Calving Update

Only 7 more to go. 

The rest maybe strung out for a little while.
One of the spares got adopted last week.  Wouldn't you know, the one day we go and do something (the 4-H riding clinic) a cow calved with a dead one.  It looks like she probably had it backwards with it's legs up under it.  We may not have been able to save it had we been here but you never know.  But fortunately, she did accept the new calf.

Flowers

The spring flowers are in full bloom.

 The daisies are so cheerful.

 But I just love the peonies.

Can't you just smell them?

Change of Plans

It's been cold, wet, and raining here for the last week so no additional progress on the grading.

 We do have a start on a pretty decent road to the location.

 And now we have a very large flat spot for the barn.

 But we also have this very high cliff of dirt.

This is where the opening of the shed is suppose to face.  If he continues to dig all of this out far enough back to where we can get trailers and equipment in and out then the road becomes too steep.  Looks like we will be flipping the shed to the lower side.  The only draw back with that was taking up more of J's field.  We are told that they will start construction next week.

Food Fight

Bunny (the Easter goat)  is still getting a bottle twice a day but staying with the herd.  Sometimes however, she is with just the dogs.  I guess we don't have to worry about a coyote getting her.

Bumble and Bea continue to be the sweetest, nicest dogs except at feeding time.  We pour the food out in two separate piles but Bumble aways comes over and growls at Bea until Bea leaves and goes to the other pile.  This may go on the entire time they are eating or may only occure once.

One time Bumble inhaled a piece of food while she was growling.  There was considerable hacking and gagging during which time I thought "if she passes out I can help but I'm not sticking my hand down her throat while she's growling like that."  She was finally able to clear it out on her own.  I don't think I want to get in the middle of these two dogs and their food.

District Qualifying Clinic

Usually our 4-H district only has one horse show to qualify at to attend the State Horse Show in September.  This year however, there were 2 shows and 2 clinics scheduled.  The first show was in April and it poured down rain.  The second show isn't until the end of June.  Because of V and E's busy summer schedules I thought it would be good to go to the clinic this past weekend in case we weren't able to get to the show in June.  

There was s showmanship portion that started at 11:00.   It was raining for that part but fortunately stopped before V and E started riding.

 E took the reining clinic which was from 2-5.  It was a lot of sitting while they tried different maneuvers one at a time for the instructor to critique.  He said E had a very well trained horse.

 Can't you just see the speed she's working with in the large fast circle?  They worked on pivoting, side passing, loping off straight and a small pattern.

 V's lesson was more concentrated in the 4:30 - 5:30 time slot.  There were only 2 others in the ring with her and Hank in Training Level Dressage.  This was her first time with a dressage instructor.  It was nice to see her ride and do what the instructor said without any "I can't" or "I'm tired."    She rode very well and Hank tried his best to be a dressage horse.  The instructor could tell how he was just trying to figure out what V wanted so he could do it.

J got a little tired waiting and found a comfortable piece of ground.  This wasn't nearly as stressful as a horse show.   I think everyone enjoyed the day and learned a little something.

Bee Swarm II

What has eagle eye J spotted now?

 Would you believe another swarm of bees!

 We were told we must have a very strong queen.

 Our bee man didn't have another hive ready so he sent some else that had lost their bees over the winter.

 Same procedure as before but these were a little higher up.  The bees are looking for a place to go and are happy to go in the box.

We were then told that bees not counting the hive sell for $75.  That's $150 we've given away in the last 2 weeks.  Guess I'll be reading up on beekeeping so maybe we'll be ready if they swarm again.  Beekeeper #2 said there was a saying "a swarm in May is worth a load of hay but a swarm in June just let them go."   I'm not so sure he got the wording right on that second part.

Monkey Goats

Goats love to climb and this tree affords the perfect opportunity for them to pretend to be monkeys.

 Once one gets brave it's not long before there are followers.

 The black headed one in front though isn't brave enough yet to get over that next hurdle.

 There was a small traffic jam when he tried to reverse.

Now we'll be having to check the trees to find everyone.