Two More Fences

If you are tired of reading about fixing fences, just imagine how tired we are of fixing them.  

This one is around a developed spring head.  It is suppose to keep the livestock from damaging the spring.  But the ground stays wetter there and the post seem to rot off faster.  Plus, Pep uses it as her personal scratching post.  She backs up to the fence, sits back with all her weight and rubs.  Joe is blaming her for the collapse.   Before lunch we were able to get the posts in but didn't get the boards up.   When we went in to eat there was a message on the answering machine from a neighbor that said a big tree had fallen across the fence on the farm we rent across the road.  Because this fence was at the road, it took precedence over the spring fence.  

First trip to take a look and start cutting the tree off the fence.  But before Joe could finish the first cut it started pouring down rain.  

We went back to the house to wait it out.  After the rain stopped we headed back.  

Joe went to finish the cut and the saw got stuck when the tree dropped.  So back to the house to get the tractor.  With the bucket on the tractor Joe was able to push on the tree and I grabbed the saw.  Now we had the big stump still laying on the fence but couldn't cut it more because the saw might hit the wire fence.  

Another trip back to the house for a longer chain and clevis.  Joe was able to pull the stump off the fence but it uprooted and broke off a fence post.  

Fifth trip was the charm, back to the house one last time to get a steel post and post driver.  Did I mention it was also all covered in poison ivy.    It took all afternoon.  And we still had to go back to the house to finish putting the boards up on the first fence.  
 

Mount Rogers 2025

Virginia and Mike have taken the girls to Dollywood for a few day.  That left me and Joe with some free time today.  So after lunch we headed to Mt Rogers for a little hike. 

Joe has been talking about wanting to hike the Appalachian Trail for a couple of years now.  I am pushing for him to do it next year.  First off, he is going to have to get a larger back pack.  But since this was just a short 9 mile hike, he was only carrying our 2 water bottles and two rain ponchos.  

It started raining as soon as we paid the parking fee but stopped as soon as we parked.  

It stayed cloudy and we had a very slight drizzle once.  

The clouds kept the temperature from getting too extreme.  It made for very nice hiking weather. 

We saw lots of ponies but only 2 foals.  I have heard that bears may be getting them.  

Joe said the wild ponies were tamer than Hugo.  

Even with the late start, we still managed to make it to the top, 

at the highest point in Virginia!

This was the second foal we saw.  

The views are spectacular.  

We even saw the long horn cattle that graze there.  

Joe might have to start going on more practice hikes and get some professional gear.  Next year will be big...

 

Scenery

I have hung out with Joe a little bit this week, mostly opening gates and helping shuffle cattle around.  My mind is always wandering during these tasks and I end up taking pictures of things that catch my eye. 

I have always like this view especially with a few clouds in the sky.  

We checked on the cattle that were across the creek in the Asian longhorn tick infested field. The ticks had started coming off and the cattle were beginning to behave more normally and actually standing in the shade. 

Joe is starting to get the fall calves we weaned onto eating grain.  They are getting better about coming to the trough at feeding time. 

We had to walk to the top of the hill to sort out a couple of more calves out of a different group. You might not be able to tell but the fence wires were crossed. A couple of steeples had pulled out. 

After a trip back down the hill to the barn to get a hammer and steeples, Joe came back up the hill to fix the problem. 

I waited and took more pictures. 

Lastly, Joe had tried to move the cattle back to the house side of the creek. About 6 cow/calf pairs stayed behind. After a couple of days waiting for them to decide to cross, Joe put on his waders to herd them over. 

I waited on this side of the creek and took pictures. 

This was my favorite.  I loved the lighting. Joe liked the picture because he said that was a good brangus heifer. 

It has been a good season so far with enough rain to keep everything grown well.  It is easier to have a more positive outlook when things are so green.  I feel blessed to live on such a picturesque farm. 

Surprise Mail

I made a sell on EBay a couple of weeks ago. 

It was a book from my aunts’ estate. I don’t know why they had it. But when I chose it I thought it was interesting because my children were young at the time and it seemed like something they might like to look at. I actually don’t remember ever reading it to them. Since there was no sentimental significance I put it on EBay. Today I received a thank you letter. 

If you can’t read it it says,

Dear Kay,

I’m most appreciative of the superb packaging and sending of , Pictures By Young Americans. I am the 7 year old “Doris” in the collection. I’m now in my 80’s. 

Thank you for your trouble in expediting the delivery. 

D. Alicia Winslow

As you can see, I’m still drawing and painting. 

Can it be that I have found another equestrian, 

animal lover,

and scientist?  I am not sure I really understand the political cartoon though but 3 out of 4 ain’t bad.  I might have to write her back for more information and clarification about it all.  Maybe I will gain a pen pal.  You just never know what might be important to someone else.

 

And…They’re Gone

Remember back on July 2nd we had 4 tree swallow babies. 

I ended up not putting the Birdfy camera back in the nesting box because I had found an ant nest in it. 

Apparently, ants are not particularly good for electronic devices and it had stopped working.  I think it is still under warranty so I need to make a call about that. 

Anyway, there has been a lot of activity at the bird house the last few days. 

There were definitely four still on Friday. 

But Saturday looked like only three. 

Today I checked and they were gone! After seeing the first batch of six all die I was trying to not get my hopes up too much.  I’m glad I could witness this success. 

No Power Again

A couple of days ago we woke up to yet another power outage. When Joe called it in he was told it was only us. So he went looking for the problem. 

Another tree had fallen across the power line and hit the fence. After the power company fixed the line it was our turn to clear the road and fix the fence. 

Joe did the sawing and I did the stacking. 

The fence was stretched pretty badly.  After tightening it to the post as much as he could, Joe took the rest of the slack out by bending the wire. 

The technique made an interesting pattern. 

Any anyone looking and the staples in the post might wonder what was going on there. 

It’s a never ending battle. 

 

And Now For Something Completely Different - Math

Joe hedged some of our cattle out in the feedlot that should be sold in October.  Hedging is good if the price drops, but disappointing with the price is going up.  And the cattle market is going crazy up right now.  So, just for fun, Joe was wanting to get a guesstimate of what we might make in October.  I wanted to figure it as our futures plus basis which is live price minus current futures.  Joe wanted to figure it as live price minus current futures plus our futures.  This is how arguments start.   Now the question is, are these two equations equal? 

I had to get pen and paper and flash back to high school algebra.

  p- (y-x) = p -y -(-x) = p -y + x.  

YES!  We were both arguing the right answer. 

 

Two More Rides

Yesterday I managed another good ride on Hugo. 

I need to he him in better shape if I ever want to get him out on a trail ride. 

It has been so hot and humid lately that it has been difficult getting motivated to ride.  But I am always glad I did afterwards. And Hugo really appreciates his cool shower afterwards. 

It has been a little bit since I rode Otoelene last. But we had a nice ride in the barn today.  It wasn’t too bad with a little air stirring through the open doors.  It is very difficult getting a picture of Otoelene with her ears forward because she always has one or both back at me listening.  I like the listening better than the forward attention. Even with Hugo watching from one end Otoelene still was listening. 

 Draper was hanging out at the other end. And Joe was with that little orange dot of a tractor working on the driveway.  Otoelene was still listening.  It was a very good ride.