We found the feed room in the old barn open and the feed that was there is now gone. It was about seven years old and was mixed up feed that we got as a thank you from a feller in Kansas. Actually, it makes no difference what kind of feed it was; it was stolen from our place.
The truck that was backed up to the door left some tracks that are muddied up by the nice rain that came earlier in the night and, besides, you never find the perps. Learned that word from TV.
The old barn is not doing much anymore. The roof leaks and the floor in the feed room is pretty dangerous and a hard wind would blow it over. We have parked the old hay truck in there for several years and now it is still there. They, the thieves, couldn't get it started because I took the battery out when I parked it last time. We may decide to just tear it down and be done with the worry of it. I suspect someone was very needy to take that feed and, if they were that bad off, I might have helped them out. The deputy was nice and did his job efficiently.
So we, too, have had a taste of crime. How often we claim to be immune from the city acts of robbery and murder and then we find we aren't! People are always gonna be people regardless of their place of birth and the raising they were afforded. Some rise to the top like the cream they are and others turn from the law. Hard world, but then we have been told it is a wicked place!
The rain might save some of the grass and maybe a patch or two of fall hay. We needed a mite more than fell but it was nice and cool. All the cattle enjoyed the cooling and were pretty feisty this morning. The steers have a broken top wire along the west end of their pasture, the deer use that as a trail to the woods and water. I found a patch of bloody hair where one didn't jump high or wide enough.
I visited with my vet a couple of days ago and he said the economy is sure getting tight again. When some producers who have always vaccinated their cattle begin to skip doctoring due to the cost, we see the first step in cinching up for a hard time. He indicated the blackleg and lepto will be rising in areas that are caught in the squeeze. This country needs some good guidance and fast!
It is my opinion, and everyone has one, larceny was well known by white men from the very beginning. We might all be guilty of it, stealing time or breaking our word. We are known for stealing kisses and the lands we live on belonged to a different nation until we came along and stole them. Just because the land was there, we took it; is that legal?
Have a heart for helping others; we are gonna need it as we deal with the coming years. I hope no one comes to take what they want again, but I sure want to help if I can concerning their needs. We might have to go back to cornmeal mush, but I am more than ready to share that!
It is time to sight the guns in and make sure they are ready to use. Deer season is almost upon us and, as a wise man once said, "Remember the Alamo!"
Bill is the pen name used by the Gravette-area author of this weekly column. Opinions expressed are those of the author.