Snip snorted and old Dog ran circles this morning, I mean it was frosty and they were enjoying being alive. I wasn't exactly stepping lively, but it did rev me up somewhat to feel that chill in my lungs! It is like a first kiss of winter when that frost greets you and your cheeks tingle, memory jumps into high gear and brings the thoughts of sure enough seasons changing.
I did hurry around and check the sick pen, fed the barn critters and hopped into the pickup. I had to move a bunch of papers and other important parcels of things I had on the dash so I could turn on the defroster and get to moving along toward the pasture. This was my day to check all the cattle as the offspring were building fence. I suppose you could figure they paid for their raising by digging post holes!
I sorta stretched that statement. You know we don't actually dig postholes anymore. We drive T-posts into the ground and use an auger on a tractor to put in corner and gate posts. But nothing can get done without the human who takes care of it all! And I am to the age that I don't like to rattle my bones with a post driver. I would never admit it but I don't know how long it would take me to drive a post to a proper depth anyway!
The cattle seem to know way ahead of time that a good coat of heavy hair is gonna be welcomed by now. The calves are fuzzed out and pretty and bounce around like little black balls.
I enjoy watching them challenge each other and then race away. All the cows are going into winter with a real good frame score this year. Grass has been so plentiful and the weather didn't stay in the triple digits for days on end, so I am blessed again to see the results of that on the old hides.
My choice of calving in the fall is working well this year. The calves all look healthy and are growing, and there will always be years you can't hit a 100 percent crop. I am happy with what we have and expect the final test will pay off pretty good.
This day has made me think about the choices we have in life. I feel rich and highly blessed to be breathing fresh air, driving around on a place that is in our name and watching calves grow that are wearing our brand. I need more money, but who doesn't?
It is my opinion, and everyone has one, each step we take in life is an extraordinary choice. We have no way of knowing if that maze we travel in life will short us and we will have to start over, or if this choice is the wise one; but we must ponder and try to make the very best decisions.
Man was not born to be perfect here on earth and we sure aren't, but we gotta try and work is the only way to scratch that itch. I sure am glad part of my journey is behind me and I intend to enjoy the rest like old Dog and Snip, bucking, snorting and running for the pure joy of it!
Bill is the pen name of the Gravette area author of these weekly columns. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 11/12/2014