New landscapes...

We are currently running livestock on some new-to-us land which we are leasing.  It connects nicely with our ranch and so it has become a good fit.  Hubs and I took a drive out there to check cows yesterday morning, so camera in hand, I was all about capturing the new landscapes.  We went via the Ranger, an all-terrain vehicle that allows us to go places that a 4-wheel drive truck won't.

Cows and calves don't have to travel far for their breakfast.  The lush, green grass surrounds them, even while they sleep.

This land adjoins the pasture where the cows graze.  We call it The Breaks because, geologically, it is a type of badlands that are rough, dry, clay or shale areas that erode and break away.  Right now, it is covered in tall, green grass, but it quickly goes dry and brown.  For now, it's a beautiful sight. 

Do you see how the erosion happens?  This dry, clay-shale soil erodes like crazy and continues to cut away at the banks.  It's a prime hunting grounds for fossils.

After a bend in the trail, this Prince's Plume stood as a noble guard of the highest point.  It was the only one we saw.  Prince's Plume is an indicator of high selenium soil.

Here is a close-up of him.  I found a small plant, likely a runner from this one, that we dug up to take home to the yard.  I hope it takes to the transplant.  I should have brought a bucket of dirt with it.

Ox-eye daisies were prolific.

Do you see that the soil is cracked clay?  When it rains -- and it has been unusually wet -- the rain runs into the cracks and allows the flowers and grass to grow like crazy.  The good thing about clay soil is that it holds fast to any rain that falls.

I just love seeing the peace and contentment that the cows and calves reflect when their every need is met.

This is one of my favorite pictures.  Cows trailing to an oasis of water reminds me that our Good Shepherd is in control.  It reminds me also of an artist I learned to love when visiting England.  John Constable did the piece below.

Salisbury Cathedral from Bishop's Grounds

There is no Salisbury Cathedral in the background of my "cattle at water" picture, but God is surely in it.

 

The bulls were turned into the heifers on June 3rd.  I journal this as a reminder to myself,  things of importance in ranching.  Additional bulls have been turned out as needed.  We want enough bulls to service the cows for breeding.  We check up on the bulls often and see to it that they are with the cows and that they are in good health and not hurt.  An injured bull can mean open cows (not bred), and in ranching,  this is a disaster.

I hope you enjoyed my photo journal today.  I enjoyed posting it for you.

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For every beast of the forest is Mine,

The cattle on a thousand hills.

I know every bird of the mountains,

And everything that moves in the field is Mine.

~Psalm 50:10-11

He waters the mountains from His upper chambers;

The earth is satisfied with the 

fruit of His works.

He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,

And vegetation for the labor of man,

that he may bring forth food from the earth.

~Psalm 104:13-14