Going Forward

Annie the goat was being mean, mean, mean to the Captain, so she and her cohorts were removed to a different pen. The next day, I found her in the chicken pen, stealing their food. I hobbled out as quickly as I was able and grabbed her up. She had effectively climbed up her cattle panel shelter and used it as a springboard to launch herself into the next corral, where she was free to go where she pleased. Randyman and I moved the fence to prevent any further escape. Two days later, I found her and her friends this time, BACK in the chicken pen once again. I grabbed her up and noticed the gate to their pen was wide open. I shoved them in and made sure it was latched properly. The following morning..they were out once again. Annie had figured out how to open the latch by herself. The gate is now CHAINED securely. If that doesn’t work, my only other option is an armed security guard.

She managed to completely redesign the shelter. 

This is why we cannot have nice things...

It’s been an interminably long month. Storm fronts have brought longer lasting pain and agony and so far there is no relief in sight. I had begged Miss EmmaLouMoo to wait until after we went to town for my infusions to have her calf. She did. She waited until about 20 min after we left. Not only did she not get my drift, she apparently also did not get the memo that I wanted a heifer.

So...meet Ed-a-bull. He’s wild as a March hair but has Emma’s sweet face, big eyes and long thick lashes, whereas, his sister has a rather ugly mug. Who said life was fair?

Prior to this my sweet niece and her son came visiting. Bruno pretty much threw me under the bus and was making over Ky every chance he got, and The Captain did the same. We had fun rendering tallow, eating, playing board games, playing with sheeple, shooting, and watching Ky practice with his crossbow. It was a great weekend.

Em went into ketosis shortly after calving. That is a metabolic disorder in which the output of the cow is greater than the intake and puts them in starvation mode. It is what her mother died from and I have been desperately trying to save her. I loaded her up and ran her into town to the vet where she got a bottle of dextrose IV and brought her home with a gallon of propylene glycol, to administer should she relapse. She did magnificently well for a week, scarfing down her grain and eating her hay like a champ, then relapsed. Nothing seemed to work. I was drenching her with the PG, getting myself slung around the milk room doing it, but managed to get it down her. The vet told me to only give it twice a day for two days and no more. She’s been battling us for a week, but we may be on the winning side now. She’s been out in deep pasture with Ed, and coming in at night to eat hay and grain. 

I went out to check on her tonite for the first time in a few days (TheMan has had to take care of everyone for me lately as I have been unable to do so myself). Her bag was fairly tight so I went ahead and milked out the 2 rear quarters. That was 3 gallons. She seemed happy and went back out to nibble on dinner then go eat grass.

I've been having to use a cane everywhere I go, so I can get back to the house again as pain and weakness have been a constant companion since our last trip to town. It's been determined that the infusion has not been working. (duh). Mister was kind enough to pick up my cane that I dropped and hand it back to me. It's Cider's job to do that, but he ran off to shop for cow pies. It's nice to know someone else has my back.

By day I have rendered 100 lb of tallow for making Whipped Body Butter to sell in the online store , as it is my biggest selling item. I am finding this the best time of year for me to use it as my hands get dry and chapped from pulling weeds and gardening. There are an impressive lineup of handmade soaps to sell now, and anyone wishing to buy several bars of mix and match for discount need to e-mail me with your choices as the website hasn't given me an option for that.

I am still working on getting in fencing for the chickens and radio fencing to contain the dogs by day so they can protect the sheep. All in all, it's a pretty big order just trying to get a few things done.

There have been some major challenges this year, with much sadness. More death in the family, which seems to be becoming a regular occurrence, with almost no time to allow my heart to heal. I've also lost some animal friends. As I lean more heavily on my faith and carry on I am  making some  decisions about the future. Some of these include downsizing and making it easier to get through my days, and easier for TheMan to get through his when I am too incapacitated to do my part, which has been more often than not, lately. These changes include selling the goats, this year's lamb crop and Miss EmmaLouMoo. I am hoping and praying that SushiMoo will be the cow I really need, as she will be my last. Mister is now out with the ranch cavvy and I am praying he does all right, as he fares poorly in a herd situation and at his advanced age it could have serious consequences.

The grass is greening up, a few flowers are making their appearance. Lilacs, tulips, pansies are doing their best to cheer me and remind me of the promise of Easter. As our Lord defeated death and the empty tomb gives promise of new life, so does spring come to lift my spirits. Death and loss and sickness and grief are parts of life on earth and none of us can avoid them, but so is new birth, life, beauty and awe. To paraphrase the apostle Paul, I must remind myself to "Think on these things…"

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July 2010-Year in Pics

Riding the summer pasture at Stonehouse Meadows

Early morning gather

"Does this feeder make my  butt look big?"

"The ditch by the tomatoes needs to be a little deeper...."

Bonnie & Clyde....attack of the baby ducks

If I could see me through your eyes...

4 months old

Ready to vaccinate

The "Stonehouse" of Stonehouse meadows

Top of the mountain in late July

Inside the cabin at Stonehouse

Taking a break-Stonehouse

Its starting to grow!

The beauty of creation. Even a nasty old thistle looks good to someone.

March 2010-Year in Pics

March every year brings Cowcamp. This is when all the cattle out on the desert need to be gathered and pushed the 30+ miles onto the lush ranch pastures to calve. It takes 1-2 weeks to do so, several buckaroos and is necessary to stay there, as the 30 mile road is so bad it takes roughly 1 1/2 hours to drive there in favorable conditions...which are rare during cow camp. It has all the comforts of home however, as you can see...who needs a bathroom door, anyway?

Cold morning in Cowcamp. 17 degrees, snowing and ready to ride

Miles to go. Singing makes it shorter, even if the horses don't agree.

Cowcamp

Cold, windy, raining, but the work still has to be done

Miles behind us, and more miles ahead

Randyman and I hauled a 5th wheel camp trailer, so the girls and I could use the shower, and a real bathroom with a DOOR, as well as a heater! We made sure to brag in front of all the cowboys, who had to sleep in the drafty bunkhouses with tiny heaters, sleep in their longjohns and get dressed to slog out to the outhouse at night. However...the first day, the generator ran out of gas, which ran the heater, and the water pump...it stayed 20 degrees and below, inside the trailer for the rest of the week...with no running water. It was like sleeping in a refrigerator. Lucky cowboys!

cowcamp kitchen

 A semi truck and trailer are hauled out to camp for cooking and eating in. There is an old stove that has working burners hooked to a propane tank. The burner covers are welded from old horseshoes. A large, nonfunctional stove and griddle are employed as counter space. A small round table for 4, seats who ever gets there first,  and accommodates card playing, while the rest stand with their plates or seat themselves on the floor. Water is heated in a large bucket for doing dishes each morning, at about 4 a.m. The cuisine, is not gourmet, but 11 to 12 hours of riding in sub freezing temperatures is pretty good seasoning for any meal, as long as its HOT!

Cowcamp cavvy. All these  horses have to be pretty good 'circle horses', meaning they have to cover quite a long distance each day.