I saw, on Sunday morning as we drove to town for church, one of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen! There was water everywhere, in the ditches, standing in the pastures, on the highway, and gravel where the water had washed over the road! Wow, what a sight! An old cattleman frames sights like that in his mind and on his heart. I got so giggly that my close relative called me down.

I don’t know how many inches fell on the rock pile, but it was enough to run a pond over and it was still trickling out on Monday morning! I hope this was enough to relieve the drought we have suffered for a few years. I have high hopes it also poured across the parched parts of the South and West too.

I saw the neighbor’s kids playing in the mud holes when I drove to the leased land on Sunday afternoon. It will do them worlds of good; a good soaking will help some of the winter patina slough off! They had a couple of goats out there with them, soapsuds and brushes and lots of laughing! They will sparkle and shine in school and the teachers might not even know them!

Makes a feller happy to see the calves bouncing around and all of them still alive! My spring cows are ready to calve, had two on the ground this morning, and looked like five or six were just waiting on a dry spot to lay down. I have to admit it again, the early February calves came in without any problems this year! But, just you wait. The offspring will want to do that same thing, and we’ll get caught next time!

I will hang out and fix fence, clean out the mineral troughs, get limbs off the fences and kick rocks today just to keep from going home. I saw that look in my close relative’s eyes at the breakfast table. She is ready to weed and feed the grass, dig in the few million flower beds around the house, get out the mower, sharpen the hoe and check out the rest of the equipment in the shed. She planned on a trip to the nursery and mentioned we — yes, we — would need to take my truck to haul all the stuff she needs.

Absence will be more comfortable today. I don’t aim to be contrary, just dread all the fixin’ and diggin’!

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, doing what is necessary for a nice looking homestead is worth the effort and I, for one, enjoy the rewards of my efforts. My favorite rewards usually come in the form of beef, beans, biscuits and pies! Come to think of it, I might show up in time to do a few yard things today. But it will be late in the afternoon!

Bill is a pen name used by the Gravette author of this weekly column.