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Friday evening after we fed the animals, I went to the quarry
lake to fish. I was very successful again. Mama was supposed to go with me, but
she was not feeling up to it by the time we got the feeding done. I spent some
time looking over a couple spots that I could take Mama when she did come and was
able to catch fish in all those spots, but I went to the place I have had so
much success lately and fished there for about an hour. I caught eight crappie,
two large bass and two large sunfish. When I was pulling into the drive, Mama
was out front weeding a little flowerbed we have around a tree near the driveway.
I told her that I had found a place to take her that was easy access. She wanted
to go. So, we went. Again, we spent
about an hour. Mama caught nothing, but she got some strong bites. I caught two
small sunfish, a very small bass and another large crappie. Mama had a very
peaceful, fun time. I am sure we will go again.
Saturday, we watched the boys and Savanna while Krystal did
some shopping. I spent the entire morning building swarm traps. I had brought a
large box from the goat barn that we used as a play item for the goats. It was
made of ¾” plywood. It was dirty but I cleaned it up and cut it according to
the dimensions of the instructions I had printed out for making the traps. I
had some ½” plywood leftover from making the screened beehive bases. All together
I was able to cut out enough pieces to make three swarm traps. It took a lot of
creative measuring to get all the pieces needed, but the Lord gave me the patience
and wisdom to cut each scrap piece to maximize the outcome. All I lack is the flashing
to cover the tops to make them ready to set out. It was a fun project, but my
back was worn out by the time I got them assembled. That was early afternoon.
After we had lunch, I laid down. Since the house was full of
kids, I laid on the bed. I slept very hard for a couple hours. When I was
waking up, Mama told me that we had to pick up a calf. A heifer twin, born to a
local rancher. The rancher had two sets of the boy/girl twins born last
Thursday and he did not want to bottle feed any extras. Somehow our name came
up on the register for the local stock sale. Praise the Lord. Mama had already
told the rancher that we would take the calf, so I loaded the racks onto the truck,
and we set out. The rancher and his wife were waiting on us as we arrived. Their
place was only a couple miles out of Decatur. As Mama and I pulled into the lot
where the rancher had the calf captured, the wife quickly backed away from us. “We
need to keep our distance.” She announced. I was taken aback, but we complied. The
calf was quickly loaded, and we headed to Tractor Supply to get milk replacer.
Once home, Norman had to get up in the truck bed to get the calf
dragged to me, but she was quickly put in the little stall I had started behind
the shop. A couple quick retrofits and we had her safely placed where we could
manage her for a couple weeks. The calf initially went a little crazy on us and
bounced off every side of the stall which is made mostly of cattle panels. It
was something to watch. Mama made her a bottle and we tried to get her to nurse
unsuccessfully with the nipple we had. I think the nipple was for goats. Not
for claves. So, Mama rushed to a local feed store to get the proper nipple
while I used some metal roofing sheets to cover the lower sides of the stall. Partly to block the wind. Partly to keep her
from seeing so much open area. The cattle on the adjoining property heard the fearful
bawling of the calf and gathered in a large herd at the fence. It was quite a
scene. Once we had the correct nipple, the calf, Sadie, tool the entire bottle.
We have not fed her four times, so she is getting used to the routine. At five
days old, she is a strong calf. A beautiful little black baldie. She will only
be good for meat since such twins are infertile. Sad, but we will need the meat
by the time she is butchering size. God is good.
We had church online again Sunday morning and evening. Our
pastor does a great job, but we miss the time together with our church family. If
we have to do this for another month, some folks are going to get too used to
it. Getting up just in time to make it to the couch for the sermon. Not having
to dress for church. No Sunday School. No song service. I find it unsatisfying.
Mama does as well. Hopefully things will get back to normal – or some new
normal - very soon. The devil may keep us from congregating this Easter, but
the resurrection has forever defeated him.
There is victory in Jesus!
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