In Awe....Farm Update

I am in awe! I never imagined so many people would follow our journey with Radish! I am in awe that so many people were rooting for him, and encouraging me along the way.

How wonderful that his story reached so many people all over the world! He did have a purpose, if not only to teach me so much, but to maybe help others in the same situation...and to bring new friends to me.

I never imagined when I began this blog the awesome people I have met would come into my life! I am blessed in so many ways. My Farmer, My Children, Our Farm, Our Furry Friends we share our lives with each and every day, The Beauty of God's Nature that surrounds me, and now Your Beautiful Hearts - all to bless My Life.

What can I say?

Thank You will have to do, because I know no other words except for those.

Getting back to normal every day that was put on hold for 3 days has been hard for me. I always take situations like ours seriously. I weep for those animals we have lost. I know I invest too much in them, which in the end, causes me heartache. I wish so much that my daughter would have had the chance to meet and care for him with me. He was to be her foal. Cleaning up the living room in the wee hours of the morning was so sad...all traces of Radish have now been removed from our home. But never in my heart. This has been an experience that I will always remember. And the compassion of others will also be remembered.

Radish was laid to rest with Oliver, my pet steer that I handraised, whom I lost unexpectedly a few weeks ago.

I wont go on and on with post about either of them, it's time to lay it to rest with them as well. I think I have expressed to each of you my heart in this journey.

Back to the farm.

Today the calf count is up to 61...half way through calving season....approx. 60 more to go.

We have sold our 2 white bulls. Chicken Nugget and his son Amos. Both bulls are Marchigiana's, a big and beautiful breed of cattle stemming from Italy. The market here in our end of the world is for black cattle. Both bulls throw white, champagne, and muddy white calves, where there is no market for. I hate seeing Nugget leave us, he was a 5 year old big baby and as Norm says...gentle enough to go out into the field and slap him on the rear! That is true of him, of all the bulls, I feared him the least. We will be leasing 3 bulls, all Angus this summer, along with the 2 Angus Bulls - Sir Loin and T-Bone, and 1 huge black Marchigiana Bull named Zeus that we already have.

My beautiful Maine Coon cat, Bo, has been mad at me since we brought Radish into the house. It was so strange that the only time he came around any of us the last 3 days, was the moment that Radish suffered the seizure and he stared into the temporary corral that we had built for the little foal!!!! Today he has forgiven me and is up to his usual antics of falling out of chairs because he sleeps so soundly and rolls and then with a thud ends up in the floor. There is never a day without Bo making a mess of something, such as knocking over our drinking glasses. If its a liquid, he feels the need to deliberately knock it over...he does this on purpose. It is something you would have to see to believe...Norm is his favorite target. He will perch himself upon a TV tray where Norm has his glass, stare smugly at Norm, and then knock the glass off the table! Sometimes he runs knowing that Norm will be angry..other times he just continues to stare smugly. I swear I can hear him laugh!

Little Torro is doing well. He eats like a little monster and is a bundle of energy. He is now two weeks old and actually has been the easiest calf we've had to raise since I've been here on the farm. Actually, after loosing my Oliver, I hope he will be the only bottle fed calf we have this year.

Pepper is Queen of the barn still, and mad at me that in this colder weather I have kept her in her coop in the barn. Still laying eggs 5 - 6 times a week. I cannot wait to get her some of her kind to keep her flustered.

News on the stud muffin named Douglas ( aka my son): I'm mortified to hear that he "asked" a girl to "go out". Douglas is ten years old. Douglas is in the 4th grade. Douglas cannot drive. So tell me how in the world will Douglas and his girlfriend.."Go out"??? Douglas actually had one of his best friends "ask her for him"....okay for some reason, even if we discount his age and lack of a vehicle, tells me he doesn't need to "go out" with anyone.

"go out", this is a term I've always really hated in young people who cannot drive. Where are they gonna go? Those of you who know Douglas....PLEASE don't mention this to him that you know..he will literally kill me and never tell me anything again! Which would be awful since I would no longer have an inside track, and I then couldn't tell of the humors of a young boy growing up. Oh did I mention that he shaves too?

My, oh, my.

I cringe from what I have to look forward too.

We unwrapped Kings hoof today (he had an abscess that the Vet doctored a week ago). His hoof looks to be in good shape. Tomorrow I'm going to inspect him a little further, the light was leaving us tonight.

Jack....Jack oh Jack...we have reached the "terrible two's" stage in this colts life. Yesterday as I went to feed he disrespected my space and about knocked me down as he walked practically on top of me. I elbowed him as soon as he got into my space, as hard as I could...which only made him run, jump, and kick, only missing me by a foot or so. Yes he is feeling his "cheerios" and I guess thought I was playing...ummm..NO. Again at the feed trough he crowded me and got a repeat of the elbow...again same reaction and almost missed me by a foot again. He has never tried my authority until yesterday. Now I've got to work at keeping my rank as his herd leader, which I hope that bluffing a 14 hh, 6 month old,colt is something I'll be able to continue. I am really in need of a round pen to do more ground work in to keep that respect. And probably a good book on correcting unwanted behavior. The little turd.

Most of you know my grandma has not been doing well the last several months. She is 91 years old! I cant believe that myself....she was going strong until 5 years ago. She had to be made to stop mowing her lawn with a push mower at 86 years young!

Douglas has decided not to see her, he doesn't want that visit to be the one he remembers first when he thinks of her. His last visit was a good one, full of hugs and kisses from his favorite "Great" as he called her. (Great Grandma)

I look back at all I've written and I realize that lately we have had a lot of bumps in our roads huh? Well each bump makes us stronger as we trudge along in life. I just really hope that we don't encounter another bump for awhile.

I'm pretty shot, thinking I'm gonna head for bed and get a full nights rest for the first time in a few days.

Goodnight....