I have already fallen asleep on the couch tonight, generally not my usual program! But the day began with some nice activity… working on my flowerbeds… then a brief spell of housecleaning and beading on Victoria’s wedding veil. I was waiting for Vernon to come and get me, because our plan was to weigh and pour the steers before turning them out onto BLM land.
He seemed to be running around a great deal… I heard the four wheeler and then the pickup and then he switched back to the four wheeler. Ah. He must have been repairing the electric fence. My dogs kept barking and running to the fence, an irritation to my cooking lunch. Finally I realized what he was doing was trying to get some steers back across the creek. He was trying to get the dogs to help while I was telling them to stay in the yard. Oops.
I finished my cooking and had lunch laid out before I put on my shoes and went to help. I hiked across the field and back again. Steers were put in the right place and we went to lunch about an hour late.
Turns out a neighbor had spotted a cow down near the highway. Further investigation showed she had got her foot stuck in the fence and had been there quite a while, Vernon having to pull her away from the fence with the pickup. She wasn’t in good shape. Then the steers were out, so Vernon’s day was *not* going well.
With lunch behind us, he went to check on the cow and I walked over to the barn. I was just about to capture Panama when Vernon showed up and asked for my help. The injured cow was trying to calve. Gathering supplies we rode the four wheeler to her side. It didn’t look good. After a struggle, we delivered the dead calf and then fought to set the cow upright. She was pretty beat up from struggling and though we had packed her some water, there was not much else we could do for her. It was a sad situation of a freak accident. We left her there with a thank you pat on her back and the realization that she probably wouldn’t make it for long. Poor girl.
Back to the horses at the barn. We saddled up and after a few tries had the steers out of their field and into the corral. For everyone… here’s the profound statement of the day… Yearling steers are STUPID.
Shuffling them through pens and alley and scale pen and chute and pens… they were all weighed in large groups and then poured with Ivomectin for pest control. Somehow I put on another mile of walking… I swear!
About the time we finished up, our neighbors showed up to rototill my garden! We went to thank them, visited for a bit, then Vernon took off to trail the steers to the badlands while I played hostess. They made a glorious garden bed for me and I’m thrilled! After a short visit, they departed and I jumped on Panama and released the girls from the kennel. We might as well all have a little run together!
Back to the barn, through the silver gate, across the bridge and crossing the first fields, my pack and I were having a great time! I’ll say this about Panama… he’s AWESOME about sidling up to a gate so you can open it from horseback… too bad we only have one gate I can actually swing open like that! Unfortunately, the guys were just getting back and our nice little jaunt ended as we returned to the barn.
We spent a few minutes filling Johnny’s grain buckets for him… and then finally headed home. A glance at the clock let me know it was 8 pm and supper still needed to be cooked. As soon as I slowed down, I began to feel it. I believe I got my exercise today. Fine. I’m dusty and sore. I’m cooking breakfast because it’s easy and fast! Bacon, eggs, toast, and hashbrowns… now I’m stuck on the couch. I awake at 9:45… oh, my! There’s writing to do! A yawn and a stretch and a poor story about our day… But I have one question.
How, with all that has happened today, did I manage to NOT take ONE PHOTO of my day? ugh.
Sorry!
Find me here!
