A Good Lie

As far as Kathy knew, Holly and Lawrence were coming home just in time for Holly's mission trip to Guatemala on the 14th.  In truth, with help from Amy and just a few white lies, they arrived the evening of the 2nd in time to help celebrate her LXVII birthday (Super Bowl ain't got nothing on her) Tuesday the 3rd.

We kidnapped her from work and went to George's for lunch and a drink, and then home to catch up on the past few months.  It was a good lie.

Shoulder Work Ahead

The rotator cuff surgery on my right shoulder went so well last year and I feel so much better, that I'm having the left one done tomorrow.  Amy is on her way down to do my chores for a while, and Jeff just spent a few days here cutting firewood and helping me finish Fall projects and get Christmas preparations started.  Thanks to my family for putting up with my aging.

Thanksgiving

Here's how to tell you're at the right place for Thanksgiving.  Life is good.  Come on down and help us be thankful.

Fall Update

My favorite month is September, because that's when my birthday is and it's usually when we get the first little cold front that promises cooler weather isn't far away.  But it always turns hot again, and if I could move my birthday into October I would, because that's when Fall really feels within reach, Summer projects need to be finished up and firewood needs to be cut and stacked.  Now it's November, it's cool and raining, and we'll have a fire tonight as I crack pecans and watch the Country Music Awards.

Cattle
The Pacesetter calves have sold for an excellent price, for delivery next week.  Our 8 steers have stayed healthy, not requiring any medication that would disqualify them from the All Natural program, and have gained well on a reasonable amount of feed and good grass.  In fact, due mainly to the great weaning weights we had this year, 3 of them were actually overweight when I weighed them last week and I had to negotiate a slightly lower price for them.  The replacement heifers and little bulls are looking good too.  I sold 3 of the oldest cows including Austin's green-tagged 215 so one of the heifers will get a green tag.  215 had a daughter this year, so she's my suggestion, but Austin can pick at Thanksgiving if he wants to.  We'll vaccinate the cows soon, and sit back to wait for calves in February.

Hay and Grass
We've finished baling this year's hay, getting 2 cuttings from all the fields except the Sycamore which Larry elected to graze rather than bale (since we already had plenty of hay).  I've cleaned up the baler and put it away, and have some repairs to make on the cutter and rake before I do the same for them.  The oats I planted have sprung up, and it's great to be getting some rain on them.  The pasture grass is still providing some grazing and, although it will benefit from the rain, we'll probably start feeding hay soon.  It was a good year for grass in Lanham, with some nicely timed rains in June and July that some areas didn't get.

Horses
Cowtown and Sugarfoot are on diets.  They've both developed a "cresty" neck which can be indicative of a metabolic syndrome and increased tendency toward laminitis, or founder.  Poor old Brandy used to founder and it can't be pleasant, so I'm trying to steer the horses and myself away from metabolic syndrome.  Angelfire reminds us a lot of Amy--pretty, but kind of bossy (especially around feeding time).

Chickens
The 10 hens still patrol the farm, protecting us from grasshoppers and worms and providing entertainment.  Sometimes we just sit out on the Gator and watch the funny things they do.  Egg production is off a little, maybe due to the change of season.  We get about 5 a day but Zane's have completely stopped laying.

Pecans
The pecan trees are starting to deliver.  The load on the little tree in the front yard was so big I thought some limbs might break--I need to prune it this winter.  The tree in the back has smaller, thicker-shelled pecans I generally don't bother to pick up; Bodie and Harley, however, enjoy bringing them up to the porch, cracking them and eating them.  The porch is littered with pecan shells almost every day.  I picked up a few pecans from the native trees down by the tank.  They're small but very tasty.  The trees in front of Amy's house are loaded and will start dropping soon too.  I have about 3 quarts already, so pecan pie bakers are encouraged.

Family
We're looking forward to Thanksgiving on November 24 with almost the whole family.  I'll have plenty of chores on a list for anyone who wants to work, and there should be plenty of food, firewood and football for anyone who doesn't.  Life is good.  Hurry on down and see us.

Weaning and Baling

Weaners

On September 6 Amy, Mom and I weaned the calves and gave them their booster vaccinations.  We weaned 8 baldie steers that will be sold through Pacesetter Beef, 6 baldie heifers that will be replacements for old cows in our herd, 4 Polled Hereford bulls I'll keep and try to sell in the spring, and 2 Polled Hereford heifers who will also be replacements.  Health and weaning weights were excellent, demonstrating the value of a little rain and the goodness of our cows.  The calves were so big I think the mothers were relieved to wean them, as the protest and noise were rather perfunctory this year.

Bales

On the 9th and 10th I cut and square baled the Gamblin Place Coastal, making almost 200 heavy bales.  They'll be handy this winter for feeding horses, calves and cows.  The baler I borrowed was a 2003 version of the New Holland baler we used in about 1981 (which might be the last time it was used), and almost identical technically.  It was fun and I like having the square bales.  I'm going to get ours running again.

Life is good.  Come down and help feed calves and tote bales.

Anniversary

Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad

A Good Birthday

Tres Amigos

It's been a nice way to celebrate a birthday.  It started at the K-State game last weekend, where I was provided gifts and a homemade pie.  Today, Denny Anderson brought Sugarfoot back from her training trip to Fort Worth.  Whether she's been training Denny or he was training her is still up for discussion, but I hadn't been able to ride after my shoulder surgery and I thought they might be good for each other.  Denny brought his friend Johnny Johnson and Johnny's horse, Tex.  Denny rode Sugar and I rode Cowtown and we toured the big pasture for a couple of hours.  All the horses (and riders) did fine and the guys seemed to enjoy the tour.  We called Mom to come out and take a picture of us but forgot and unsaddled before she got there, so we're posing here with Angelfire.  Then we had lunch of Texas Star smothered steak, another homemade pie and lots of iced tea.  Through the day I've received many online and e-mail birthday wishes.

This evening the pleasant complication of feeding and watering big horses, little horses, cows and calves was a little more complicated by Sugar's presence and I couldn't be happier.  We'll wean calves this weekend and probably start a second round of hay baling thanks to 2.5 inches of rain while we were in Kansas.  Life is good.  Come pitch in, help, and ride a horse.