Bricks

The barn that the cow and calf from the last post are at isn't somewhere I get to very often.

The previous owner had dumped a load of bricks in the shed part, I think to help keep hay off the ground. 

I found a very interesting hand made brick there.  Do you see what I see?

How about if I put it this way?  I went back and looked more and found...

lots of broken ones.  Don't you just love them? 

I need to find a really cool way to display them now.  

I set up a line of them in front of the wood stove.  You see them as soon as you come out of the garage door.  Joe said they were creepy.  He thought they looked like something a native on Gilligan's Island might have used to ward off evil spirits.  

I like all of the different expressions.  Angry or confused, I don't know which.  

defiantly happy, 

 maybe a little scared.   Any ideas what to do with them?  

Matching Pairs

Joe found a cow with a retained placenta but no calf nearby. He found a calf with no cow.  But the cow with no calf didn’t want the calf with no cow. 

He put them both in a lot and came home to get some supplies and help. The area of the farm they are in doesn’t have a chute or head gate and Joe was worried about being out there by himself and maybe getting smashed.  The first chore was taking the scythe and cutting down the thistles in the lot. 

Then he had to rope the cow, snug her to the fence then put on a halter

and tie her up. 

The calf was hungry and strong so it didn’t take too much wrestling to get it to start nursing. 

The cow wasn’t wild or mean so things went pretty smoothly.  All except for the fact she still doesn’t want the calf.  That was yesterday. Joe said her attitude hasn’t changed any today.

 

Another Two Hour Chore

Last year flooding from hurricane Helene washed out several water gaps.  Most were critical and Joe worked on the right away.  There was one at our other farm that was not as critical until now. Joe has separated the first calf heifers so he could keep a closer watch on them. 

This set of two gaps allows them access to water. But with both of them washed out, the heifers were not staying put. 

We had to undo all of the previous repairs so we could start on the new ones. 

I even borrowed Emily’s waders that she had left here. Joe said with my help we turned what would have taken him 3 hours into just a 2 hour chore. 

I managed to take a few pictures while awaiting the next task. 

It is all fixed now until the next tree falls or flood occurs. 

Two Hour Chore

Maggie's coat was getting a little embarrassing looking.  But there is no way to groom her while she is awake.  I brought home a sedative and set out to pretty her up. 

She was a mess to start with.  Half way through I had to give her some additional sedation so I could keep working.  It was a lot of combing and cutting.  I even trimmer her toenails.   

I think there is a distinct improvement.  She got up and when to lay under the barn until the sedation wore off.  

This is what two hours of combing netted.  
 

Trying Again

My horse vet had eye surgery and hasn’t been able to come out and check Draper until yesterday.  I wasn’t in a hurry because if she didn’t take, I wasn’t going to try again this year. 

Are you holding your breath? 

There it is, two months along.  She will have to be in a dry lot with fescue free hay starting in March.  Once again, I am not getting my hopes up, a lot can go wrong.   

And on that happy note, I will leave you with some more beautiful clouds 

and the view down the driveway.

 

Starting Early

We had a limping cow at the other farm. Joe was keeping her up in a lot to treat her and to keep an eye on her. Yesterday, she had a surprise.  When Joe went to check on her she had had a set of twins. 

The fall cows aren’t due to start calving until after the first of September. 

But I guess she was anxious to get rid of that extra weight. 

She was taking both but Joe thought it would be too much for her to raise both. So he brought one home. So far so good. The little heifer is taking a bottle fine.  And now we have a spare at the start of calving season. 

Lastly, I just thought I would share our view at sunset yesterday. 

The Collapse

There is a small retaining wall at the door to our old barn. 

It use to look like this. But lately it had started leaning. 

Yesterday it looked like this. 

I was still able to open the door enough to squeeze through. Joe had to take off his cowboy hat to make it.  Looks like I will have some work to do this week. 

 

Two To Ride

 Sadie and Allie showed up today wearing jeans instead of dresses.  They said they wanted to ride!  And better yet, Mike and Virginia stayed around to help.  

Allie is wanting to do everything Sadie does.  

There was lots of brushing and combing and hoof cleaning.  

Sadie still remembers getting her sparkly brush for her birthday 2 years ago.  

She hasn't ridden much this year but took right to it again.  

And Allie tried to show off a little too much by letting go of the horn.  She got a little lecture about that.  I said, until her legs get a little longer and she practices more, she need to hold on.  

They each took 2 long turns then even doubled up for another ride.  

                                                  

It was a wonderful day with grandchildren and horses.  

Another Good Ride

Hugo could be described as an "odd duck."  He is still difficult to catch.  I cannot walk up to him in the field and touch him.  But once he is in the barn and has lunged for 10-20 minutes, he lets me do anything.  

He seems to be pretty much the same horse if I ride him every day or once a month.  

Today, after a few minutes in the barn, we headed outside.  

He did fine going down the driveway.  

Then I took a hard right and headed up the hill.  I am holding the camera straight, it is just that steep.  

We went by the little cabin.  Here, Hugo did start to get just a little tense.  I still think this could be a nice destination for a tea party for Sadie and Allie.  

We rode across the hill in front of the house.  (love the clouds)

The crape myrtles in front of the house are bloomed better than ever.  Sometimes they don't even start to bloom until frost.  

Then back to the barn for a little more work so he doesn't think the barn means he can stop.  Another good hour and a half ride.  
 

Welcome To The Jungle

Things are growing crazy big this year. 

The garden is out of control. 

The rows have completely disappeared. 

It is a stretching, yoga game trying to pick anything. 

But I have managed. 

Some produce is more unusual than others. 

The record growth isn’t confined to the garden. The pastures are jungle like also. 

Joe turned the cattle into the bottom the other day and the plant growth was over their backs. 

This is what the bottom looked like last year without bush hogging.  It’s just a jungle out there this year.