A Minute Atta Time

It’s been forever since my last post.  And so much has happened.  Amazing to see how a year can fill up with so many events in one’s life.  But I’ll do my best to catch up with short versions, as much as possible.

Had Carpal Tunnel Release surgery on my left hand – July 16, 2013.  And then I went back in for the same surgery on the right hand – January 17, 2014.  But they also had to go back into the left hand – to do a Trigger Thumb Release on my thumb.

Had a bout of inflammation in my spine.  That sent me to the E.R. after a week of not being able to stand up or sit down for more than a few minutes at a time.  When I couldn’t even lay down to sleep – it was time to go.  They pumped me up with so much crap.  I don’t even remember going for any x-ray.

I'm currently scheduled to see a Spinal Neurosurgeon in a couple weeks.  An MRI showed issues with L1 through L5 in my spine.  They’re pretty concerned about L4 and L5.  Something about bulges – a spur – and the canal beginning to close?  I have no idea.  I only know I’m in Hell.  And it looks like another surgery could be in front of me.

As if that weren’t enough...

A visit with my doctor – almost 2 weeks ago - sent me home with a diagnosis of having awakened that morning with Sprained Ligaments in my left foot.  I’m telling everybody that Dwayne did it.  ;)  Actually – she says it could be a delayed injury that is known to happen hours before with some people.  I’ve been in a splint for the past 2 weeks.  I’m praying she’ll let me move into the boot when I see her this week.  I’ve been warned this will be one more lengthy trip to recovery.  Story of my life.  Smh…

With all this going on – Hubs is carrying the full load.  We had 23 hens and a Roo – until I came home with the splint on my leg.  Luckily – one of Hubs’ coworkers bought all the birds from us.  We were able to send him home with additional equipment and feed, as well.

We’ve had a new girl added to our Irish Dexter family!

Meet N40’s Anna Maria - ADCA #033480

Anna came to us last December.  She is the most lovable – sweetest – funniest – girl I have ever seen in a Heifer! Unless she’s in heat.  Otherwise - she follows us around like a puppy!

Miss Anna caused problems for a guy leasing land across from us!  We did all we could to hang in there for that 16th month.  And we ended up caving in a little early – after finding out our neighbor was having to fix a lot of fence.  I’ll never forget Hubs shifting his eyes at me and spitting out the words – “Put her in there with him - NOW!”

She was totally silent for the next month.

Which reminds me – Artist finally had his first year of breeding.  He wasted no time at all with April and Cora – last August.

Meet "Aon" - Very first Calf for both - April and Artist!

He was born May 15, 2014 - weighed 45lbs. – red and horned. Sadly – Aon has extracted temperament traits from April and Cora’s Dam.  We are just - absolutely - sick about it.  He had so much promise with such a thick structure.  He was banded on the same day Hubs and Jeff de-horned and immunized.

We're going a second round with Miss April and trying something different.  She'll be allowed to keep her calf for 3 days - long enough to gain a good amount of colostrum.  We'll pull the calf after that.  If we don't get lucky enough with getting Cora or Anna to adopt the calf - I'll be bottle feeding.

April took a very serious turn in temperament after dropping her first calf - behaving even worse than her Dam. She's injured both of us.  She's calmed down some.  We made a point of giving her every opportunity to watch all the interaction that went on between the two of us with Cora and her calf.  Cora was very helpful with that.  And she seems to have helped keep April in check since rejoining with her back in the paddock.

Attempting to leave her calf with her next time has been written off.  Despite all the time that's gone by for adjustment and help from Cora - April triggers without warning around Aon.  We've seen an even more dangerous imprint in this calf.  He almost took out my kneecap.  It's enough that we can tell - that's as good as it's gonna get.  And that's unacceptable.

I am hoping and praying we are successful by pulling calves from April.  Anyone that has kept in touch knows - She is my Baby Girl.

If we don't see a difference in temperament - we will be faced with culling April from our herd.  She'll head off to the other realm of life with her Dam.  The freezer.  I've laid my foot down - and Dwayne agrees.  We just don't sell mean animals.  It would be as heartbreaking for me as Bruce still is.  But I've always been used to having to shove my personal feelings to the bottom of any list in my life.

Miss Cora had another black bull calf again – this year. And let me say this.  Her story this year has been nothing short of a miracle for the 2 of us that are green as goose poop!

From the moment it was decided that Patty needed to be culled – I’ve had a picture in my head about the difference it would make in Cora’s life here.  Not only did that picture become a reality.  But Miss Cora decided to pay us back in kind – 100 fold.  And that story will be in my next posting!

Meet “STC Ealaiontoir’s Seamus” – ADCA #pending!

He was born June 6, 2014 - weighed 55lbs.. (Cora seems to produce bigger calves.)

His tests just came back a couple days ago – all but the Parentage Genotyping.  We’re expecting to receive that by this coming Tuesday – according to Stephanie.

He's been de-horned.  Seamus is black – carries red and dun - Chondro and PHA Negative - milk genotype is A1/A2.

So – we struck out with the A2/A2 and any hope of Chondro. (Cora’s Sire is Chondro.)  Can’t win everything that flows with the latest fads.  But then – I’ve never been one to roll with fads!  ;)  Besides – this young man makes up the difference in soooo many other ways!!

Ohhhh – I just LOVE this boy!  He’s so adorable!  And such a lover!

Once we get all his test results back – Seamus will be registered with Legacy and ADCA.  After all the registrations are complete – we will decide on a price and he will be available to purchase after weaning in September!

We do know one thing for sure right at the moment!  Once we’ve found a new home for Seamus -

We’re wanting to find a black – horned – PHA negative – Chondro POSITIVE Heifer to add to our Herd.

She should be completely halter/lead broken – AND fully trained.  A2/A2 is not mandatory for us.

In the meantime - Anna is expecting her first calf around January 31, 2015.  April and Cora have already been bred back.  April should be due to calve around April 14, 2015.  Cora should be due to calve around April 25, 2015.

Our garden was doing great – until I injured my ankle. Dwayne keeps the harvesting up as much as he can.  But it’s impossible for him to do everything.  We were already looking for a pocket of safe time for harvesting another cutting of hay.  And that takes priority over the veggies. If nothing else – we can hit the farmer’s markets in Knoxville.  We were planning on hitting a bunch of those this year anyway.

We planted Lapins and Bing varieties of Cherry trees this year.  This past winter took out several of our plantings. I lost my potted red Crepe Myrtle that I adored.  We thought we lost our Pink Escallonia – Black Knight Butterfly Bush – and my precious Celeste Fig tree.  But all three died back to the ground and came back!  I’ll be mulching a LOT more this fall season.

All our fantastic job with the landscape under our front porch staircase was destroyed by the chickens.  Now that they’re gone – we can repair all that damage!

Our Thornless Blackberry bush refuses to die.  And of course – when I give up on the thing – it decides to give me a harvest better than ever.  Go figure.

Our Kay Gray grapes are turning out a harvest 5 times more than we had last year!  We are so excited about the grape jelly we’re gonna get this year!

Dwayne put his foot down and demanded we plant melon seeds in the ‘hole’ out between all the paddocks.  Yeaaah.  That won’t be happening again.

I planted my very first Lilac bush this year!  It’s very happy with it’s spot in the Veggie garden.

The next big project – more shelter construction – and getting the new pasture area fenced after the next cutting of hay.

Enough for now.  More later!