Dairy Daze...and Now Beyond

September sighs A cooler breath And summer's verdure dims, September shifts Drowsy, relaxed, Like insect-laced leaves Languid on limbs Summer's grip eases Releases early gems To gleam on paths To glow in clear pools Of the Faerie Spring To blanket secret woods Where sleepy spells drift and sway between the shadows September shrills With crickets' farewell to Steamy nights Summer stills In September, The Faerie Spring Is almost dry September sways And sweeps summer's Harvest From branch to Forest floor To become Spring's Promise

We sold all the of puppies.  And even Deuce. I sorta miss Deuce.  We had him about days less than a full year.  I feel like I failed him; but we just don't have the time to train the dogs and he was starting to be aggressive toward Bella.  Like he was jealous of her and/or didn't have patience with her air-headedness.  I'd have them out on leashes and he'd just up and attack her for no reason. Anyway; he went to a family with two kids so he will get all the attention.  He was just eating it up when they were here to pick him up. But now we are back down to just Bella. And now just Bella and I go on our rambling walks again; free from any aggravating males.  Bella loves to chase squirrels; Deuce never tolerated that. 

Last Tuesday, the 5th, Gary got this bizarre call from the in-laws down the road.  "Come down here and see what you can do, there's a calf with a bucket on her head!" Gary came up to the house from the barn to ask me to go see about her.  So I did. Um, yes.  There she was in the field next to the in-laws place; with a bucket on her head in very truth. How in heaven's name did she get a bucket on her head? Well you may ask.  We only have a faint idea of where said bucket came from. Many years ago, like maybe 7-9 yrs, we had a calf out in that pasture that had some sort of problem.  I vaguely remember toting water or feed to her in bucket.  All I can figure is that one of those water buckets must have been abandoned out there.  Heifer 231 found it and apparently did more exploring than was strictly necessary.  She could see a bit over the rim if she held her head just right so she wasn't easy to approach. But I followed her r...

August 21, 2017 was the Great American Eclipse. We kept Ellen home from school.  Gary and I, my mother in law, sister in law and Gary's aunt all packed lunches and headed up north to the totality zone. It was fun. The drive there was super easy; no traffic to contend with whatsoever.  We took the back roads, past acres and acres of corn and soybean fields.  Turned off of 64 at Cole Camp; went through that lovely little town.  Ended up in Pilot Grove.  We found their little city park and joined quite a few others there: It was like a big impromptu festival.  We all used the special eclipse glasses Gary had ordered months ago.  He got a 10 pack for like 2.60 something.  We set up our chairs, got out our lunches and waited. And waited. Eventually the light got a bit dimmer and the temps dropped almost imperceptibly. The crickets and night bugs started chirping and creaking.  The street lights came on there in the p...