We should be winding down on our cow stuff until we have to start feeding. Last week R and I moved our heifers one step closer to home. It was a bit of a cool day so R suggested that we could take a pickup and the Jeep instead of 4-wheelers. The day before when he had gone to check on them they came running to the pickup, and he had to race them to get to the gate and through before they beat him to it. I think it's never a good idea to not have at least one 4-wheeler, but I went along with his plan. We picked up the mineral tubs and put them on the back of the pickup and parked it on a hill and the majority of them gathered around, but there were some stragglers that we had to round up and some that wouldn't cross a coulee. Eventually, we got them all together and I started off with the pickup. They followed me to the gate, but once through the gate they started to veer off. I couldn't see that ten or so had broken away from the group right off the start so R was trying to get them back on track with the Jeep while I was trying to push the group in the right direction and wondering where the heck R was. Finally, he got them through the gate and tried to push them. I was caught between trying to lead them and trying to push them because they'd follow for awhile and then pass me. We eventually let Junior out, and he was helpful in getting them moving for the last mile. I should know better than to not have a 4-wheeler. So much easier.
The next day R and I had to load cull cows to take to the neighbor's where he had his so M could pick them up with the semi. We had to haul two loads over. We were halfway over with the second load when it occurred to me that I didn't really need to go along, but it was too late to turn back then. I think R wanted my help so I could open and close the three gates we had to go through.
The neighbor's cows were not cooperative about getting loaded onto the semi, and there was much cursing and gnashing of teeth. M was having a bad day already because he'd hauled a load of calves for another neighbor, and they were not cooperative either so he was not a happy cowboy. From there R and I had to go to another neighbor's to take back a heifer. She had gotten in with our cows this spring, and we told the neighbor that if he didn't come get her before we moved our cows to summer pasture she was going along. He didn't seem worried about her so we had her all summer. We cut her out when we pregnancy tested this fall and took her back home, but the next day she was back again. If she doesn't stay home this time he may have to make us a good deal and we'll keep her.
I was anxious to get home because I was going to get my granddaughter for a few hours while J and K cleaned out their camper for the winter. I had barely gotten home when they arrived to drop her off. We had some play time, and then she took a nap. I love rocking a baby to sleep and don't get near enough grandbaby time.
We have a pen of about 75 heifer calves to feed this winter, and M says they are all calm and nice, even better than last year. I haven't been out to check them out and pick my favorites so R will probably beat me to the best ones. There is one I want because I helped save her life when she was born. I got kind of attached.
We had a blast of winter the past couple of days with lows about 5 degrees and a skiff of snow. It was nice today at 45 degrees and sunny. I hope that trend continues for awhile longer so winter will be that much shorter.
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