Well, it's no secret that the wind is a constant variable up here on the northern plains of Texas - the season depicts the wind direction. Of course, this time of year, it's a steady north wind. Oh, by the way, for those that follow me, I am sorry for the gap of time that got between this post and the last. It seems that just a blink of an eye can advance time a couple of weeks...
A big arctic blast - like in '09 - is expected to hit tonight around midnight... ice, snow, wind...misery! It's already sleeting and pinging against the windows. Before I left town this afternoon, it was buzzing with traffic;people buying groceries, gas, propane and stocking up on livestock feed. After work, I headed to the feedstore and got a load of cattle cubes, and 2 syrup lix. I picked Zack up from basketball practice and headed north. When we got home, we both changed our school clothes, bundled up and headed out to get things in order for the night. The wind was strong out of the north and the tips of my ears were stinging with the cold. I had Zack take the tractor to pick up the 3 cattle feed troughs from the west pasture and transport them to the east pasture where the cattle would atleast have a windbreak, water and hay. While he did that, I opened gates, grained/hayed the horses, fed and watered the chickens and checked the insulation on the faucets. As soon as he got back, we headed to the east pasture, unloaded the two 2oo-pound syrup lix, positioned the big feed troughs and filled them with cubes before the cattle bombarded us! They were hungry. I think they knew the bad weather was headed for us. I am glad that I had Zack out there to help me.
Yesterday, I had gotten 2 round bales of hay grazer from Chris, a local farmer and friend. I left them on the trailer so there was less waste and thought that 2 bales would keep them through the next couple of days. Well, one had been split open and was off the trailer, the next one - almost the same. They were hungry. I hope it keeps them fed for a couple more days.
It's a rather dichotomous relationship - my husband and I. Definitely a role reversal...I buy all the feed and do all the feeding and tending to the animals and he tends the fire inside, tends to the dishes and cooks. I don't understand it sometimes, but I LOVE my role and wouldn't change it for anything. It's frustrating sometimes, though when I can't fix something and it's cold or I'm not strong enough to make it work right...like the other night...I was out checking the fence gates and it had gotten dark. I was trying to pull one of the hotwire gates closed and didn't realize that my glove was touching the wire when I connected it...ZZZAAAAAPPPPPPP!!!! Yowza! I don't know how many volts that thing carries, but I could smell burnt leather after that one! Man! I couldn't let go of the wire fast enough and the shock went straight through my boots!
Aahhhhh, life on the farm!I love it and consider it a humungous blessing from God!
New addition to the farm!
Well, the weather is coming in, so I better go and get this one posted for the night. Will write more later - maybe we won't have school tomorrow! YIPPEE!!!!
