A Fine Week!!

What is left of Icicles hanging on a spiders' web on an overhang--they look to be hanging in mid-air


It's been a long week already--work, then off, cooking for extra people, (and making sure Jared gets his 'requested' favorites), laundry,and of course chores. But it's been a great week--the weather has been awesome!

The little black calf was limping Tuesday night, and I couldn't get a good look at his hoof. Wednesday I tied him up and tried to look at his hoof again, but he was too strong for just me, and no helpers around.
So Thursday I tied him up again and Jared helped me. Poor little fellow had a piece of old rusted barbed wire shoved into the bottom of his hoof. No wonder it took the both of us to keep his leg out so I could work with his hoof. The wire came out easily, but I wasn't happy with what came out with it as well--puss.
A quick text with a photo to 'cowfriend' Ann got me the answer I already figured--yep, hit him with the meds.
So he got a couple of SQ shots of LA 200 and I had some leftover medication (of the same type) to put into his feed for now along with some Probiotics. (Easier on the patient, that's for sure--Tetracycline burns when injected--I've been on the 'receiving end' accidentally at the hog farm a couple of times!)
I will say he's a happy little patient, and Friday let me soak his hoof in Epsom salt/water mix while he munched on some alfalfa in the stanchion area.

Of course I had other helpers--Dolly, Nessa and the white calf as well. Either someone is trying to lick me (Dolly!), or get something out of my jackets' pockets (Nessa!) or right behind me waiting for a treat (white calf!)--so I about trip over him when I turn around. I swear anytime I go into the stanchion area to access the chicken coop either Dolly and/or Nessa is there looking for a handout! HA HA

I got an MP3 player for Christmas so can stick one earbud in and jam out while doing chores. I realized I actually missed having a radio out in the 'barn' area. (No electricity out there.) All we get at work is the local country station--which is OK, but I like my rock-n-roll! :) Kyle has over 1,200 songs already on the computer for me to choose from to put on the player, so that helps!

Here's the mangled heater for the tank that I talked about a couple of weeks back (stupid youngsters--grumble grumble!!). This thing is supposed to be a rectangle and not touching the bottom!

Great Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas!


A quick update:
The weather has been great--and its even good enough for grilling! :) The animals are enjoying the reprieve from the nasty cold.
I have enclosed the chickens since they continue to escape. Of course egg production has dropped, but am still getting plenty.

We are enjoying the time with Jared while he is home on leave. Kyle has actually been home more! :)

Busy Weekend!!

Kyle playing Trombone at the High School Christmas Concert. He is on the end. :)

What a busy weekend! Friday we picked up Jared from the KC Airport.....its good to have him home!!

Saturday was our Russell Christmas party and a small birthday party for Jared afterwards. Lots of fun, good food and seeing how all the young ones have grown since this summer!

Sunday was Kyle's Christmas concert and not only did he play the Trombone, he also played the drums for the dance group.
(He is in the background in the second photo)



All the calves have Winter Dysentery. :( Smelly, stinky poo that not much can be done about. Kind of like a human cold. Make them comfy, keep them hydrated and I'm pushing the probiotics as well. Thus far Dolly doesn't have it. But she's had it before and may get a mild case or not at all. Time will tell. Everyone is acting normal---goofy at times. They are youngsters after all!!
Friday during the night the stupid calves (one of them anyway-the white one for sure) managed to get IN the 100 gallon tank and smash the water heater. A) it drained all the water and B) the heater was damaged beyond repair to use like it should be. (Oh it still works, but the threads and seal is broken, and I didn't feel like playing engineer 101 to *make* it work. I just bought a new one!) I did keep the old one for an emergency back up.....IF I make a suspension cage of some sort for it!

Jared outside the high school:

This week means work, a Christmas Dinner, and then some R&R for everyone!! :)

Birthday for Jared

Jared has this on his truck. He likes Hello Kitty and that's an M16 it's holding!

Jared's birthday was yesterday--a year ago I couldn't even send him a birthday card because he was "in limbo" and was en route to Ft. Bragg from Ft. Benning. (Wow, it's been a year already?!!)

Today the base gets a visit from the President, more info here: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/12/gannett-obama-visiting-bragg-to-mark-end-of-iraq-war-121411/


We've gotten rain the past couple of days, I'm just glad it's not snow--much easier on me and the animals (and travel)!

I made a chicken pen for my naughty roving chickens so they stay home for a change. Pretty bad when the bus driver comes into work and gives me 'chicken updates' of where they are! Gah!! Lets see how well they like me today. (not!!) ;-)

I need to get a turkey out to thaw--Jared will be home in a couple of days. He has a smorgasbord of foods he wants to eat while he's home. (Cheesecake, spaghetti, lasagna, steak, turkey [with 'taters and gravy] pumpkin and apple pie and I know there's more!) :) He'll get plenty of variety right away with the Russell family Christmas Potluck Dinner that is Saturday!

Kyle has been getting up early for band practise. Their Christmas Concert is Sunday, and besides his usual trumpet playing, he's also on the drums for another program. He is still busy as usual but I have seen more of him this week.

I actually cleaned my windows and washed my curtains--both long overdue. :) Patrick was sick this past weekend and managed to mess up his back. So Monday I had to take him to the Doctor's' office and was late to work. He is feeling better--as long as he takes it easy. Good excuse for me to be bossier than normal......oh, did I say that?!! ha ha ha ha :)

Rain and Snow!

Ok, we got snow.....not much but enough to make everything white. We had over an inch of rain before it turned to snow, so there is a nice icy coating that got laid down first. I'm thinking the weatherman got his "snow" and "ice" prediction amounts backwards!
I am just grateful it wasn't a worse coating of ice and snow....it could of turned nasty pretty quickly.

Got another big round bale of hay Friday--my hay guy is pretty awesome, I have to say! (Thanks Jim!) I picked up a few small bales of grass hay from another person the other day for bedding/back up hay. Usually he delivers it, because he doesn't like people to know of his hay stash. (Can't blame the guy!) But once his sister told him who I was, he figured I was trustworthy enough to meet them to come get the hay. ;) (He knows me from work.)

Why am I using hay and not straw for bedding? Wellllll--I can't find 'cheap' straw that isn't in a big round bale! Dolly it seems loves to pee in their shed, or right outside to help make a muddy mess. So I pick the best parts out of the square bales for them to eat and put the less desired portions down in the shed for bedding. I also pitchfork what they've scattered off the big round bale for bedding as well. (Cows!! They have me trained well I think!!) :/

It has been an interesting week here.....some will say I had a "flip out moment". Anna was traded to a trusted friend this week for some beef calves and other goodies. Things have settled down and Nessa only moo'd about 24 hours later for awhile. Easiest weaning I've had!! So now 'chores' are taking on a different but easier tone for me. And I have an extra 'meat on the hoof' to barter with....or sell if I'm inclined to.

Last Milk Meal :)

Jared will be home on leave in a couple of weeks. The first weekend he is back is crammed with Family Christmas activities, his poor girlfriend will have to tag along and suffer. ;)

Kyle went to a college day thing and thought it was pretty cool. So he may be modifying post-high school plans.....I think his girlfriend has something to do with that (female persuasion!!) ;) I can't blame her....they have a 'baby' for Parenting class this weekend. I got to watch the little bugger while Kyle worked Sat morn. Guess her parents got the same honor the other day! ha ha ha

Patrick got the front door done and Monday we got it installed, frame and all. He did a great job and the big test--no air coming in, and no water when it rained! Yeah!!! I get frustrated with his pickiness,(it all has to be square!! I'm like just get it done already!!) but it pays off in the end with a product that works like it should! (Maybe I frustrate him?? Nahhhhh......bwahahahaha ha ha!!)