Wounded calf, wounded horse, Mama sick, coyotes

Saturday morning Grandpa and I worked on the utility trailer to make it usable for picking up the calf we were anticipating taking home. By the time we left to go get the calf it was near 10 a.m. and I was afraid it was getting too late; especially when you consider the morning milking probably started at 4 a.m. When we got to the farm where we were to pick up the calf, the farmer Mama had negotiated with was not around. I talked with a couple hands (they spoke very little English) that were still cleaning up from the morning milking and got the number I needed and called the farmer. I ended up leaving a message. The farm is only about eight miles from our farm so it was not a lengthy trip.


Before we left, Grandpa and I looked in the calf barn at the dairy farm and saw the calf we were expecting to buy. It was in pretty bad shape. There were about a dozen others that looked pretty good but, sadly, the one we were looking to take home was not going to make it. We found out later when the farmer called me back that the calf had been stepped on. The farmer apologized but explained that he was not going to let us buy it because he could not be sure it was going to survive. He has thirty cows due to calve this month and he is going to hold two of them for us to buy. The trailer is ready and the lot is ready. We have the milk replacer to feed whatever calf we get, so we will wait.

Saturday evening I went down to the pond to fish for a while. I took two poles because I was not sure if I wanted to use live bait or try a lure. I ended up starting with grasshoppers and caught two very nice bass. One was about fourteen inches long and pretty fat. The light was hitting the water in such a way that I could see the bass moving in the shallows. This was obviously no time to be chasing grasshoppers; it was time to switch to artificial bait.

I put a lure on the line and caught a couple small bass but after a couple more casts I hooked something that bent my pole over double. I took my time trying to land the catch but as I was struggling with it the line broke. After I thought about it, I have come to the conclusion that it was probably a turtle because it eventually broke the line and took my favorite lure.

I got another lure out of the tackle box and went back in the same area. I caught several more bass of various sizes. All were released but at least three were big enough to keep and eat. Since I am the only one who likes fish taken out of the water vs. fish taken out of the freezer packaging, I am hesitant to keep any of them.

Mama and Victoria missed church last night because both of them had severe headaches. Mama does not miss very often so I know she was feeling very badly. I do not know how she is today but yesterday was a struggle for her so keep her and Victoria in your prayers.

Mama told me last night, when I got home from church, that Flashy split a hoof and was limping pretty badly. She called Wes and he is going to come over tonight to look at it and tell us what needs to be done. We have not ridden the horses since the kids were here but we have enjoyed having them on the farm. With so many things going on it is difficult to make the effort to catch them, saddle them, ride them, then unsaddle and put everything away afterwards. It is something we will have to decide to do on a regular basis or it will not be worth having them.

On my way to church I saw a coyote run off of our property, cross Paddack Road and disappear into the overgrowth on the north side of the road. That is a little too close for comfort. Grandpa said that the yips and howls are slowly getting closer to the farm but the big dogs are matured enough to take them on. We could get to find out pretty soon. It is why they are there.

I just hope Dodger does not end up in the fight.