Riding and raking....

How about a run through the creek?  We had to bring the heifers through a pasture that is wet, wet, wet.  There used to be a time when our cows hardly knew what it was to cross a full creek, but now they lumber right in.  The horses do too, right behind them.  The wet weather has caused some hoof rot to plague part of the heifers.  We put out  mineral and some salt treated with organic iodine that usually keeps the hoof rot at bay, but now and then it can't be helped and the critters must be treated with a dose of tetracycline.

 A couple of the bulls were due to come out of the heifers too so we sorted off two heifers and the two bulls and brought them into the corrals.  The bulls got a free ride ( in the horse trailer) home and the heifers were turned back out to pasture.

 Here were our rides for the day .... Tommy, Texas, and Pete.  PC was already loaded in the horse trailer so I didn't get his picture.  Wait.  Yes, I did.  He's the buckskin in the photo above this one.

On the way home, I just had to snap a picture of the neighbor's pasture.  It's full to the brim with sweet clover.  It is beautiful to the eyes and is sweet to the smell.  There's just nothing like the fragrance of sweet clover in bloom.

The rest of our day is spent in the hay field.   Eldest son mows, I rake, and Hubs bales.  Actually, I don't want you to think that I rake ALL the hay.  I mostly spell someone for a few hours every now and then.  But it seems I am spending more time on the rake all the time.  There is just so much to do these days and it's something I can do (and I like to do) to help.  The rake is connected to an open-air tractor and I love being out in the fresh air, smelling the hay, and feeling the heat of the tractor motor and the sun.  I don't mind the heat at all, so it's a good job for me.  I take lots of water along and wear a brimmed hat to keep the sun off my face.  Otherwise, I wear shorts, sandals and a tank top -- catching some rays.  If I know I'm going to be out there for several hours, I always grease up with some sunscreen and take along a long-sleeved, lightweight, cotton shirt to cover up when I've had enough sun.  

There is so much hay yet to cut and bale.  An unbelievable crop for us this year.  The haying has been fairly slow going for us since we seem to get a rain shower about every other night.  We can't bale wet hay so it must lay out in the sun and wind to dry before we can turn it and bale it.  It is very satisfying to see all those rows of raked hay to the side of me.  I know that I've contributed a little bit to help to get the hay in.

Next week we start to artificially inseminate part of the cows.  For me, that will mean more hours in the saddle, which I like.  There will be sorting to do on horseback and then all the cows and calves will be taken out to summer breeding pastures.   It is just so lush and green and all the waterholes are full of fresh water.  We know we are blessed.

The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in fields of green grass and leads me to quiet pools of fresh water. He gives me new strength. He guides me in the right paths, as he has promised.

~Psalm 23 

Who likes Marty Robbins?  Raise your hand and sing with me....