Do-overs are time spent unwisely and coldly

Think about sleet and ice. It is very afraid of the sunshine. I had fun seeing it die, melt into the ground and never be seen again! I gloried in the cold, slushy fact that I could step out of the house and not slide to the front gate. The solid frozen earth was gone forever, or sorta, and we could once again return to a regular lifestyle. My style was a 14hour day of feeding hungry bovines and hoping to find them all alive.

We lost two head in the sleet, both older cows and both with broken legs. It was a freak storm, and we knew that thing could creep up on us. The cows have lots of timber on most of the pasture but we have also cleared some for more grass. Sheds are on some pastures, mostly old and not large enough for the entire herds. The spring calves are still waiting to hit the ground and we are so thankful for that. That would have been a bad deal and one I did not want to have to take care of!

I loaded my close relative into the pickup on Friday morning and took her to the grocery store. I could not find an empty parking space in the whole block of the store. The entire county must have been out of coffee and sugar. We slid carefully into the store and saw folks we hadn’t seen in months. I visited while she filled the cart and had a nice time. First time I ever saw some of the wives with the husbands and I would have never put them together. Go figure how nature manages to make families without my help!

We made the trip with one slip in the ditch and drove right out of it. I do not know how that happens; just suddenly, you are there and then back on the road. I acted as if I expected it so she wouldn’t be upset. Praying silently is an accepted way of asking for help. I am thankful we got the groceries in the house and no broken bones!

I have been so busy and the boys have been with it, too. We did find it relaxing to take a day off on Sunday for church. Most of the bunch came to the house for stew and cornbread and we played cards till chore time.

The older grandkid had company — pre-teen girls are another sort of human. They giggle and eat, eat and giggle, for hours at a time!

The time for soil testing is coming up and I am preparing to send some samples in. I know I need some lime and yet I dread the whole thing because of the cost. I realize the need to take care of the land that feeds my family so I will also fertilize and lime what is necessary. The samples have to be dry and marked to know for sure where they come from.

We spent Monday cutting and splitting wood to replace the amount we burned. The haying and counting cows were muddy jobs and we sorta did them quickly. The boys hayed for a change and I got to start cutting wood early. It was spring-like and not too much of a job after the sleet. I might start buying wood to be delivered to the house, or not if it is as high as I think.

This job is for young men and yet I am probably too tight to pay for the wood I already have with some effort. I also have those two young sons.

There were cattle on the road this morning and I guess some horses were out too. My oat-eating herd, even the paint pony, was in the barn and waiting. I could hear the sirens wailing, warning the motorists of the livestock on the road. My herd of kitty cats was there waiting and looking well-fed. That is the fattest bunch of wild barn cats I have ever seen. I can pet most of them but they hide or stand way back from all others. The youngest grandson will enjoy them next summer.

I have lived through another phase of living; we are required to go through phases. Life cannot be a rose garden and we wouldn’t learn anything if it was. This was probably the worst storm for the boys — nasty enough for me — and we all learned things during the duration.

I suspect the largest and most profound lesson learned was not to hurry. Do-overs are time spent unwisely and coldly. We all had some, and I know we all learned from them. We may continue to make the same mistake, but we are aware of trying not to. Now the normal confusion of this beef enterprise continues.

I am more than aware of the fast-approaching warmer scenes and the need to hunt, not caring what, just hunt. The prehistoric need is certainly keen right now and the talk at the grocery store was proof of it. Everyone I spoke with was ready to hunt. Get your weapons ready and Remember the Alamo!