Trouble's in Trouble

J called me at work Wednesday to tell me Trouble had a broken leg.   He had been in the barn feeding the bottle calves.  When he came out, Trouble and Tribble were up on the 4-Wheeler.  When they jumped off J thought Trouble caught her leg on something and it snapped. 

The good news is that it is low enough that a splint may be enough.  It is broken right above the white on the right hind.  The bad news is that the skin is broken over the fracture so it is an open fracture which means it could get infected but hopefully a antibiotic will prevent that.   

J held while I splinted.  

I don't think Trouble is liking the new arrangement much.  
 

Fall Décor

I found some beautiful mums at Tractor Supply for only $3.49.  I bought a few purple ones to place around the house.  Then we went to a Farm Bureau meeting and J won the big yellow mum.  

So I decided I needed to do a little more than just set them around.  I remembered that there were a couple of old baskets out in the red barn, so I went out there and fetched them.  

V said it looked like a $40 display from Hobby Lobby.  I'll take that as a compliment.  
 

Easy Saturday With Grant

The last fall cows calved and J wanted to go ahead and work them.  Grant is in 9th grade, the son of a vet I work with and lives close to the farm where the cows are. 

He had helped us earlier at the house with some cows.  He shows cattle and is on the livestock judging team and cattle working team.  So a perfect person to call on for some help. 

Once again, beautiful weather, sunny and in the 60's and dry.  

The calves were getting vaccinated, ear tagged and the bulls castrated. 

The cow got a bred back vaccine and dewormed.  

Grant brought the calves up the chute and held their tails for J to castrate.  He did an excellent job, calm and quite, always in the right place.  

We were done by lunch.  Low stress on the cattle and the owners.  
 

Enjoy The View

The weather has been beautiful.  We still have not had a frost yet.  The leaves are starting to turn a little more.  

I was able to ride Draper today.  She does great in the barn but has still been acting sassy outside.  So today, after I rode in the barn I took her to the outdoor arena and lunged her for 45 minutes until I thought she was done with all of her sass.  When I got on she was fine walking and trotting and probably would have been fine cantering,  but I am still taking baby steps in my trust building with her.  Maybe if it is nice tomorrow, I will see if I am brave enough.  
 

Family Walk

V and M brought baby S for a visit Sunday. 

It was a pretty day so we went for a little walk.  J carried baby S in the baby pack carrier.  

The heifers were very interested in the new arrival.  

We found an area on the line fence that needed a little reinforcement.  M piled up some branches at the hole until J can get back and put a couple of posts in.  

Baby S enjoyed the leaves. 

The leaves are starting to turn which made for some nice views. 

Good thing J is athletic enough to carry a baby and jump over a creek. 

And of course we had to have a close up encounter with a bovine. 

Eating Styles

Today when we went to feed the dogs they were all together.  Most days they are a little more spread out. 

But they are easier to feed when they are all in one place.  

The weather has been beautiful. I don't think we have ever gone this long without a frost, so the grass is still growing too.  

Maggie likes to lay down to eat, 

and Molly has been following suit.

Jewel has always eaten laying down too.  

Bumble is the lone stander.   Her hips are bad so it is difficult for her to get up and down even with the pain meds she gets daily.  But even as a younger dog she always stood to eat.   And there you have the different styles.  
 

Kit Sunday #173

I tried for a fall photo with Kit and baby S.  Two pretty uncooperative subjects. 

I did finally get a good one of S.  

 

New Face Source

And this wasn’t even my idea.  I came into work and these were taped to the wall.

Pretty cool faces caught with the ultrasound. Just in time for Halloween. 
 

Couponing #62

There was a clearance event this weekend.  My store had a good selection plus, there were some coupon matchup making most stuff free.  

I did this one on Friday.  No 5 off 25 but I wasn't sure if the good stuff would be left by Saturday.  The manager actually had the Febreze small spaces behind the counter.  When she saw me she gave them to me and said they would be free.  I asked if she was sure she wanted to give them away.  She said I had helped them out plenty of times with deals so she was just repaying the favor.  It sometimes pays to be friendly.  

I had a bunch of paper coupons to use on Saturday.  The Snuggle wasn't on clearance but free with the paper coupons.  I was a little upset the Dawn and Suave hand soaps didn't attach, but I sucked it up and paid for it anyway.  

I also got 4 packs of Pepsi with this scenario.    When all was said and done, minus what I would have paid at the grocery store anyway for the Pepsi and icing, everything was FREE!!!  Plus, someone was shopping for care boxes while I was there.  I bought, or my coupons bought, 3 large hand soap refills that I gave to her.  She said she had already used her digital coupon and couldn't buy anymore.  
 

Repurposed Feed Sack

Last week we had a cow with another set of twins.   She was taking care of both so J left them both with her.  One was quite a bit smaller than the other so yesterday J brought it home for a bottle calf. 

A feed sack is a perfect carrier. 

Cut a hold in the bottom, put the calf's head through, then tie up the end. 

And there you have a calf about the size of a 50 pound sack of feed. 

The other bottle calf has been moved to a bigger room in the barn and this one will now hang out in the dog pen for a bit.  He has already taken to the bottle.  So now we have 2 spring bottle calves that have been weaned and are on grain, and two fall bottle calves.  The barn and lots are filling up. 
 

In Bloom At The 4Rs

A few pops of color as blooming season draws to a close. 

Ok, not a flower, but a nice pop of color down in the field as I was riding Otoelene today.  She was on better behavior than last time.  I think the bugs are really agitating her.  Still lame but not bad at the walk. 

I had some zinnias volunteer in the garden. 

They are still blooming nicely. 

I think my hydrangea spent most of the summer growing foliage.  It is just now starting to bloom. 

My Dipladenia (bush type mandevilla) has been blooming beautifully all summer. 

And the clematis I planted this year is reblooming.   I have it in a planter but I think I will move it to the flower bed soon. 

Some phlox is still hanging in there. 

And my crape myrtle has some nice blooms at the tippy top 20 feet up. 

And not a flower again,  but the burning bush and red maple are starting to add some red to the yard.  I think that is enough for now.