Beautiful Weather

 It was about 34 degrees this morning, no wind and sunny!  There was even some frost in places!  I love it!!  The cows, specifically the calves, are bouncy and full of "it."  

The Vet was by yesterday to give the second round of baby shots, do an ear tag and a brain surgery.  Peg had everyone coming and going perfectly so we actually had a little momentum and finish timely.  Red is now up with the teenagers because her back hooves look like elf slippers again.  It is painful to watch her walk.  She will see the Vet, in town, for a hoof trimming in a couple weeks.  I always hope for success.

The "troops" are showing up for Thanksgiving and we expect to feed multitudes.  It is getting harder to find the old materials for the old family recipes.  We made a trip down to Austin to pick up mincemeat and fruitcake fruit.  It was a vary expensive endeavor when it was all said and done.  The culture is changing and I've lived long enough to see it happen!!!  Eating turkey McNuggets and fries on Thanksgiving will be common in 10 years!!   

Bo has been on a diet for the last 5-6 months.  I'm happy to report she has the ever so slight beginning of a waistline.  I wish there was someone around who could throw a couple cups of diet kibble in a bowl for me on a consistent basis!!   

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!!

Fall

 The summertime birds have left and the wintering birds are here.  It's cooler, the grass is browning up, acorns harvested including a bur oak acorn, and the coyotes are yelping as they run through the pastures at night. We've even gotten some measurable rain.  The deer are beginning to herd up with a couple of big bucks sighted!  What a great time of year!

We had a baby bull born on Benjamin's birthday so we named him Ben.  I never know if the namee is flattered or insulted.  Anyways, he's cute and full of bounce! He and Fancy are always together running from mama to mama at full speed.  The new adult members of the herd, Dawn and Showers, spend a lot of their time babysitting the two youngsters too. 

That coyote that was spending too much time up by our house and the neighbor's, kept getting bolder and bolder so she was killed.  It was a disaster waiting to happen...  On a happier note, with the cooler nights, the neighborhood coyotes are really howling up a storm.  Whether it's early evening or early morning, they're out and about.  Of course, the dogs are not happy about any of it!!  We can't have them out after dark or they become crazy barking fools.  

We are putting out hay as needed for the cows and we're opening up the big hayfield for short periods of grazing.  There is fear that the girls may eat some Johnson grass and become sick.  We've talked to everyone about the possibility of toxicity and get too many different answers, so we are being cautious. 

With the cooler weather, we need to gear up and do some ranch work that needs to be done.  It's more pleasant to ride around or sit enjoying the cool and nature.  Hopefully we'll get to the work....