It has been a while since I posted anything on this blog - I just couldn't find anything that was really new or different to write about. That and I started back full time this fall so it's been a little busy. What really started me thinking is a conversation I had with my new boss about our place. I told him that I missed not being able to go out to the land and just be! I love getting to interact (sort of) with our cows and I truly love just sitting out there, watching them, listening to birds, and simply enjoying the beauty of the land!
So just another day - well in the month of November, my spouse was traveling with his job so the feeding/checking cows fell to me. As you probably realize, the days are much shorter right now, so in order to get everything done, my days have to start earlier. My "normal" routine begins about 5:15 a.m. or so - jump in the shower, take care of personal toiletry (brush teeth, makeup, hair) then leave the house by 6:15 to head out to the place. I get out there by 6:25 - 6:30, get ranch cubes and get them fed - hopefully without getting run down by silly cows and bulls trying to get to the bags! If it is also a day to feed hay, I normally get 1 or 2 bales put out before I have to head back to town to get clothes changed and head to work. When I get off at 5:00 p.m., I hurry home to change clothes, then head back out to check on cows and feed another bale of hay. This is my time I don't have to hurry away so I take my time after putting out the bale of hay to count and watch cows, checking for problems, illness, injury or whatever else might be out of the ordinary. Fortunately, this year, we do not have calves coming during this time. They should start calving around the middle of February, hopefully. I get to hang out, listen to the coyotes sing, and just be quiet for a while. It truly is my favorite part of the day. This schedule is pretty much normal when my spouse travels for his job but I truly do not mind - other than having to hurry in the mornings to get ready to go to work.
This is one of our 2 boys. He walked right up to the window on the pickup on this day and started to stick his nose inside the truck. I named them Hank and Drover (from John Erickson book series "Hank The Cowdog" - this would be Hank.
Just think this picture is too funny. Posted on Facebook a while back and asked the question - "Can you do this with your tongue?"
I love this new part of my life and I am very grateful God gave us this opportunity to fulfill a dream!