Will has been enjoying haying in the cooler weather. Yesterday it was 67 degrees F, and he raked hay, which this afternoon, he is out baling. He had been planning on cutting more today after baling but now they say rain is coming on Saturday. Oh well, there’s plenty more to do! While he’s out baling, I’m watering the two hoop houses, which have peppers in them, plus weeding the pole beans in the Sand Garden. Will has so much of that garden tilled, weeded, and mulched I want to keep it looking nice. I’d thought we wouldn’t have any Who Gets Kissed sweet corn to save for seed this year as it’s been a terrible corn year and I’d already planted it twice. However, it did finally take, despite the weeds, and is growing nicely. Whew!
One of our cows is getting ready to calf. Will went out and checked on her this morning before he left to hay and he said she was alone and her bag was very big, definite signs of imminent calving. When I get done blogging, I’ll hop on the ATV and go take a look and make sure she isn’t having any trouble. She’s a big cow and it should be uneventful. It does pay to check, however. Our cows aren’t “pets” but they are family, enjoying neck and back scratching plus treats on occasion. We don’t like wild cows!
Our new dog, Gypsy, is doing very well. She’s a happy, rowdy girl at times and I’ve had to don a sweatshirt in the morning when she is very excited, as she hasn’t fully learned manners yet and jumps on me, scratching my arms till they bleed. Hondo used to do that too, and still, on occasion, will do it. She’s learned to trot alongside my solar-powered golf cart, and we go for a mile twice a day and shorter runs several more times, so she gets enough exercise, which she loves. Already, she has learned to fetch her tough Kong tennis ball, to sit on command and (usually) no bite. Dutch Shepherds and Belgian Malinois are very closely related, and both are very mouthy, puppy biting those who they love. I let her hold my hand in her mouth but won’t let her chew on it in play.
She’s getting used to Will much more, finding out he doesn’t yell or hit plus he always has pets and goodies for her. Dogs are like gardens; the more work you put into them, the better they become. — Jackie
