Bee~ Journal of then...

[Beekissed]

She's not home yet, guys! We are modifying the cattle racks to fit my truck tomorrow and trying to wait an extra day until the ground dries a little.....IF it dries! Supposed to rain again tomorrow and my house looks like a castle~complete with moat.

We will bring her home on Sunday, if everything goes as planned...only have to go to church and a funeral...THEN haul a cow home. Piece of cake!

Henny, you have no idea how many people cannot just think something through....or even lack the capacity to even try. Some were just born without an imagination and I find that sad. Not their fault, really, but I still cannot imagine a life without the quick thought or the vision of how to build something or work out how to fix something with materials on hand. I would be lost! Maybe that is why God gave some people money instead of an imagination!

Hey, you guys will love this....I was supposed to have gates to the holding pen built but was unable to spare the time to haul the plywood(we decided to use plywood this time~lighter and sags less). So.....we are going to use safety hasps to fasten one side of the cattle racks to the post to make a removable gate. When I'm not using the racks for hauling livestock, wood, hay, or manure, I will be using one or both of the long sides for gates! That way they will not be taking up space and will be useful to me when not in use on the truck.

I love it when a plan comes together!

 

[Farmfresh]

That's my girl Bee!

Double task everything!

I have a oval rubber tub - not sure the gallons - in winter under the porch and full of straw a dog cozy ... in summer full of water and in the shade a dog swimming pool!

A smaller oval tub holds split wood supply by the fire in winter and iced cold drinks in summer for parties.

Two jobs for one money. My kind of stuff!

 

[Beekissed]

Got cattle racks modified today and they are sturdy and solid, thanks to Son #2....he worked hard most of the day to complete them.

Got part of the fencing around the garden but ran out of chicken wire.

Got potatoes planted in old compost bin and thick layer of composted manure on them.

Free, I took your advice on using the spading fork and found my ground very easy to break up and turn, so we may be using this method until I can get a tiller. Had Son #1 turn over half of the permanent bed to be used for lettuce, broccoli, rhubarb, onions, etc. and apply a thick layer of composted manure.

I used so much mulch last year that my soil is literally crawling with huge worms! The chickens had a field day!! Can't wait to fence them out so those worms can stay in my garden and do their thing!

Got the seedlings moved outside today for their first dose of real sunlight. It was partially overcast today, so they didn't get too much....just the right amount, I would say. I have been using Dacs aspirin dosage on them but I haven't seen any difference....maybe the foliage is a little greener.

Took some dead limbs out of an apple tree today.....hadn't realized they were dead until all the leaves came out on the trees.

Removed all thistle and wild onions from the property today.

Got the lawn mower up and running but its still too wet to actually mow anything....my front yard is a quagmire.

Got curtains in two rooms down and washed, line dried, ironed and put back up. House cleaned, furniture rearranged, bed linens washed and line dried, back on the bed. Doing more laundry now.

The grass is so thick and green here, I think Blossom will think she died and went to cow heaven.....I can't wait to get her nose into it!

It felt so good to see the sun and get my hands into the soil! I found my rhubarb and transplanted the poor pitiful things...the dog had pretty well ruined them. My chives have recovered from the dog mauling and are just about ready to bloom. Peonies are budded and Gloriosa and Black-eyed Susans are up next to the front fence.

Son #1 has offered to start spading my garden up with the fork while I'm at work this week. He has been so sweet and good to me this weekend, making sure his Mom has a good Mother's Day. He even made me take a nap today! Love that boy!

BTW.....Happy Mother's Day to all you good moms out there!

 

[Farmfresh]

What a GREAT kid! You are right to be so proud of him!

All of that work done .... AND a NAP!!!!!


I don't know what kind of pasture Blossom has been on before (or even how much this advice applies to cows), but if the pasture was poor and you suddenly poke her on your "true cow heaven" she will probably get the runs. With horses anyway we try to limit them at first AND feed a little hay (poor quality will work here) to help counter the effect of all that richness.

In horses anyway it is similar to taking someone used to eating very low quality (or simply little) food and feeding them fried pork chops with taters and gravy and homemade ice cream for dessert - most of the good dinner won't stay in them for very long - even though they are really starving for some protein and fats in their diet.

Consider making her a short lot to rest her tummy in - between "Salad Bar" binges.

 

[freemotion]

Except in people they are uncomfortable, in animals, they can die....

Spading isn't as hard as it looks, especially if you are watching someone else do it!!!

 

[TanksHill]

WowBee.you sure got a ton done. Great job. Happy Mother's Day to you too!!!

 

[Beekissed]

Blossom is HOME!

Just a quick note to tell you all the news....I have to get back out by the fire, as we are finishing up a great Mother's Day around a fire, looking at stars, singing songs and just enjoying being together. They took me to the Fat Boy's Pork Palace today to eat out! Their idea of a joke........

She travelled well and stepped off the truck and immediately sunk her head in the grass!!! Had a hard time pulling her off it.

FF, I know what you mean about the runs....she already has them! The spinach squirts! Poor gal!

I plan to get her some rough hay tomorrow, but I doubt she will touch it...the poor thing is eating desparately and only paused to close her eyes and enjoy the good brushing I gave her! She loves attention!

She is already starting to bag out a little and seems to be having the occasional cramp....could be the sheer misery of this green diarrhea.

If it warms up this week, we are giving her a good soap down and excellent grooming, painting all scrapes and sores with Bag Balm, swiping her face with some EO fly repellent.

I took pics and will try to download them tomorrow night if I can. She is losing her winter coat in patches, so she really looks bad....but I can see the good conformation and pretty cow she will become. Give me time.......

Will tell you more tomorrow....don't want to miss this time with the best boys in the world!

 

[Tallman]

Welcome home Blossom. May you have a long and productive life. I think your one lucky cow!

 

[TanksHill]

Yeah, welcome home Blossom!!!!

 

[2dream]

Welcome Home Blossom.

Bee - know you are thrilled. Give Blossom a pat on the head for me.

Picture me jumping up and down to see the pics of Blossom at her new home.