The Rescue

It’s hard to believe we’ve gone straight from extreme drought to too wet.  Our ground is saturated and we received another three inches in the early morning hours, and it’s still raining.  They issued a flash flood warning for my area this morning, and it wasn’t long before my nephew called to tell me I should take my camera to the creek running through his family’s pasture northeast of town.  He said it was already out of its banks and had crossed the state road.

It was still rising and close to crossing the county road.

SOOC

SOOC

SOOC

Then he said his uncle’s cattle had managed to be on the wrong side of the creek.  They were stranded between the rising creek and the fence with only a three-foot strip of land.  I suggested this might be a good time to cut the fence, and he said that’s what they were doing as we spoke.  Of course, they had to wade through waist deep water to get there.  I headed out the door.

By the time I arrived, I could see the cattle were on the other side of the fence.  I did go see if they needed any help moving them.  That’s when they said they were still trying to get one calf.

When they cut the fence, all the cattle came through except one calf.  She panicked and jumped into the water.  She crashed into the bridge and went under.

They scrambled to try and get rope to pull her out, thinking she was probably already dead.  They finally saw her surface downstream and pull herself back onto the strip of land.

In the meantime they other cattle had left the field and wandered away, so they had to bring them back.  That’s when I got there.  They were headed back to the calf to try and get her to safety.

SOOC

SOOC

He waded through the waist deep water again and very slowly brought her back to the hole in the fence.  She still didn’t know what to do, but she hollered for her mom.

SOOC

Mom was hollering encouragement back to her.  She was very concerned.

SOOC

The calf went past the opening, back towards the bridge.

SOOC

Another person started towards the calf from the other direction to turn her back to the opening.

SOOC

This time, she came through.  It still wasn’t easy getting back to mom.

SOOC

SOOC

SOOC

SOOC

Finally, they were all safe,  so they were moved to the other side of the creek.

They should be safe now, but with more rain in the forecast, they’ll keep a close eye on the pasture.  They’ll also keep a close eye on the calf, newly named Mikelle Phelps, to make sure she doesn’t develop pneumonia after her swim.

Sharing with SOOC Sunday, Homestead Barn Hop, Farmgirl Friday, and Farm Fun Friday.

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

Somehow with the drought last year, it didn’t dawn on me that we could also be in the midst of setting a good record.  But we were until it came to an end yesterday.  We had 359 consecutive days without a tornado warning in the state.  It was hot and humid, and we were warned of storms coming.

I did my storm preparations of picking up feed pans and then I went out to pasture to tell the goats and llama they needed to come to the barn.

Millie

The bovine wanted to go back north, and I tried letting them, but I opened the gate too late.  They’d changed their minds and were going to stay in the pasture.  Now, if you think I can convince a 3000 pound steer to move when he doesn’t want to, it’s not going to happen.

MJ and Maxine

I jumped up and down behind him and hollered, “Get up, Hyiah!”  He stood.  I had a hand firmly on each rump roast pushing as hard as I could, and he didn’t notice me.  I finally gave up and reminded them they could come to the barn. They drive me crazy when they stay in the pasture in stormy weather.

I sent my nephew a text saying it was time to quit farming for the day and then went into town to get my mother since she doesn’t have a basement.  We got back to my house just as the first jagged streak of lightning hit.  Mom went in, and I went to make sure some silly Cinnamon goat was getting her butt out of the pasture and into the barn.  About that time the thunder came and everyone was scared inside.

By the time I got inside, I saw we were under a tornado warning.  I looked out the wind0w again (yeah, I know that’s not what you’re supposed to do in a tornado warning, but still) and saw I had a goat outside.  I headed for my boots and had just gotten them on when my mom told me the goat went in the barn.  For some reason the geese just sit out there in the tornado warning.  They could go in.  Really.

Then they said a tornado had been spotted five miles south of State Center.  Well, that’s just north of town.  Then we got a text from my son asking if we had electricity and did I have any ice cream.  I can’t make this stuff up.  Of course his next text was that he’d driven through the funnel cloud (I believe he meant the rotating wall cloud that is associated with tornadoes and not the actual tornado).  That would have been just about five miles south of State Center.

Well, our streak of no tornadoes has ended, but everyone in my world is safe.  The cows survived. The geese are all here and everyone is fine.

We had more storms come through in the night and there are more chances again tonight.  So how do you prepare for storms?

Linking to Homestead Barn Hop and Clever Chick’s Blog Hop

Busy Weekend

We had beautiful weather yesterday, so I spent a lot of time outside.  I finally started working in my garden.  Yes, this is really the first I’ve worked on it this year.

I got most of the old dead weeds piled up, but there’s a bit more.  Weather permitting, I’ll have a large bonfire in the next couple of days.  I still need to pick up the remains of last year’s planting (don’t judge me, 2012 was a rough year).

While working in the garden, I did notice the apple blossoms are just about to open.

I keep watching my big shade trees.

With the warmer weather, they are finally starting to get some leaves.

That’s a good thing.

I wanted to move the bovine to the Back Forty this weekend, but I had to wait.

Maxine is enjoying the sunny weather today.

Our temperature tomorrow is supposed to be 95*F.   I can’t move them until they have some nice shade trees completely leafed out.

For now they will have to use their cattle shed for shade.

The goats have their barn for shade.  They all have tanks with plenty of water.

Hopefully, I can get them back there in the  next couple of days.  Okay, after we get past our one really hot day.  They’ll all be happier when they have shade trees.

That heat is also going to be very hard on my really pregnant goats.

With the up and down temperatures, some of them still have at least part of their winter coats.  This wet month has also been hard on their feet.  My son was good to me and held some goats yesterday while I trimmed hooves.  That’s all I wanted for Mother’s Day!  We’re supposed to finish that task this evening.

Linking to Clever Chick’s Blog Hop, Homestead Barn Hop, Ruby Tuesday 2, Barn Charm, and Tuesday Muse.