If global warming is true, I hope this rock pile is the first to be warmer in January and February

Long winter days will make a feller admit his age -- wind chill below 10 degrees and a truck that at one time had a heater. I sure don't feel like a young sprout today or yesterday, either! Time just keeps rolling along and I have tried to slow it down but no luck doing that.

We have had it on our list to get all the pastures automatic waterers. Don't you know that list just keeps getting longer and the first 12 items on the agenda are so faded I can hardly read them. But I know we need to keep water available, so here we go. I carry an old axe and a pair of rubber boots so I can chop whatever needs chopping and the boots to keep my feet from getting wet and freezing me. I wish I could say I haven't had to use either one this month, but I have.

We had a big calf, about a 300-pounder, break through the ice on Friday. He was flopping around and getting further out all the time. My roping ability is rusty, never was very good, but I finally roped the feller and then the tussle was on. That poor old calf was scared, I was scared I was gonna lose him and, between the thick fear in the air, I sure wasn't getting ahead. I finally tied the rope to the bumper of the truck and slowly pulled him out. Then I rushed back to loosen the noose around his neck.

His eyes were rolled back in his head and his tongue hanging out, but I began to pump his ribs and he started sorta huffing in air. Between the two of us, he lived. So did I -- wet coat and worn to the nth degree but glad I was able to get'er done.

That little episode was hard on my old worn out body. The cold was sucking the power right out of my arms and legs. I am not a little feller, carry enough weight to handle most man jobs, and I am not old enough to throw in the towel. It is the dang old cold that creeps into a body to shrink blood arteries and shrivel up muscles.

I went to the house and drank a pot of hot coffee, changed clothes and called the offspring in to headquarters. They had their share of problems thawing out tanks and working on rusty old hay rings all over the place. -- another item on that list that we have to wait on to buy. They listened to my sad tale of woe and hooked up the trailer to see if they could get the calf caught and bring him in for a little tender care and grain.

The younger son ropes real good so they caught the calf, loaded him and the mammy cow followed to the lot. They got the pair into the hospital pen, poured the feed to them and I rested myself by the fire!

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, this concern about global warming could be true. It might be possible to ruin our planet and cause all kinds of chaos by heating up all over the place. If it happens, I hope the old rock pile is the first to experience a shorter and warmer January and February! I'd be glad to take the heat!

Keep your feet dry and your ice broke!

Bill

Bill is the pen name used by the Gravette-area author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.

Editorial on 01/18/2017