I was sleeping pretty sound and something making a little, almost too small to hear, noise woke me up. I strained to hear and finally sat up on the side of the bed. Then I recognized the sound! Grass growing is hard to hear, but if you are conditioned just right, you can do it! I relaxed and snuggled back into my pillow.
Sure enough, the grass grew about three inches during the night, and I didn't really get a good rain. It sprinkled some, drizzled a bunch and threatened for hours! I checked cattle in my truck and used the wipers a lot. Old Dog just laid around on the seat, got hot and laid on the floorboard and never even barked or growled at make-believe wolves or turkey. We have had a pretty calm and delicious week. Drizzle weather brings on cooking for my close relative.
I was sure we could ship some of the cows that had not bred back since calving in the fall. We had the vet out to preg check all of them, and I am a breath holder so I got sorta dizzy after we got about halfway through. These cows were all AI recipients and followed up with a good clean-up bull. We found two, only two, who did not have big calves coming along. Good news to us old beef producers, a crop growing and promising a rich harvest.
I look forward to hauling the two cows to town, believe I can stand a day off at the sale barn. If you have never had a sale barn hamburger, you are missing a wonderful treat. I don't know if it is the atmosphere or the greasy onions that make the taste so exceptionally tasty, but it is in a class by itself. I intend to enjoy the whole day.
We are considering buying some new hay equipment, but I have had my foot on the brake pedal. The offspring are sorta radical about haying, they start getting ready the second day of January. I hate hay season but the new advances in the equipment have certainly made it completely different than when I was introduced to the torture in my youth. I guess I wouldn't scream too loud if they would find a new mower-conditioner that we could buy for less than a 30-year loan at the bank! My banker is getting gray just thinking about my debts!
It is my opinion, and everyone has one, the best part of our lives is the part we are living at the moment! I sure took pleasure in my early life, children born, children married, grands born and all the wonders in between, but I like my life today! Character is what we developed as years passed and that looks pretty good on us older folks. I like the character my close relative has developed, and I believe my share of it is more pleasing than that smart-allecky young spur-wearing youth she took up with many years ago. So, give yourself a break, old ain't all bad!
Smile, it is almost fishing weather!
Bill is the pen name used by the Gravette-area author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Editorial on 04/27/2016