The haying is all done except for a little cutting along roadsides and feed grounds. We are thankful for what we got. Some ranchers won't get any hay put up this summer. Too dry.
We are laying water lines this week out in a couple of the summer pastures. The stock ponds and reservoirs are so low that it is very likely we will run out of water for the cows unless we can pump water into stock tanks. Hubby rented a trencher and backhoe from Monday through the July 3rd. My parents came out to help. The menfolk are out trenching, gluing pipe, setting tanks, and burying water lines. Today I helped them for a few hours, but there were also the livestock to drive out to. We try to check on the cows, sheep, steers and bulls every day, making sure they are not hurt or sick or bogged in the mucky stock dams and checking to see that our cows are in their proper pastures and not across the fence in the neighbors' pastures. A couple of the neighbor's bulls were in our cows today so they were put back on their own side of the fence. Have you ever heard the line from the Robert Frost poem The Mending Wall? "Good fences make good neighbors." When you have livestock, it's true. So true.
There is always work to do, but I'm looking forward to some Summertime easy living, aren't you? I want a little time to sew and embroider and to do some lawn chair-sitting in the shade with a good book and a tall glass of iced coffee. My book-reading is sparse right now, but I am enjoying snippets of Gladys Taber's Stillmeadow Daybook (June) and I'm catching up on my Better Homes and Gardens and Country Living mags. I haven't started my summer traditional ice cream-cone-a-day yet, but I did make some strawberry-yogurt popsicles and put them in the freezer! How do you celebrate summertime?
That sunset is beautiful. I guess there can be beauty even in opposition. Your family works so hard. I can imagine sitting in the lawn chair and reading a book is precious. Can't wait to see what ice cream cones you make.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you got your hay put up! Over here, it has been super wet! The poor Ellensburg farmers have had hay rained on for 5 days in a row. They take such a loss on an export crop like Timothy hay.
ReplyDeleteI love that line about good fences. We have always abided by that and I think it is sooo true!!
Hope you get a few moments to just rest and put your feet up! I sm excited to hear about your ice cream cone a day:).
~Julia
What a gorgeous photo, Jody!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite summertime pleasure is definitely reading and floating in the pool. We'll see about the pool part!
I hope your ice cream cone breaks come soon, friend!
That sunset is beautiful. Your summer days seem full of hard work and good things...bet y'all have no problem falling to sleep at night :) As a matter of fact I too fall asleep much more quickly these summer days. My days have been full with family and grandchildren.... stretching myself a bit :)Not a lot of time for reading here either,but life is very good now and I am blessed! Blessings to you and yours friend.
ReplyDeleteLife is difficult for us as farmers and ranchers this year for sure. We have no fires close to us yet, but have heard of two hayfields burning as a result of baling the dry grass. We are already feeding hay and grain, leaving us with a shortage for next winter, since we've only been able to cut one time. Our water sources, ponds and creeks, are going dry too. So, I guess we're in a sisterhood of sorts.
ReplyDeleteIt was dry here too but we had a heavy downpour today. The garden needed it.
ReplyDeleteMm mmm - an ice-cream a day - I think I like that tradition!
I'm listening to Norah Jones right now - fun! Thanks Jody.
A beautiful sunset Jody! Boy, sounds like some ranching worries with all of this dry, hot weather -- hopefully June has been an anomally and July and August will be a little less brutal. I'm not a fan of summer so I celebrate by wishing it would be over. Bring me some Snow LOL!
ReplyDeleteI think an ice cream cone a day is a marvelous idea! We are going home Sunday after a week's vacation, and I suppose that's when the summer routine will really begin. I'm looking forward to all the tomatoes that await me--at last!
ReplyDeletexofrances
We LOVE yogurt popsicles :-) Since we like to celebrate with food, Summer brings us lots of fresh berries which show up on our table in cobblers, fruit salads, homemade ice cream, muffins, and just popped in our mouth straight from the bush!
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon "Gumbo Lily". I just learned today from Plain O Vanilla's oldest daughter (Sweet Home Livin') (i.e. my cousin's wife :-)) That your daughter is expecting another of your grandchildren around the same time I am due (Dec 20ish, '12). She was enjoying sharing the fact that your daughter's first was born within weeks of our second little guy (April 16, '11). I enjoy watching your blog on occasion, not nearly as often as I would due to a busy house of two toddler boys. We dream of country life some day such as you write about. Both my hubby and I are from farm country, but are content with our little home in the city for now, so thanks for sharing with us our dream through your life! Some day...LORD willing.
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