Spring shots

Nice shots of the farm. This was pre-monsoon in the first week on June.

Lovely lilacs

Dexter leaving.

Running into Grandma on our walk

Rolling bedding plant nursery.

Useful as a brick...

Uncle Peter took off on a road trip last week for Phoenix, leaving a huge vacancy in the farm labour force, thus Chris and I were called in off the bench.

My morning, I was briefed on my duties in assisting the delivery of some bales to the field that still didn't have quite enough grass for munching.

I lounged in the truck waiting for the tractor to appear and enjoyed the morning.  Eventually the tractor came chugging along...

As it got nearer, I leapt into action, donned my rubber gloves, freed the electric fence wires off a post and held them down for the tractor to roll over.

I returned to lounging.

The tractor completed it's circuit, I held down the wires, it left the field and I reattached the wires and headed home.

I donned on me that the basically, I had been a human brick...holding down the wires.  Huh.

I pointed that out to Dad...he agreed...and shortly thereafter, we were fired.

Dad claims it was because the grass had started growing enough, but Chris took it pretty badly.  He got 'sick' the very next day and wouldn't get out of bed.

Aw...

Holy tornado Batman!

...okay, so not quite, but my god it's windy!

Power's been off and on all morning (which brought an entertaining interlude of trying to explain electricity and lack of responsive switches to the kid).

Drove though dust clouds and even dodged some tumbleweeds (really) on the highway.

Got back from the daycare drop off and noticed pieces of the greenhouse flying around the yard.  Reported the destruction to Dad who told me he was dismantling it this year anyway...now he's got a head start.  Cool.

Stay tuned for sightings of Dorothy rolling by outside...

Lovely day...

It's so nice and so bright for so long that after dinner we went outside to kick the ball around with Dexter also teetering around on his 2-wheeler with training wheels.

Chris was rummaging through the gear in the garage and came out with a bat and ball.  He was really warming up to give the ball a good whack and... he missed!!!! 

Then Sam ate the ball.

Time to go in.

We got inside and Dexter declared he wanted cheesy noodles for lunch.  Poor kid.  It's been so dark for so long, he didn't realize it was bedtime.

Moving to greener pastures...

Forget horses herding snorting beasts and huge dust clouds being kicked up by thundering bovine...this is the Wiwchar Ranch.  Here's what you do...

• Don't feed the beasties in the morning
• Move a few bales into destination field
• Check for gaping holes in fences
• Repair gaping holes in fences
• Load up the ATV with a couple buckets of grain
• Open gates
• Drive into field with ATV - get attention of herd just by showing up
• Start driving to destination field
• Confirm that you are being followed by herd of hungry, pregnant cows
• Continue driving
• Drive all the way to bales placed in field ealier
• Watch as herd starts eating
• Drive away
• Close gates

Voila!

The rest of the day is spent monitoring the gate (aka Uncle Peter's Nap in the Truck) to reunite separated families.

There were several new-born calves and mamas and a mama who was actually birthing her baby when the move was going on.  Either the little families won't go, or the calf gets left behind as it is hidden in the bush for a few hours right after delivery and mom wanders off for some breakfast.

So...everyone eventually shows up at the gate trying to get back to their babies.  Uncle Peter opens the gate, they go find each other, then wander back to join the rest.

Double voila!

When I find the camera, I'll upload the photos of an hours-old calf we watched yesterday. They're coming fast and furious now...

UPDATE:  Okay the best shot of the "cattle drive" is this arse-end view of them heading off after Uncle Peter.  Enjoy!