Cows, leaves, bugs, and bones...

 

 I wish I could have taken you with me a couple days ago.  We pregnancy tested our mature cows, and then Hubs and I trailed them out to the North Pasture the next morning.  It was a fascinating morning to me.  There was a light fog, and yet it was fairly warm.  The sun kept trying to break through, but just could not.  All along the way I was appreciating the last tidbits of fall that will soon vanish with a hard freeze or two and the setting in of winter.  There were grasses that had turned a bright orange, seeds set on the sagebrush, light green lichens that were scattered like leaves all over the ground.  I spotted something bright white in the pasture and drove over to it to find it was a pile of antelope bones.  I picked up the skull and horns to bring home.

 

Once the cows and calves were through the pasture gate, they immediately put their heads down and began to graze hard.  There was so much grass there, they thought they had Arrived in Heaven!  They had.  We hope to keep them there as long as the weather permits.  When the reservoirs freeze over, they'll come home where we can keep a close eye on them.

 I've been making time for walks and for afternoon sun bathing on the front porch.  I want to soak up the warm days and all they contain before they are gone. The grandgirls were here for the morning and we picked up pretty leaves to admire and watched a lady bug.  Later on, I brought the leaves in, brushed them with Mod Podge, let them dry, and strung them into garlands with needle and embroidery floss.  I promised the girls I would bring them each a string of leaves to hang in their windows.  I made some for my windows too.  When the sun shines through the windows at about 4:00 in the afternoon, they nearly glow.  Simple pleasure.

Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain.  ~Henry David Thoreau