Beautiful Sunrise

Thankfully, our snow is almost gone.  But the problem is now it has turned to mud.  I did however, get  some pictures of the sunrise a couple of days ago before the snow all melted. 

 

Calf's First Snow

We have a 2 month old twin that has been hanging out at the barn since his mother rejected him after he was born.  He is now weaned and eating grain and hay.

 Today, J let him out of the barn to play in the snow. 

 There was a lot of prancing,

 bucking,

 and running.  Shear joy. 

He looks like he was even trying to catch a snowflake.

Cute Santas

I've been on Pinterest again.  I thought I could wait to post these pictures but they were just too darn cute. 

 I try to make a new ornament every year.  Let me tell you, it's getting tough to come up with new ideas that I am capable of pulling off.

Pinterest version

But when I saw this on Pinterest, I thought I would give it a try.

 I'm going with "Nailed It"

 Maybe the people that are getting them won't be checking out the blog any time soon. 

And maybe no one will notice the similarity to last year's ornament. 

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

The snow started last night and continued all day today. 

 It is very pretty,

 sticking to everything.

 J needed me to help get through some gates with the hay.  The horses were being their usual pesty selves.

 I distracted them with 1/2 a square bale. 

 This is an open heifer we are feeding for a beef.  When I said the snow was sticking to everything, I meant it. 

 I thought Hank looked like a Christmas card.

 The dogs are sure loving the snow.

 The goats, not so much.

 We ended up with 15 inches by dark. 

 15 inches of snow makes it a little difficult to open gates that already drag the ground.  There was a lot of pushing and shoveling to get through them all. 

J got everything fed.  Now just have to start over again tomorrow.  And walking up and down hills in snow up to your knees definitely counts as Farmercising.

Old Hand

We are in the path of a major snow storm.  They are predicting 12+ inches for us starting early Sunday morning.  J thought it would be easier to feed the bred heifers if they were back here instead of on the 20 acres we rent from his dad 12 miles away.  

 With 16 heifers to bring back, we had to make 2 trips.  J's dad already had them up and in the lot.  Papa R and Sandy are usually back in Florida by now but their flight south has been on standby due to Sandy's bout with vertigo. 

 Papa R is 85 but doesn't seem like a thing in the world is bothering him.  He worked the gate through the deep, sticky mud,

 and helped J crowd the heifers on into the trailer. 

 There was some boot washing before they got back in the truck.

 We decided to just drive up the road and let them out at the far end of the farm instead of driving up the driveway and through 2 more gates. 

 Glad we had Papa R to help.  At least it kept me out of the mud and muck. 

Now the heifers are back home and ready for the snow. 

Good Grass

We were blessed with all that rain all summer and fall which then blessed us with plenty of fall pasture.  So far J has not had to start feeding hay. 

 There is still one cow left to calve at J.J. Jr's.  J is betting she is waiting for a snow blizzard. 

 He is hoping to not have to start feeding there until after Christmas. 

 We do have a problem with scours in this group.  I had to do iv fluids on a couple and Tuesday had to tube the last one born with electrolytes.

The neighbor's cattle were hanging around the gate looking longingly at the grass on the other side.

Ready, Set.....Decorate!

It was a busy week last week.  I had to work extra and be on call. 

Plus we had this heifer that has decided to start bloating for no apparent reason.  I have had to tube her several times to relieve the gas, gave her steroids and antibiotics, water, electrolytes and probiotics.  Nothing is helping so far.  

 But J and I did take off a little yesterday to go get a tree.   We always have to do the "is it wide enough and fluffy enough" test.

There was a pile of discarded branches and tree tops that they let me go through.  So I will have plenty to decorate with. 

Now I can get my silver tree decorated too. 

 Anyone want to come help?

And just a little couponing note.  When your sister just wants oil, buy one get one free, 6 for $12.  But if you add candy and cleaner and coupons, it's only $11.25.