What a nice place to live, except for the roar of the trucks during the still night. The sound rattles the windows in my bedroom and our house is a mile and a quarter from the highway. The sound waves are real; I suspect you could get knocked over by some of the big ones if you were close and unsuspecting.
We have been enjoying the wonderful weather and opening the house to fresh air at night. The frogs croaking and, once in a while, the low call of a cow calling her baby to come on to bed lull us into a rest of indescribable pleasure. We work hard, and the spring nights are part of our payment.
I remember the first time I saw a sign prohibiting Jake Brakes. I wondered what in the world old Jake had done that was so heinous he was not allowed in town. I asked my Pappy about it and he wasn’t sure how to answer. We lived so far out in the breaks we had no idea what the deal was about. Now I know.
I changed the oil in my hay truck yesterday and aired up all the tires. We are about to start - well, the offspring have started mowing - and I will be required to haul in the bales. I greased all the zerts in the hay wagon, aired up those tires, and now I wish it was over. But the truth is we are blessed to have an abundant hay crop for the first cutting. Today could be the first day of the next drought. Let's just ignore that and move on!
My close relative is demanding a repair on the bull pens. I guess that will be my upcoming project, and I know I need to do it. The old fence is so rickety that I have set posts about three to five feet apart to hold it up. It could pass for a snow barrier.
She, my close relative, has a tomato patch and it is not far from the bull pen. It’s finally growing and looking real nice. The plants would be a real attraction for the three bulls that eye the fence daily. I suspect the boss bull is encouraging the uprooting of the raggedy fence and planning it nightly.
Made arrangements for delivery of the seven- to seven-and-a-half-hundred pound calves to haul to the feed lot. I am gonna try feeding steers and heifers together this year, as recommended by the big boys at the feed lot. They assure me it works well if the cattle have been raised together.
I don’t have much faith in making much money and should be happy if I break even, considering the price of feed. But, on the other hand, doing nothing makes nothing.
It is my opinion, and everyone has one, good judgment can’t be ignored.
Wanting to do something is good if it is deemed profitable, but a feller has to judge all the factors before just jumping in. I have had some things that looked so good and had me counting the dollars in my pocket just completely blow up and leave me owing money!
Be careful and read the fine print before you buy!
Good luck drying hay and keep your powder dry!
Bill is a pen name used by the Gravette author of this weekly column.
Opinion, Pages 4 on 05/29/2013