Weaning days....

 

A couple of days ago, we went after another bunch of cows and calves in the South Pasture.  I drove the truck in front, coaxing the cows to follow me with  alfalfa cake.  I was able to snap a few pictures as we slowly chugged home.   It was chilly, but I enjoyed having the window rolled down and breathing in the pungent aroma from the sage brush. 

 

 Today we weaned the calves from the cows.  We vaccinated about 200 head and treated them with insecticide.  It was difficult pushing them up the alley.  It seemed as though we dragged each one to the chute, one at a time.  I lost my footing while pushing up a calf and banged my ribs into a post.  I wanted to bawl, but I held off and toughed it out.  Tonight, I'm feeling much better, but it still feels like I have a wooden spoon poking me in the side through to my back.  Sneezing is painful, but for the most part, I'm just a bit sore and nothing else.

There is a lot of bawling in the corrals tonight.  It is kind of sad, but one of those things that must happen year after year. I'm sure we get the term "bawl baby" from weaning calves.  At least I think so.  In a day or so, they'll stop their bawling and settle into their new spot and learn to take their feed in a bunk.

 The sheep were just across the fence as I drove by.  I wish I could have given them some cake, but I had to keep rolling along. 

 It's very dry out in the pasture now.  It's dry everywhere.  I really wanted to burn the trash, but I don't dare until we get some moisture.  The weather man says we should expect some rain and snow in the next few days.  It will freshen up the grass for the livestock and give me a chance to burn.  We may even get to light a fire in the wood stove.

I went for a little stroll late in the afternoon as the sun was setting.  Peach and I went to shut the chicken coop and then after I delivered her at her house, I went walking through The Woods, as I call it, because I heard the hoot, hoot of a couple of owls calling to one another.  I really hoped to snap a picture, but it was a little dark for that.  I thought I saw one of the owls in the picture below, but it was not.  It was just a straggly, old, broken tree that only looked like an owl perching there.  I did find one of the owls, but he flew away before I could get a picture.  I do better at taking pictures of owls in the daytime.  They don't see me very well, and I see them perfectly well.