January 9, 2005

So, this is a busy time of year. And the weather has been to say the least, trying.. I think I almost buried my tractor in the over the knee deep mud.. I needed help getting it out. There is nowhere to feed the cattle that they aren't in mud after feeding out of the hay rings in one area for a few days. Our weather has been changing back and forth from below freezing with bitter windchill, to sleet , snow or like Friday when we had a surprise snow squall. I get home from work way after dark... When I checked the cattle Thursday night there is a sheet of ice over puddles of water not yet frozen with snow on top. I was glad to have a cell phone in my pocket in case of trouble. Today, was even more confusing with the snow melting and beautiful sunshine. I think we have another snow system on the way though.

My friends brought me a bottle calf today. Her mother didn't seem to want her. They even got the Mom in a stanchion so the calf could nurse. The calf had been buried in mud and the Mom didn't even seem to have enough sense to get her to a dry spot to sleep. They brought her to me still with cakes of dried mud on her.. She is mostly angus ,, but has a tiny spot of white on her underbelly. and She was hungry when she got here. I gave her lots of milk... and she will probably get another bottle before I go to bed tonight. She is full of life and I gave her lots of attention.

I hope to get all my seed orders out in the next couple of days.