Cows calving, so need to tag and kick out pairs, bran dings, trees being planted grass growing, fence needing fixed.. trailer tires needed replaced and repaired… same old same old as every spring, like always we could use a good rain, but the grass is growing, tho’ it seems slow as always.. when I checked cows out east this morning, there was a whole bunch of pairs off by themselves close to the gate going west, so I opened it, got behind then and sure enough a smart ol’ cow and her calf headed for it and led the others out.. pretty easy to move a bunch that way.. I’d sorted off most of the drop bunch who hadn’t calved a few days ago and kicked them south, so been having to check two pastures.. not handy.. so this afternoon, I saddled Hub and Pilgrim and led Hub and kicked the rest of the pairs out, that were out east and then kicked the uncalved ones south, Tate came along at the right time and set gates for me to cross the road, so I had that going for me… 😀  Poor little Hub had to lope to keep up with Pilgrim’s trot.. hauling a couple steers to the sale tomorrow and hopefully a couple of these horses who never have gotten any use out of… hate to sell them, but we seldom ride mares and they are just wasting grass… hope someone needs them…

About 40 to 45 mph the last couple days, supposed to blow again today and tomorrow, but drop off towards evening and not blow quite as hard either… oh well, those people who don’t like wind really shouldn’t live in this area I guess as we get a lot of it… branded in it both days.. not a lot of fun, but it could have been worse, we could have had a couple feet of snow with it. A few photo’s from the branding day before yesterday, Chance and Tate brought some boys over to help… there were already some there.. they all worked their tails off and did good..

 

Had a little drizzle/rain this morning, Chance and Sam and I rode out to kick out pairs and tag, there were way tool many in there… I was wearing my slicker and got hot so took it off and it set in to raining pretty hard, put it back on and sat it out and it quit… so left it on as it would sprinkle now and then.. not sure how many we tagged, but it was a bunch, older pairs and 10 new ones…Sam got to kick out one pair, pretty much by himself, but he got wet and cold, but didn’t whine about it, we finally quit,as there was a chance a neighbor was going to try and brand at noon, when we got in Cindy said they’d postponed until tomorrow… so maybe we will go back out and kick out the rest… rain…. I love it!

To all the mothers out there.. mine’s been gone for a long time now.. I miss here… been going to bran dings.. we’ve had a mix of hot and cool, but so far real nice weather for branding’s.  Lige went with me yesterday over to Q & J’s… I cut the second bunch and he ran the nut bucket… Chance and I went out and tried to tag calves last night but to many have gotten too much age on us and we couldn’t catch them all afoot, so we will have to rope them and tag.. When Cindy and I checked this morning there were a couple fresh ones and we got them.. one was even the mean old horned cow but I got him tagged, he was still slimy… we are about to leave to go to Mass then we need to kick pairs out and try and tag the ones who need it.. probably take Gramma to supper somewhere for Mothers day.. she and Tate had their monthly religion class yesterday and he bought her flowers.. Fr Tyler is supposed to be home this evening.. another branding tomorrow, tho’ there is a chance of rain, but I doubt it will stop it as the guy needs to get them done and moved out…

Heard the expression, “Slower than an old cow having a calf”?

Never made much sense to me because when an older cow gets ready to calve, she don’t mess around.. if you see one with a water bag and she hasn’t calved in a hour, you better catch her and run your hand in there and see what’s going on.. so… Cindy and I got a message that one of our cows had calved, not far from the road and an observant neighbor lady went by and saw that the calf was under the fence on the wrong said of the cow.. so we drove down the road, found the cow and calf, but they were not next to the road, but farther into the pasture, next to a fence where we join with neighbor…so we hurried back around and into the pasture, cuz’ things didn’t look right.. when we got there, sure enough, the calf was on the wrong said of the fence and dead.. evidently she didn’t get the sack off his head fast enough and he smothered…. it  happens sometimes… dang….. while we were out there we decided to go ahead and check on the rest, maybe tag some new ones.. did that and even kicked 4 pair out that wanted to go.. wasn’t much of a problem, got them headed right, got around them and opened the gate and came back behind them and they did the rest.. shut the gate and went on our way… seen a cow off a ways and thru’ the binoculars could see she had a water bag, so went and piddled around, check some other stuff, tagged a couple calves, gave her plenty of time and came back and ….. nuthin’… as we sat a ways away and watched her for signs of calving,  I called Tate and told him he had a couple to tag and might want to get them while they were new as they looked pretty lively and the cows looked like REAL good mothers! He met us in the pasture, got the tags and we went and watched and ran a little interference for him while he tagged them, went back and checked the cow and … nuthin’…. drove close enough to check and could see a toe and it was the correct position, so knew she wasn’t having a backwards calf.. we came home, ate some supper, and went back out.. by now, more than an hour had passed… usually, on these older cows, I don’t worry, but after losing one today, it made me a little head shy, so when we got there and no calf, I hurried home, caught and saddled a horse, got all my gates to the corral set and loped out to get her in.. and….. she had a calf…. so yes, sometime they are slower than an old cow having a calf.. I bet if we’d have never gotten close when we first found her and left her alone she’d have had him in 15 minute.. just goes to show, them cows know more about having calves than I do!

I finished up some leather repairs this morning and finished up my new corral addition this afternoon.. got a branding tomorrow at a neighbors…

Little breeze, but not bad…after Mass, this afternoon, Tate and Gabe and Chance and Gus and I went out and kicked out pairs.. they were getting pretty thick.. when we got done, I fed, only about half what I’ve been feeding, the grass is coming on and they ain’t very crazy about hay.. probably won’t feed much more now.. I rode Hub for his first outside excursion putting out pairs.. he did great. Gonna be real nice when he’s finished. Dustin Dennis did a great job on him. I am plumb tickled.. got bran dings coming up this week.. Chance and the kids are out working with the forge.. Hope took some photos of some of the things we made and will post them on my page on Facebook.. men’s group here in a bit.. we haven’t met for the past couple weeks, so I am looking forward to it.. probably be hit and miss from now until fall as everyone is getting busy…

 

Worked on leather this morning, Cindy went to work, a little before noon, her “part time job’ where she used to work.. I worked on the forge all afternoon and into the evening, getting some cool stuff built, but sure wears an old fat man out.. Chance went with me to check cows tonight, he had a new one to tag. stupid rip had him in a shallow ditch with some water in it, he got him out and tagged, when we come back he was up and sucking and walking thru’ the ditch with his mother, some peoples cattle just ain’t too smart… kind of like the one I brought in yesterday of Tates…

prolapse… a day after she calved.. sure hope he puts wheels under her this fall.. we got over 3 inches out of all the snow and rain  we’ve had in the past couple weeks. sure gonna make the grass pop! We are still feeding some hay, grass is slow coming, but that’s why we have the stuff…

April…. showers???  Didn’t know they meant snow showers!!!

Oh well, we need the moisture..doesn’t seem to be bothering’ the cattle too much but they will sure enjoy it when the sun comes out… rain, mostly, got to have it to make cow feed…

 

Worked on the forge this afternoon, Chance finished his set of tongs, we made a hold down I made another toilet paper holder, that makes two, using a horseshoe and then iron forge welded on in an L shape.. twisted that part.. got to remember to take the camera out there!

Some wind, kind of cool.. I spent most of the day working on an addition tom the corrals.. I had gotten some poles from a friend, old high line poles.. Tate picked me up some long posts, I dug holes and Fr Tyler helped me set the posts and tamp them… I used the tractor and loader to set poles up and wire them into place.. got about half way done and was running low on wire and needed some staple so Cindy  and Fr Tyler rode with me to Punkin’ Center and got the stuff, came home, and fed cows, dug a couple more holes and then set two more post.. long day.. if it isn’t too wet tomorrow I will set the rest of the poles up and then all we will have to do is put in a couple of gates.. got a good chance for some rain and maybe a little snow, over the next few days.. had a few calves today… when we checked this morning one of Tates had calved and she is a fast movin’ wild rip… had quite a chase just to read her ear tag number.. when we checked before dark I had another one and so had he.. got mine tagged and wrote the number down on his so he can make a tag and tag it… Cindy rode up to Faith with Kass this evening for a meeting.. it’s almost 10 and she just got home.. I think it’s bed time!

I saddled him and let him stand while I did some other stuff and then worked him afoot in the round pen for awhile, taught him to walk by me and to walk up while I stood on an elevated plank/catwalk.. stepped on and away we went. He is real nice. Thanks Dustin Dennis, you done real good… I tried to post a video but can’t seem to make it work.. makes me wonder why I pay WordPress.. it’s why I did it so I could upload video’s… 😦