all that. But he couldn’t even get it closed.
I went back and got fence stretchers. He went back to building his fence.
It is possible that the cows rubbed it open on their own. They can manage strange things like that once in awhile.
It seems more likely to me that someone opened the gate. Let themselves in to do some hunting. It was opening day of pheasant season yesterday. Then couldn’t close the very tight gate.
So they left it.
In leaving it they let a whole heard of cows out, and two goats. Who then happened to wander the right direction, up to our road, past the mail box, then back down the next fence line and still on our property. If they had gone the other way they wouldn’t have been missed for awhile. Either way they could have been hit on the gravel roads or just quietly disappeared.
I know there are good hunters out there, but the rude inconsiderate, dangerous ones give everyone a bad name. And hunting or not, always close the gates!
Category: Cows | LEAVE A COMMENT
24 October 2024

October, So Far

A quick photo dump and recap of Oct so far.
We did see the comet. It was pretty. The kids lasted this long, lost interest, went back inside. I did technically succeed in getting a picture of the combine with the comet. Kind of. If you look really close you can almost see it.
Before we could get the corn combined, the cows on our neighbors pasture decided to move in permanently. We put them back constantly. We rebuilt the neighbors fence for him. He should be responsible for his right half. This is a sore spot because when they bought the place the first thing they did is call and complain about OUR fence. Then he turned cows in with no fence at all on his half.
But anyway,
We did get the corn out before they ate it all. Most of it. Then the combine got a little ouchie. The axle broke in half. But God is good. It broke with one strip left. And it exposed a crack in the frame too, which would have made a much bigger mess if it had broke instead. As it was they only had to back a semi through one row of corn to unload. Still working on getting it fixed.
We have been picking and carving pumpkins like crazy. No Halloween party this year 🙁 The kids have taken turns being very sick for extended periods, then their father, now it’s my turn. Combined we have managed to be sick since the beginning of Sept. It kind of ruined most fun plans for the fall.
And last, my favorite milk cow blew an abscess out in her udder. Went to the vet. She pulled the chunk out, the vet dog grabbed it and took off with her yummy treat 🤣🤮 The cow was left with this. It is slowly, hopefully healing. That quarter wont be any good, but it already wasn’t.

Category: 8, Goblin Child | LEAVE A COMMENT
8 July 2024

The Aftermath

According to the radar we were on the edge of the storm. It looked like the ‘bad stuff’ was to the north of us. Right over our pasture and the bigger wheat fields. I was worried sick about my cows. My husband was mourning the loss of his wheat fields. Looking good this year and almost read for harvest.

We couldn’t get over to look until the next day, the storm came at dusk and it as dark by the time it finished.

Then my husband was busy with other work and couldn’t come at all. The kids and I headed over. By the time we got to the end of our neighbors field of corn, right next door, we had gotten out of the hail. The south end of the field was destroyed. The north end was untouched. I knew there had been hail by the pasture. I had seen video of it. But maybe not as awful as we had feared?

After a strip undamaged I came to another swath where everything had been destroyed. It was like mother nature had raked her finger nails across the earth. Strips that hadn’t been touched mixed with lines of destruction.

The cows fell in the untouched part and a couple small wheat fields.

Then bad again at the big wheat field. How bad? It’s hard to say. The wheat is still standing but the hard brittle stems, so painfully close to being ready to harvest had let loose their fruit. The ground is scattered with wheat broken loose and lost. Only the yield at harvest will let us know just how much was lost.

We were lucky though. The corn is battered, but still there. It might be early enough in the season that it can regrow? The garden looks rough. But all in all is doing alright.

Just a little farther east of us the storm got even worse. We had gotten much larger hail here on the south end of the storm and it kept getting bigger as it went. Our neighbors a mile east has trees down. Another couple miles on friends had entire fields stripped bare. Nothing left of corn or beans. Gardens beat down to bare dirt. We got lucky and are thankful for it.

My husband mourns the hard work, heart and soul, and effort that went into the crops. The money lost. The death of the crop and the love that went into it.

I mourn our swimming pool. The kids and I had spent the whole day just a couple days before this getting the spot ready and the pool set up and filled. Waiting for it to warm, we hadn’t even swam in it. The ping pong sized hail hurled at the ground had poked hole all the way around the inflatable top. We tried filling it with pool noodles. A hopeless but slightly entertaining attempt at salvaging our beloved pool. But they did nothing to stop the water from spilling over the edges. I forced the kids out to try to swim in it this weekend, resulting in the pool emptying half the water.

Oh well. We’ll need to empty it anyway.

We’ll miss that pool, it’s been a good one.

 

Category: Cows, Family, Farming | LEAVE A COMMENT
3 July 2024

Oh Hail

We had gotten lucky up until now. Bad storms everywhere around us, but we stayed between them. No rain, but no hail either.
Didn’t get so lucky this time. And we were towards the edge.
Hate to think what things are going to look like when we go out to look tomorrow. The pasture, my cows, was right in the middle of it.

 

Category: Cows, Farming | LEAVE A COMMENT
2 July 2024

A Gift of Wind

One thing was for sure. Something was broken.

The problem with wells is that they’re under ground. There’s no simple way to look and see what’s going on.

The problem with wells and windmills is that the wind has to be blowing to be able to see what’s going on.

This well has a windmill and a solar pump. The combination means that no matter the weather there’s almost always something that make water pump. These are the most reliable, least worrisome tanks on the place. They always have water!

Except now.

The stream was getting smaller and smaller. We could hear the solar pump pumping. It was working. Kind of. But no water was coming out. If only we knew whether the windmill was able to pump water. The trickle the solar pump was producing would never keep up with the cows until someone could get out to work on the well. If the windmill was pumping water they would be ok over night. If the wind would only blow.

We stood there looking up at the perfectly still windmill on the rare perfectly still day.

My husband cussed it. Said there was no way we’d be able to know that. We’d have to just move the cows.

No, I said. God and I have a deal. I have never once needed a windmill to turn, to fix it, or check it, or do some sort of work, just a few turns of the head, that He hasn’t sent just enough wind to get the job done. Just wait a minute.

We sat there waiting. A moment or two that seemed longer in the dust and heat. Shortly there came a stirring. The grass rustled ahead of the breeze. Then the head squealed as the breeze started it going. It cranked just long enough for a solid stream of water to come out of the pipe. Then it eased to a stop.

The well was fine. There was water down there. When the wind picked up again for real the cows would have water until we could get it fixed. I would never be so greedy as to ask for a steady breeze. But that single gust to move the sucker rod to where I needed it or to check the well. Those have never not been provided when I ask. I never doubted it would come.

God and I have a deal and I full appreciate it.

 

Category: It's a God thing | LEAVE A COMMENT
1 July 2024

Baling Ahead Of The Storm

We were rushing home from checking cows, trying to beat the storm. When we saw our neighbors out trying to get their hay in ahead of the storm. This is my version of their work.

 

No rain drops yet.The clouds were getting darker to the west. Starting our white, fluffy towers in the distance they changed to grey, then purple.  Having been able to hear the thunder for some time now, the lighting was starting to hit the ground not around us, but getting closer.

The hay lay in neat windrows across the field. A good cutting for a year that was starting to turn dry. It had made it through the wind of the last couple of days. Heavy enough not to get tossed in the breeze. Now the rain was coming. It was earlier than expected. Even great and terrible storms have routines. They blow up during the hot afternoons and strike towards evening. It was barely afternoon and here it was already.

The hot sun was blotted out by roiling dark purple clouds. The orange of it still shown through the other side in a few places, striped by lines of rain. The wind turned cool and crisp. Quickly turning arms that had been damp from sweat to arms spotted by goosebumps. The movement of the open tractor cooled her further. The breeze chased her with chaff as she raked along with it. Just because the chaff and dirt was no longer sticking to sweat didn’t make the job any less filthy.

If the rain would hold off a bit longer they could almost get the field finished. The could just almost get the hay in without it being rained on.

It was a delicate balance between saving the hay, having good food for the cows all winter, and the lightening that was touching down closer and closer. It was still just far enough away. She could surely get a few more rounds raked. He dad was behind her in a tractor, one with a cab lucky guy, baling the hay. Between tractor problems, wind, and storms, this cutting had been a battle to get in from the beginning. She would fight out this last round. That made her laugh a little to herself as she turned to make one more round around the field. The lighting was just far enough off, it wasn’t chasing her off her tractor seat yet. After all, there were no rain drops yet.

 

Category: Farming | LEAVE A COMMENT
8 June 2024

Putting The Toy To Work

My husband bought me a Cadillac for Christmas. It’s a lot of fun to say, especially if I leave out about it being twenty years old and high mileage. But, does that really make a difference? He thought I needed a tow vehicle so I could get a trailer. I kept thinking it would be fun to tie a bow on it and do one of those obnoxious Christmas gift pictures. But I can’t even force myself to be that obnoxious jokingly.

I bought myself a trailer to pull with it. A pretty little matching horse trailer, modified so it can serve as a stock trailer too.

Our theme song is Chris LeDoux, Caddilac Cowboy, “horse trailer on a Cadilac, talking to the cowboy in the Coup Deville” 🎶

I’m very fond of my tow set up. It’s very pretty and frivolous. I feel a little embarrassed driving the obviously made for horses and play get up out here in ranch country with the big stock trailers and work pick ups.

Today my toys did some actual work. I was so proud of them. We hauled the last of the pairs to pasture. Calves in my trailer. It’s too dainty to load down with cows, but calves it can handle. Cows in the big stock trailer. I felt pretty dang ranchy 🤣

Then came home and carefully hosed it out so it could be pretty again and not covered in calf poop.

Category: Cows | LEAVE A COMMENT
7 June 2024

Happy Father’s Day

In June we take the time to celebrate a group who is often over looked, under appreciated, even persecuted in this day and age. Their contribution to society goes beyond anything that can have a value placed on it. And yet they are considered unnecessary and even mocked.

June is all about fathers!

Our children will be gone over Father’s Day, off visiting their grand parents, so we will be celebrating this weekend. Their father is hard working and devoted. He may not always be cheerful but he does always put his family first. He teaches his children to farm, garden, fix all the things, and how to treat their spouses with nothing but love and kindness for someday when they are grown. He gets little enough thanks, and not near as much from us as he deserves. No gifts, but we made him his yearly batch of cherry mash. The same treat the children have been helping me make him for Father’s day since long before they were old enough to be stirring a boiling pot of marshmallow goo.

My father deserves recognition and appreciation too. Growing up we would go all week without seeing him as he worked two jobs to keep us housed and fed. He’d leave before we got up in the morning and not get home from work until well after we were in bed for the entire length of my childhood. But, he would still drop everything and drive clear home from wherever he was working, to hook up the trailer and come rescue us when we rode the horses too far afield and wanted a ride back home. He still made time to spend with us on weekends and vacations and taught me how to work on cars and basic, very very basic, carpentry skills. He took the time to make sure I knew I could do anything if I tried hard enough and that there were no ‘girl’ jobs, I had better just get out there and get it done.

My brother carries on the tradition doing everything he can for and with his children who mean more to him than anything. There is no funner dad out there. I appreciate that he takes the time to spread that to my children too.

My grandpa, gone but in no way forgotten, who made sure his daughter could have a horse and passed down his love of a beautiful fiery horse.

All these great men and wonderful fathers out there. They all deserve far more appreciation than they get. Hard working and gone so much of the time. We sure do enjoy them when they can be around.

Happy Father’s Day.

Category: Family, It's a God thing | LEAVE A COMMENT