Getting Ready

The last few days have been very warm here, highs in the 80's.  Lots of flowers are getting ready to bloom soon.

Corral bells
Allium
Iris
Poppies.

It's been a beautiful time to work in the yard.

StockTrailer

Looks like we will be traveling in style to the cattle show next month.  We just got a new 20' Ebey aluminum livestock trailer.

It should be a vast improvement over our 1972 stock truck and J's dad's 30 year old steel trailer.  Anyone need a '72 chev ton truck with a 12' cattle bed?

Working Cattle

J and I worked 37 fall calves yesterday.  Today V helped us with 27 yearling heifers.

They were getting their pre-breeding vaccines.
V worked the head gate and didn't miss any.
She also did the dewormer while I vaccinated.
J is always happy after the job is done. 

Tomorrow J is judging a cattle show in Lee County.

Hip Lifters

One of our first calf heifers is down with calving paralysis. She got her back down hill when she was calving and her calf was dead and hip locked.  J had to pull it with the calf jack.  The pressure of the calf stuck in the pelvis causes damage to the nerves going to the rear legs.  Now she can't get up on her own.  A neighbor has a set of hip lifters we are borrowing.

They crank down over the pelvis,
then chain to the tractor's front end loader
and lifted up.  (Much easier looking in the pictures which don't show the 30 minutes of fighting and struggling with a 900 pound animal that wants to do something else.)
The hip lifters help support her weight and allow her to regain strength in her rear legs. Hopefully, she will be able to get up on her own soon.  J says farming is not always sunshine and roses.

Grape Hyacints

My grape hyacinths have been blooming for nearly a month.  They are very prolific spreading by seed and by multiplying bulbs.

When I planted these arborvitae I ended up with a grocery bag full of bulbs to give away.  I even stuffed some into holes in the yard.  They were pretty blooming in the grass until it  was mowed.

Drivinig Lessons

The 4-H club had it's monthly meeting at a stable that in addition to giving riding lessons, gives driving lessons. The kids had an introduction to harnessing the horse then all got turns driving.

I think V and E enjoyed driving but neither one seems to want to do it with their own horse.

Locks of Love

I finally got the the hair salon after 2 years and got my hair cut.  V said at least it looks better than it did but I still need to dye it.

I did have over 12 inches to donate to locks of love.  I understand that they sell the gray hair to offset costs.  Not that I'm admitting that mine is gray though.