Transitions That Take Us Forward

It’s been so crazy around here – enough that I don’t even know where to begin.

Okay.  I figured that one out.

Dwayne is still alive.

And Cora just loves that he helps her get really lazy about grazing.  I don’t get it.  But she goes absolutely nuts whenever he mows our area between the house and the barn.  She’ll even come running from the back side of the paddock.

She says that the freshly cut green grass all over her back feels nice and cool.  Thank God - She’s not a white Dexter.  But we did have to dump her water trough and clean it before refilling!

Patty and Killian were taken to Hampton’s on the evening of August 12, 2013.  They were slaughtered the next morning for butchering.

I do my best not to think to long about them.  I make myself remember Killian's feet. And it makes me feel better.  I know he feels no pain for sure now.

Patty's disposition made it easy for me to let go.  It was frustrating to watch how she could be in one paddock - but manage to control every paddock.  Heads would hang low.  Eyes would shift.  She ruled a whole herd under duress.  And she had no qualms about hurting any of them - grown or only a week old - whenever she did not get her way.

Our goal above all else is to have a happy and content herd that feels at peace.

Bruce walked with me over to the paddock Killian had – with absolutely no trouble at all.  Of course!  He’s my ‘ Boocey Booce! “  He loves life now!  He can eat his ration and hay without any crap out of Artist!  He has his very own bedroom!  And a toy that hangs.  He thinks the bullet is a toy.  And I’m just gonna let him go on believing he’s an incredibly Out-Of-The-Dexter-Ordinary intelligent boy!

Cora has remained in the same paddock that she shared with Patty and the babies.  She’ll be moved over into the paddock with Artist and April tomorrow morning.  We’re not certain Artist was successful with his virgin voyage into Manhood with April – the female virgin.  So – we’re hoping the experienced older woman will be able to help this spunky fresh lad with some – tutoring – before April hits her next cycle.

We’ve been able to reduce Cora’s ration down to the same as everyone else.  We’re compensating a little with morning hay - besides her evening hay - until we get her moved over with Artist and April.  But this is also encouraging her to graze more productively.

As for the latest on my left hand – I can hold a bucket with 3lbs. of feed for a short period of time.  There is still a lot of soreness.  Pulling on the stall doors or the handle for the refrigerator takes concentration and being very slow and gradual on the pull.

I tried the Vitamin E massaging on the palm and scar area.  It’s supposed to help with the flexibility and keeping the scar from turning dark permanently.  But I bought a big jar of Coconut Oil at Cosco.  I’ve been using that and my scar began healing much faster.  My hands keep the soft feeling longer.  And a little bit of the coconut oil goes a long way!

I see the Surgeon on September 9th for conference and scheduling of surgery on my right hand.  Somehow - I have a feeling things might be a bit more of a struggle afterward.  My left hand won't be up to par for a while.

I had the advantage of full use of my right hand after the surgery on my left hand.  I won't have that same advantage.  And it only makes me worry about my husband even more.

Surgery Tomorrow - Next 4 Months Crazy

I decided to drop a few things on the list and get a posting in before I go in for Carpal Tunnel surgery tomorrow morning.  They’ll be doing my left hand first.  The right hand will come a few weeks later – once the left hand has healed enough for me to be able to use it.

I’ve put up with the pain for so long that I’m not even worried about the surgery.  More than anything – I’m worried about my husband.  To begin with – he’s having to use all his vacation time to be at home taking care of me and our little micro-farm.

I’ve been trying to get as many things taken care of and out of the way since my last posting.  There’s been quite a bit going on.  And this deal with the Carpal Tunnel has just wedged itself smack in the middle of some crucial events going on here.

The 2 bull calves have some major turning points coming this next week.  Thank God – Dwayne has a couple of friends that will be able to come help.  Dodger and Stormy are being tagged and de-horned.  Both will be given their intranasal vaccines.  And Stormy will be banded.

I’ll be in the babies’ sight for dispersing the intranasal vaccines.  But I’m disappearing for all the other work.  I’ll be honest.  I’m not happy about these tasks being taken care of so far from the date of their birth.  But I am not the only human living here.  I haven’t been able to get in there and do it myself – no thanks to the Carpal Tunnel.  My choices were outvoted somehow. So – Dwayne gets to deal with all that stuff without me around.  He gets to work 3 times harder to regain trust with those 2 boys.

And if the flies bring problems after the de-horning - he'll just have to put up with another Vet bill.  End of THAT conversation.

Speaking of Vet bills…

We had to have Dr. Kate come out to help us with Miss Cora.  My eyes fell upon a nasty surprise at the feeder bunker a couple weeks ago.

Long story short – it was an old nail in one of the boards from the barn – all from time before we bought this place.  Cora had shoved on the Cattle Rub enough to yank it off the barn wall – and the piece of board went with it.

Apparently – her foot got tangled in the mess and she took a nail to her leg above the hoof.  Dwayne had cleared all the debris from the outside stall.  But I found the projectile that evening – at the feeder.

It’s always been a habit for me to check my animals out while they’re feeding.

I conned her into the barn with no sweat – before Kate arrived.  But it took 2 darts before she went down.

We got lucky.  The nail went in and out – in 2 different places – completely missing anything significant.  Would have been able to drain.  Even better that I found it before that became any issue.  All that was needed was a thorough cleansing and a Tetanus vaccine.

Well - Dwayne ended up searching the bedding with a magnet - until he found the nail.  It popped out when she stood up after her first drunken fall.  LOL

Took advantage of Cora while we had her down.  Finally – Kate was able to hit her with her annuals and replace her tag.

She was pretty drunk for a while – even after she could maintain standing on all four legs!  We took advantage of that opportunity as well!  Dwayne and I spent time loving on her – just petting her pretty face and – finally – getting to touch her!

She’s just like me.  She doesn’t remember a thing.  We’re back to ‘ don’t touch me, ‘ again.

At this point in time – the garden is coming along.  We had to replant tomatoes.  I had to re-seed squash and melons.  Oddly enough – the squash that are coming along are from seeds I saved out of Spaghetti squash that I purchased at the grocery store last year.  All others failed – including all the melons.

We’ve already harvested 4 eggplant and a mess of Cilantro and Jalapeno peppers!

Purple hull peas – Okra - and Green Beans are coming along just wonderfully!  We’ll be amending the tires around beginning of August and seeding the one where the melons failed – with Kale.  We’ll be planting more cilantro and spinach seeds.  If I find room – more carrots.

The 18" rubber stepping stones I ordered from Home Depot arrived!  I picked them up from the store in Lenoir City last week.  Hoping I’ll feel up to getting them set in sometime this next weekend.

I am flat-dab loving my  little $9.99 yellow rose bush that I bought at the Flower Shop inside Food City!  So perrrrty!

And the Butterfly Flower bush that we bought at Garden of Eden is putting out a new wave of flowers.  That tells me it has established its roots nice and comfy in its new home and feels quite content!

Our Gang of 24 is doing just fabulous!  Everybody is growing and staying perfectly healthy – minus one of our Roos that bruised his hip – and his ego - by jumping from the coop rafters.  Both the boys have began crowing.  Not quite perfected.  But enough to stir the sense of humor out of us and our neighbors!

Yet – we are all amazed by how quiet 2 dozen birds have been – compared to the 4 that we sent to Heaven before bringing these chicks home!

The date is set for August 13^th – when Dwayne will be taking Patty and Killian to butcher.  All in all – we have Decided that behaviors in Patty are something that do not fit in the plan and hopes we have for our herd here.  Most of all – we’re not happy with the obvious fear of humans she manages to instill in the cattle around her.

And she has a very bad habit of hurting the others if you threaten to not let her have her way with anything.

Through all the moving about and swapping out roommates during various stages of ongoings around here – I’ve seen enough to know how much of a difference in gentleness is exhibited by others when Patty is nowhere around.

I’ve also experienced a second go-round of a difference in time and techniques I’m having to try and find during training with her calves.  Once I get them away from her and give of myself to them – they become absolutely lovable!  My concern is her bad behavior showing up in her offspring and other cattle after watching her behavior.

Something I am seeing in both of Cora’s calves – Killian and Stormy – is possible aggression.  Stormy is already behaving very headstrong as he becomes older.  It is a trait far from the gentleness we are looking for in any bull.  Therefore – Stormy will be banded and tagged for the freezer in the future.

Killian’s bad feet are the main reason for his trip to the freezer.

We jeri-rigged half the barn alley for the bull calves as a creep feeder and a place to just get away and rest during the heat of the day.  Dwayne and I yanked out the divider a couple days ago – to give more room for training the boys to walk on their lead ropes.

Miss April has chosen to start laying in front of the door since we pulled the dividers out of the alley.  She knows those babies are in there - and the dividers are gone!  She turns 16-months-old on August 1^st.  Once she shows signs of going into heat – we’ll be introducing her to Artist!

She's getting so big now!  And she just becomes more beautiful every day!  She is ' Mama's Girl ' through and through!  And she loves her Mama!

Bruce will be going to Killian’s paddock while this takes place.  I bet he’ll miss the baths given by Artist.

We expect Cora to go in with Artist around the end of August – after Patty and Killian are taken to butcher.  This will - also - give the calves more time around one of the Moms to aide in a smooth transition during weaning for both calves.  Cora is known to nurse both the boys!

I’m pulling tail hairs from Dodger today.  The more time I spend with him – the more he just melts in my arms.  But more importantly – all visuals of his physique give both of us reason for seeing possibility in a really nice bull out of the line coming from PF Little Big Man!

So far - there is no other progeny – that we know to be registered - to carry on the line between Patty and Little Big Man.  And it is a really good line with great potential.  If we get testing results on a few other things that please us well enough – Dodger will be kept intact and registered.  If not - he'll be banded as soon as we receive test results.

I would say things will be quite different within the next 4 months.  But I think we’ll be quite pleased!  I’m even counting on the replacement of tomato plants as a sign that tomatoes won’t be ready for canning until after both my hands have healed from surgery!

I hope all of you are hanging in there and receiving blessings from God along the way.  I’ll keep everyone in my thoughts and prayers while I’m away from the keyboard.

Well – I might try cheating once in a while – henpecking on Twitter when I get a chance.  Ha!

Scrambling With a Long List

Before I begin…

Thanks to the bunch of you that left me such wonderful wishes and comments on my last post!  Your kindness and encouragement were a wonderful dose of strength I’ll need for the next few months to come.  I only hope all of you were given the day to feel special as well.  And it doesn’t matter if you have given birth to children of your own.  If you’re raising animals of any kind…

You’re a Mother!

Dwayne and I are cramming all we can into the next couple rounds of days off.  Each round has been shortened by a day to join in on some teamwork - covering for a co-worker that just lost his father.  And reality has bitten me in the ass.  It’s looking all too obvious.  I will be going in for 2 surgeries – Carpal Tunnel surgery on each hand.

We just keep putting one foot in front of the other – without looking back.  But my quiet efforts with ‘ picking my battles ‘ has come out of the closet.  It’s been a while.  Dwayne is only now beginning to see the obvious.  And I think the math is beginning to add up.  Much of my irritability and anxiety over the course of a year – or more – has been due to fighting those chosen battles and being forced to face a few I could not avoid – with all this pain in both hands and arms.

The soonest they were able to schedule me for the nerve conduction test is the first week of June.  That screwed us out of the idea to contact our local 4-H and have the Director come visit with us and see our place.  We were hoping it might be a source of parents with kids that might be willing to help out around our place during the 12 weeks I’m told that I will be out of commission.

It could have been a great learning experience for summer projects.  But with the way the medical profession around here tends to drag ass – the kids will be back in school before they even manage to get around to doing the first surgery.  Even so - that medical community will expect their money.  You can bet.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we could charge them for mucking up our lives!

And again - We just keep putting one foot in front of the other.  Only in this case – I’ve decided to keep a particular vision in my mind to help me get through all the mess.  Without looking backward still – is a vision of walking through the door to our house after my very last PT session - post second surgery – my left hand bent behind my back – using sign language.

There.  Now you can all have fun with that same vision.  Sarcasm and Girl Power are no match for Idjits without conscience in this friggin’ world!

As I was saying – Dwayne and I have been cramming all we can get done into those days off.  Not easy.  The more I do – the more I lose use of my hands.  I have to pick my battles.  I have to take a lot of breaks – just to wait for my hands to wake back up.   But the pain never goes away.  My hands are always asleep – always ‘ buzzing and vibrating. ‘

Despite wearing braces on both hands during sleep at night - stupid stuff is beginning to happen.  I was washing dishes last evening.   Dwayne was rinsing.  Got all the way down the line to a 5 quart pan – when without the least bit warning – a huge wave of dishwater came up out of the sink.  My blouse was totally soaked.  A cloud of suds over water spread almost 4 feet across the floor – all the way to the refrigerator.

Dwayne finished the dishes.  I am learning to appreciate that little voice that – usually - comes to warn you, “ You’re going to drop this! “ – just before you drop anything so quickly and unexpected.

I’m missing that.

On Wednesday – we managed to go get 2 more scoops of garden mix from Out of Eden Garden Center in Maryville - for the 2 tractor tires we’re using in the garden.  We ended up with almost a whole scoop left over.  But you can bet – there’s not much of that left!  We’ve always got a place for dirt!  LOL

We also picked up some landscaping fabric - for the bed around the driveway – as well as some posts at Lowe’s in Alcoa.  We had filled the 2 tractor tires with garden soil after we got back home.  Soaked the soil to get the dirt to settle before going in for supper. Came back afterward and topped them off with more dirt.

Dwayne took on building a shelter for Killian’s paddock on Thursday.  It took a few minutes to help Killian understand that the truck was not a toy and head butts were not allowed.  And Dwayne ran out of time.  But he got most of the job completed.

I worked out in the garden and around our Driveway.  After I packed more dirt into the tires ( those puppies hold a LOT of dirt! ) - I got Melons planted in 1 of the tractor tires – Squash in the other!  Added peat moss and lime to the first box we filled with topsoil from the first place we went to buy dirt.

Bought several more tomato supports and got those installed.  Got several more seedlings of different varieties of Peppers planted – as well as seeds for other goodies to pop up!

Completely overhauled my strawberry pot!

I ended up with 13 extra strawberry plants to share with others after all that re-planting!  Believe it or not – this all began with only 1 strawberry plant – only 2 years ago.

Dwayne helped me get our new Azalea and Sweetheart Rose bushes planted after we finished filling up the 2 tractor tires with dirt on Wednesday.  He scraped some of the weed layer off the top of the bed along the driveway.  I finished that up on Thursday – before dumping garden soil over the top.

Some would say I cheated.  Others would tell you that the earth worms are gonna love me!  And I did find one heck of a mess of earth worms!

Anyway – the landscaping fabric will be going over this.  I’ll be measuring before going after edging to keep everything in place.  And then we’ll be laying bark nugget over the top to help keep the soil from drying too fast – and for protection in the fight against weeds.

This spring season has been so strange for us all.  One other oddity I am seeing this year is happening with our Azaleas.  They’re almost a whole month late in blooming.  The Salmon Pink Azalea is just now beginning to pop its blossoms.  And the event is coming on slow as molasses pouring out of a jar.  Not quite sure what to make of it.  Massive greenery.  Almost as if the greenery is coming before the bloom – as well.

At any rate – I’ll wait until both have finished blooming before I begin some serious pruning to get them up off the ground.  The pink azalea will need pruning away from the white one – and away from under the landing of the staircase.

I’m most anxious to see the white Azalea finish its bloom.  I noticed a small branch beginning to propagate from the ground on this beauty a couple years ago.  This year is safe enough to separate the cutting from the main plant and get it to a home of its own!

I’ve reached a point where all my extra seedlings ready for planting will be going to work with Dwayne.  There’s always somebody who knows somebody else – at the very least!  But I did pot up a Yellow Bell Pepper plant and some Chives for Jen and Josh!

As of yesterday evening – the last of our 15 Buff Orpington chickens was bid farewell.  Dwayne had cleaned out the chicken coop and revamped the perches – while I was grocery shopping and taking bills to be mailed off.

Today – I’ll be relocating 10 Rhode Island Red and 15 Americauna munchkins from our basement to their new home.

Of course – I’ll have to wait for the break in the rain and get beyond feeding the cattle.  But in the meantime – I’ve already begun knocking out the laundry.

The next thing on the list – breaking out the FoodSaver and busting up meat.

There’s always something to do around here!

The Clover is Here!

We had a busy day today!  Our daughter, Jen, came out to spend time with us and helped us get over half of Artist’s paddock cleaned up – which was quite a task!

Jen handled being out in the pasture with Artist and The Girls quite well!  Of course – our Bull and Cows are very well behaved when they’re not being ramrodded through a tunnel and into a chute.  And I’m sure they appreciated what we were doing for them today!

We’re able to spend time brushing everyone but Patty and Cora.  It’s that time of year.  The temps are warming up.  The sunshine is coming out now.  And they’re all ready to shed that winter coat!

Artist has the thickest coat I have ever seen on a cow.  I use a finishing comb on him.  It’s the only thing that works.  I’ll bet I’m getting enough to fill a gallon-size Ziploc bag every morning.  And it just never seems like I’m making a dent.  But he loves every bit of the brushing!

Take a look at Mr. Killian!  I took this shot to help size him up against Bruce.  Hard to believe our little ‘ Chondro King ‘ Bull turned 1 year old on March 31st!  Bruce is now 17 months old!

Killian looks so tiny with Dwayne standing beside him!

He loves his brushings as well!  Just show him the comb or brush and he’ll come running clear across the paddock.  He’s lost quite a bit more of his coat – compared to Artist.  But even he has more to go before it will be gone for this summer!

My angst over the girls’ pregnancies is moved beyond, “ Whatever “ these days.  I’m in no hurry.  I guess I never really was.  More than anything – it was concern over miscarriage or premature births.  Our Vet’s exam on Patty calmed me down a great deal.  Knowing we have a plan in place that should be really comfortable for the girls helps a little as well.  We’ll be moving them to the other paddock on April 13th.  A portion will be cross-fenced and a shelter will be constructed – at the same time - for Killian.  Bruce will be going back in with Artist – until the girls are ready to go back in with Artist for being bred.

My anger about Cora jumping out and over me is teetering toward a second chance.  Still up in the air.  I am willing to try – 1 more time – as long as Dwayne is willing to construct temporary pen and alley for the chute inside Artist’s paddock whenever we have Vet Care.  His paddock is hot-wired.  If they get out – they’re still in.  And nobody’s gonna be tempted to jump the hot-wire around the paddock – especially when there’s a second  line running the top of the fence as well.

Cora's looking very nice these days.  She’s not due until May 3.  It’ll be interesting to see how she carries over the next month.  Inside the paddock with Artist – she’s been quite civil.  The ‘ don’t touch me ‘ disposition remains.  However – she and Patty – both – will come up and eat cookies and hay out of my hands.  They have no qualms about coming up and standing right beside me when I’m loosening hay for them.

Patty is looking great – and beginning to swing to and fro at this time.  Dwayne calls her the  ‘ School Bus. ‘  She is downright rock solid like a rectangle!  She’s not much into a social world right now.  I’m thinking she’s reaching that point of wishing she could hurry up and drop that load!  But nothing can keep her away from the cookies – hay – and the feeder bunker!

I get excited every morning that I go out to see Miss April!  My Girl is becoming absolutely gorgeous!

She’s staying in the Little yard right now.  Killian became so frustrated being there – enough that he even thought about trapping me inside the tack room!  I didn’t even wait for Dwayne to come home.  I went after April – put her into her stall – and put that boy out into the other paddock with Bruce without a second thought.

April seems to be more content in the Little Yard.  She gets more cookies.  And she gets to “ go out for Clover “ twice each day.  She has no problem reminding you when it’s time to go get that lead rope so she can go eat her Clover!

I’m so proud of how she is turning out!  She is almost finished losing her winter coat – already!  The summer coat is coming in very nicely!  Lots of swirls showing up in that coat – along with a long – sleek – shiny strand!

She keeps me bouncing back and forth over what I hope we get with these next 2 calves coming during this next month!  Somehow – I’m feeling like we won’t be disappointed – either way – boy or girl – shorty or not!  But if we get another one like April out of Patty – I will be thrilled to the Moon!!

Bad News from Our Vet

Our Vet came for all the annual vet care and getting a status update on our 2 pregnant cows.

The news is not good.  I've posted here.

It's a very sad day.

And Then There Were... Seven

This was the “ Alley Count “ during evening ration feedings in the barn yesterday.  What a thought.  There's actually 5 butts there.

That would be ( from left to right ) Cora – Patty – and Bruce.   Man Alive - what a day.

We endured a dumping Monsoon from early in the morning throughout the entire day.  Our entire property looked like this.  If not – worse.  So did everyone else’s – as far as I could tell – while driving the back way to get to the post office.

This became a little ‘ flow ‘ running from the front of the barn inside Artist’s paddock.  We had rain – thunder – lightning – nervous animals.

And the day progressed to some of the most frightening gusts of wind.  Middle April, 2011 was the last time this log cabin home was shaken enough to feel like an earthquake.

We’re in the last trimester with Patty and Cora.  Seems the rest of the clubhouse ( that’s what we call the temporary set-up in the barn ) has started to recognize something’s going on – just not sure what.  The attitudes and behaviors are offering very strong support of that assumption.  Killian's found his ' Bull Moo ' again.  Only now it sounds just like Artist.

We keep looking up and asking - " Who's doing that? "

We’ve known we would need to separate the girls soon.  We had intentions of doing so – following given advice from our Vet after she gets a chance to examine the girls.

We had to reschedule our appointment with her until March 12^th.  You can probably guess why.  Anybody know if Mother Nature knows sign language?

I am so sick of all this rain and mud.

Anyway – I’ve been noticing Artist becoming very obnoxious toward Patty over the past week.  He pulled the last hair off my back the other morning.  He had me pulling feathers out of my butt yesterday morning.

I ran for the car to warm it up before going to the post office – in the middle of all the dumping rain.  I busted Artist sitting smack in the center of the stall he’s supposed to be sharing with Patty.

Patty was standing out in the storm – clear out in the back of the pasture.

I turned my car back off.  Stomped back inside the house.  Changed into my waders and barn coat.  Went out to get a bucket and some feed.  Snuck out to Bruce and Cora’s paddock.  Opened up the gate between the 2 paddocks.

And Patty gave me very little apprehension – as she made her way to the barn with each spoken, “ Good Girl, Patty.  There ya’ go, Baby. “

Artist has howled.  And shoved around that dad-gum feeder bunker.

But we’ve given him extra attention – extra hay – a bigger than normal dose of cookies.

And Dwayne will be hotwiring a paddock before going back to work.  He’s picking up a grounding rod tomorrow.

The 2 Preggers and the Steer are getting along - so far.  They know they have no choice.  I’m sure they’re grateful to have a dry place to rest.  We went through 2 rounds of dishing out hay and feed.  We even survived a confusing round of alfalfa cubes ( cookies ) without anybody stomping anyone!

But you know what they say about Honeymoons.  Right?!

Yeah.  I know.  I'm just waiting for the first pretty day of sunshine.  But that hotwire fence is really gonna slow down the gray invasion breaking free on the top  of my head.

Okay.  Alright.  Too late to stop that.

But maybe my tail feathers will grow back sooner.