Sunday, October 22, 2017

Peaceful Sunday Afternoon

Michael is puttering in his shop.  I have the mess of lunch cleaned up - fed eight today here in Freedom.  Benni moved cattle, Mike helped, and the whole gang feasted to beef stew and smoke sausage white bean soup.  Yes, there is an Insta Pot at this location now too! 

The horses and mules are full and bored.  Playing "bite me" across the fence from each other, they enjoy the warmth of this afternoon.  The skies are dark and ominous.  A storm is moving in from the west.

I scored some great planters while Mike was visiting his mom.  Check out this monster culvert!!  There are two smaller ones stuffed inside too.


The story on how I scored these culverts is rather laborious.  Let's just say it started with a grass fire, a doctor tried to sway my influence by giving them to me, and I ended up hauling them away after giving him a check for $200.  My influence is not for sale. 

You might note the snow plow parts and pieces as well.  As the doctor and his friend helped me load the trailer, he offered these up as well.  Keeping in mind that Mike was looking for a plow, I hesitantly accepted.  "I bet it's not the first dog you've brought home," the helper exclaimed.  Never heard that said before, but yeah, it's not!!  Since then, Mike has bought another snow plow - a pretty good deal, except just as worthy of being called a Project as these shown above. 

I woke up today with a feeling of nerves jangling in my fresh cut lip.  Turns out, the stitches, dis- solvable, are starting to dissolve.  Strange and somewhat disturbing feeling.  I've kept a serious lip all day.  

Yesterday, we helped work cows at the Walton Ranch.  There was absolutely nothing for me to do expect jab an unsuspecting cow with a hot shot every now and then.  I grabbed my camera, taking pity on the old black girls. 


"Where's my calf???!!""


The chute.


This is a picture of Ken preg testing.  He checks each cow (well, unless it's a steer - a couple came through yesterday - oppos).  It's a nasty, thankless job.  With plastic glove sleeved up to his armpit, he reaches way up the stinky hole to feel for the swelling of a fetus.  I hope he gets paid alot for the chore. 


Walton Ranch Crew getting 'er done.

We pointed our noses south later yesterday afternoon.  After a fine meal and bottle of wine, a bit of reading was had while the gas stove flickered its warming flames.  We hit the sack at 8pm!  With such a early night, getting up at 6 am was easy.  No elk in the meadows this morning.

All summer, I have a fountain in Hoback at the front door.  After last summer, the fish that made it through the season were transplanted to the inside aquarium.  This year, I had a problem.  All the fish survived and grew in their summer quarters.  As the fountain got drained for the season, the fish got netted up and transported to Freedom where they now reside in the (heated) horse tank.  They are doing great in their new digs. 


As the weekend comes to a close, the peace and solace of this place surrounds me as I write this blog, Bach's piano music sounding out its rhythmic orderly measures.  We begin to pack up and think about heading north for the week ahead.  

May your week be productive and a good week.  

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