Transport, confusion and blessing

When I got home yesterday afternoon Mama had already separated Daisy from the steers so we could load her for transport to the farm in Decatur so I hooked up the gooseneck stock trailer and moved it into position. I have never used a gooseneck trailer before and it took me three or four tries to get it lined up – but I did finally get it into place. Since we had everything ready we went ahead and got some grain and Daisy walked right into the front of the trailer where I wanted her.

She was not happy about the arrangement. She began to stomp and thrash around. Between temper tantrums she took a bite of the grain Mama had left for her. Her playmates were not at all happy to see her moving away and began bawling and walking along the fence line closest to the apartment. Mama and I were a little worried that they would tear up the fence trying to get to her. I am convinced that they were only interested in the grain she had been given. While she waited in the trailer we ate dinner.

Driving with a gooseneck is different than having a bumper pull trailer and I was a little worried about cutting a corner too close and tearing something up – but that did not happen. We made the trip to Decatur without any mishaps and pulled into the driveway at our destination in record time. Craig Shaw met us there and waved us through a gate into the pasture where the young bull was running with his herd. We opened the gates in the trailer and Daisy May walked right out.

The bull started bellowing and pawing the ground as if he was going to charge and Mama got a little concerned. Bro. Shaw told her not to worry it was just his way of showing off a little – trying to impress the new arrival. He then pranced over to Daisy and began to check her out. She was not nearly as interested as he was so the chase began.

Daisy ran over to the fence where Mama was standing as if to beg for a rescue as the persistent bull followed her around. Bro. Shaw told us that that would go for a couple days as the herd reassessed the pecking order – and as the bull encouraged Daisy into heat. We got back home and I parked the trailer as though I had driven it for years. God really blessed us!

I have no idea what state the steers will be in this morning without their leader but I will get an update later from Mama. They still seemed a little lost when we got home but that too should work itself out over the next couple days. They are creatures of habit and do not react well to any changes in routine. They even are confused by the new posts I have put in one of the fences. They smell them every time they come into that part of the pasture. It is pretty comical.

Mama and I have RU tonight and tomorrow I will be going to soul winning/bus visitation before going to Lee’s house for some music training. He wants to learn the violin and I want to learn the guitar so we are going to coach each other as we pick up new skills. I am not sure how long we will meet together but it should be fun and productive.

The hard part is giving up a Saturday.