Busy Night........and Day!

M went to check the cows last night just before dark.  He put a heifer in the barn and was going to leave her for awhile to see how she did while we had a quick supper.  When we went to check on her she hadn't progressed at all so into the maternity pen she went so we could pull the calf.  It was a hard pull and a very big calf--he estimated between 90 and 95 pounds.  Too big for a heifer!  I had to text R updates since all these heifers are his. 

While we were in the midst of that his phone kept ringing.  He was too busy to answer but had a voicemail that there was a fire near Richland.  We walked out of the barn and could see the glow in the sky.  After a few calls we finally found out that it was about 20 miles south.  We went into Richland to see if the fire trucks were out and they were.  We drove down to the fire, but it was well under control by then with trucks from several of the nearby towns.

We headed back home and went to check on the heifer and the calf.  The calf was cleaned off and up and the heifer seemed no worse for wear.  Thank goodness!

We hit the ground running this morning as there were a couple of new calves to get in and tag, feeding to be done and then we switched to farming mode.  The guys hauled some seed wheat to our land west of Opheim.  I had to go along with the service pickup.  When we got that done I hurried home to check the cows.  Another heifer had calved on her own but was a little agitated in the midst of the rest of the heifers.  I left her alone and went to the pasture to check the rest of the herd.  There were two new ones there.  One headed to the barn as soon as I rode near her with the 4-wheeler so she was easy to get into the pen.  M arrived soon after and moved the the heifer and her calf into the barn where they could bond without being bothered.

I got home about 4:30 and had a couple of hours to do laundry before I had to run to Richland and pick up M and head out to check the cows again.  We got the other new calf and its mother into the pen so we can tag it in the morning and kick it out with the other pairs.

So begins the spring craziness......

R's first baby......a boy!

And his BIG girl!

Babies!

We had our first calf on Wednesday and have had one or two every day since then.  We expect the pace to pick up soon.  I had to let R know that we had our first calf--he was disappointed that it wasn't one of his.  We have the cows more confined now so it's easier to check on them and get them into the barn if we have to.  One cow had a set of twins, but sadly, only one survived.  We probably could have saved it if we had been there at the right time.  The surviving twin was slow to get up so we got him and his mom to the barn and gave him some colostrum.  The mother was having a bad day and tried to take it out on M.  He had to pen her up so he could feed the calf.  We left them in the barn for a couple of days to make sure he was up and eating but kicked them out into the sunshine yesterday.  He's still not very energetic.  I've always loved this time of year and am constantly in awe at nature, how the cow knows to lick of the calf and get it up and guard it and how the calf instinctively knows where to seek nourishment.

Yesterday M went to pick up 12 heifers that belong to a friend to bring here and put with ours and calve out.  I'm never sure why he brings more work on himself.  I was on cow-checking duty while he was gone and found a fresh calf when I went to check.  We ran the new heifers through the chute and poured them, and they seem like nice, calm girls.

A few days ago I noticed that one of my pet calves had a bad foot and think that she probably stepped on something.  She didn't come to feed right away and then I noticed she was limping and her back foot was swollen.  We kept an eye on it and she wasn't getting better so we brought her home and gave her a shot of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories.  She looked much better the next day although she doesn't seem happy to not be with her friends.  We plan to give her another shot in a day or so and then take her back.  M said it could have been worse--it could have been one of his calves instead of one of mine!

J is still busy getting ready to start in the field.  A loaner tractor was delivered on Friday since our new one won't be here until May.  The "three-year experiment" blue tractor is gone and J is very happy to be back in green.  He installed monitors, etc. so he's ready to hook onto his drill.  He added another tank to the drill so that he'd have more grain capacity.  He showed us his progress one day.  Looked like a BIG job to me!  He amazes me with his ability to work on things.  We think he should start a consulting business because the other day one neighbor, who bought a drill J had tried out last year, said if he had any problems he'd call J and another neighbor said if he had any trouble with his GPS system, which was new to him, he'd call J.  I did notice the other day that his ADD is showing because he had three projects going in the shop in town and the drill project in another shop nearby.

We have missed some storms in the past week or so.  There is rain in the forecast again for the week ahead so we're hoping that we get some this time.  So far, all we've gotten is wind--plenty of it.  The weatherman never seems to get that wrong.  Happy Spring!

Getting Ready.....

Yes, we're getting ready....for calving and for field work.  Yesterday was a busy day getting animals moved.  We took my (our) heifer calves down to Richland to get them out of the way while we're calving.  That took two trips with animals and one trip with feeders and buckets of feed.  With the weather so nice the cows have begun roaming so we ran around to make sure all the appropriate gates were closed.  While doing that we found some fence that needed to be fixed so worked on that some.  Then we got sidetracked picking up net wrap from the bales where we had fed during the winter.  From there we went to check the fence around the bull pasture and made a few minor repairs.  Then we had to move the bulls but had to pour them with insecticide for lice and flies first.  I was not happy that we had to work with the bulls, but I was told "there will be no whining".  As we were getting ready to do that, M remembered that we needed to brand one of the bulls so we got that done. 

We had a minor mishap when the last bull managed to open a sliding gate and walk out of the barn.  So we had to get him back in the corral and back around into the barn again to run him through the chute.  That went a lot more smoothly than I thought it would.  They were all very calm and cooperative while in the barn and through the chute, but once we were done with them a couple of them decided to fight.  We had a heck of a time getting them run out of the corral, and when they finally headed out it was in the wrong direction.  Two headed through and around the hay yard and we had quite the rodeo getting them headed in the right direction.  Good thing they got tired fast!

Today was another busy day tearing out a fence.  Last fall we had the neighbor's fencer build a mile of fence so we could tear out about three miles.  M took out a stretch last fall and we got started on another stretch today.  My job was to take all the fence clips off and M rolled up the wire.   M had the tougher job, but we're both exhausted.  Tonight he informed me that we could have a lot more days like this.  That fence has probably been there since the 1950's so it will be strange to have it gone.  We'll be able to farm across that fence line now so that will be nice.

J has been busy getting his drill ready and working on a truck so he can get it out of the shop.  He needs to get his tractor in to install monitors, etc.  He's getting a bit antsy which is typical for this time of year.  We're never quite as prepared for spring's work as we wish we were.

M is moving slowly tonight and tomorrow is race day so maybe I'll get a little time to rest and catch up at home.

There and Back Again

We have been off on our annual NASCAR trip to Las Vegas and arrived home last night.  The wind literally blew us in!  Wow!  We were pulling home a portable corral for a friend, and it was an adventure keeping it on the road at times.  We sent him a text at one point and said we had tried out the corral and rounded up a small herd and could he send a truck.  When we got to Malta we could smell smoke and the radio said it was coming from a fire between Havre and Chinook.  I saw an article online this morning that said it burned 5000 acres.  Scary with those winds--I heard there were gusts to 75 mph!  Glad I got my walk in early this morning because the wind is up again.

J was on cow duty while we were gone.  I made sure to tell him that my calves, numbers 111 and 125 like their heads petted.  I got a "oh they do, do they?"  He humored me, but I'm pretty sure he didn't pet them.  He informed me that I had some pests because their heads are in the buckets before you can get through the gate.  Before we left we put our heifers that are due to calve in the pen with the calves.  The calves had such a routine and were so orderly and the heifers have messed that all up!  The calves are going to get moved as soon as we do some windbreak repair.  They weren't quite as friendly as usual this morning--getting used to me again, I suppose--although one that I don't normally pet walked up to me as she was headed to feed and let me pet her head.

Since we were flying out of Billings I made an appointment with my back doctor there.  The steroid shot I had in my back only lasted for about a week and a half and now I am having more pain.  We agreed that I'm going to have to have surgery again.  Timing is the only problem.  He's on his way to Spain until April 1, and after that is not good for me.  M doesn't seem too worried about me being out of commission because I was so much better so fast last time, but I don't think he remembers how I couldn't bend over or lift anything for 6 weeks.  I won't be much help for awhile.  I guess I'll just have to decide how long I want to suffer. The long hours of sitting while traveling are not good for me, so I can feel it today.

We had a fun trip with lots of friends and family--R, our niece, M's siblings and their spouses, and friends from far and near--21 of us altogether, although the only time we were all together was on the buses to and from the racetrack.  We had a lot of laughs, ate too much, drank too much (some more than others) and thoroughly enjoyed the warm weather.  M was so excited that his favorite driver (Dale, Jr.) led the first 70 laps that he said his heart was racing, and I think he teared up a little.  Sadly, though, he didn't win. 

We were glad that the race fit into R's schedule so well--he has spring break this week.  I'm sure most young men don't want to hang out with their moms while in Vegas, but he was a good sport about it, and I am always happy to have any time with him.

I always feel like the Vegas trip is our last hurrah before all hell breaks loose since we'll be calving soon and could be in the field soon and then we're spraying and then haying and then it's harvest.  So, we'd better get rested up because we have lots of work to do!

Home Improvement Month

It's been a busy month on the home improvement front.  About three weeks ago we put new flooring in our office--the flooring has been stacked in boxes in my entryway for almost two years.  I'm pretty embarrassed to admit that.  M always says that we can get stuff done during calving time since he has to stay close to home.  That never happens.  Anyway, while we on a roll at that time we put in a new light fixture in the kitchen, changed the filters in the RO system, fixed the storm door and got it put back up, and put up a some hooks in our bathroom.  Oh yeah, we also got a new fridge before that.

We finally made the decision that we were going to take out our living room carpet and put in a wood laminate like we have in our kitchen.  I always said that as soon as Cruiser was gone the carpet had to go.  He's been gone a year so it was time.  We decided to have someone else install it since it was a bigger project and we weren't sure we'd have time to do it.  We were on the schedule for March 15th but the store called on Monday and said they had a cancellation and could get it done this week.  So, Wednesday we moved all the furniture and ripped out the carpet and they started laying the new floor on Thursday.  It went pretty slowly at first because he tied the new floor into the old floor.  Then it got easier, but it didn't move along any faster.  So, when the installer left at 5:00 on Friday with the floor unfinished I was not happy.  We have a busy week ahead (and a trip to Vegas) and didn't feel like we had the time to wait for him to finish to get the house back in order and didn't want to live in the mess all weekend.  So, we finished it ourselves.  Of course, it was all the hard parts left with every piece having to be cut and then the doorways.  Oh well, it's done now, our house is back in order, and we're very happy.

Now we have two more light fixtures to install and the drawer pulls for the kitchen cabinets will be here Monday, and holes to fill in the kitchen ceiling from the old light fixture.  I may have to take care of those myself.  M's not thrilled with working on things around the house, and I feel a bit guilty when I make him do it.  I think he'll be very happy when spring comes and he's too busy to be bothered.  I mentioned that to him and he reminded me that when he gets busy I will also be too busy to be thinking of those things.  Oh yeah, I forgot....  It was good while it lasted!

Our new living room floor