APRIL 16, 2008

BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE THIS MORNING.

CALF SUCKED DOWN TWO QUARTS OF MILK THIS MORNING AND WANTED MORE. NO FOOLING AROUND, GIMME THE BOTTLE! PETE AND I CLEANED THE MORSBACH FARMS SOUTH GUEST HOME IN PREPARATION FOR 3 HUNTERS COMING TONIGHT. PETE'S A PRETTY GOOD HOUSEKEEPER, EVEN MOVED THE COUCH AND END TABLES WHEN HE VACUUMED.
LATER PETE HAULED AND SPREAD YOU KNOW WHAT UNTIL HE HAD THE BARNYARD CLEAN. I MIXED PAINT AND PAINTED THE INSIDE OF THE BIG GRAVITY BOX. FINALLY HAD TO PUT IT INSIDE BECAUSE OF RAIN POSSIBILITIES.
GREG BROUGHT THE CATTLE TRAILER BACK, SPREAD SOME STRAW ON THE FLOOR AND BROUGHT CALF BACK TO HER APARTMENT. FED CALF A QUART OF ELECTROLYTES AT NOON. SHE SAID GIMME THAT BOTTLE. WHO KNOWS SHE MAY EVEN LIVE. THANK YOU LORD!

PULLED POSTS AND ROLLED UP THE PLASTIC FROM THE CALVES SILAGE BAG. WILL USE THIS TO WRAP GREEN BALES FOR THE SUMMER. LAST THING BEFORE PETE LEAVES, WE TAKE A TOUR OF THE COW PASTURE. HAVEN'T HAD ANY CALVES FOR MANY A DAY. WE HAD TO SEARCH, BUT FOUND A BRAND NEW MALE CALF HOURS OLD. MAMA WAS HIDING HIM. ALSO A TREE HAD FALLEN ACROSS THE FENCE, SHORTING IT OUT. HAD TO FIX THAT.

WENT BACK TO THE HOME AND CHECKED EVERYTHING OUT, LEFT THE HOUSE BOOK, WHICH IS SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU THE WHAT AND WHERE OF EVERYTHING IN THE HOUSE ON THE COFFEE TABLE. IT'S NOT COMPLETE, BUT WHATS NEW.

SEE IF YOU CAN FIND THE SQUIRRELS?

APRIL 14, 2008

THE CALF TOOK A QUART OF MILK THIS MORNING. A GOOD SIGN. WAS SCHEDULED TO DO PLUMBING AT MORSBACH FARMS NORTH GUEST HOME, BUT REPAIRED THE POOP SPREADER. THE FRAME WAS BROKEN IN TWO PLACES. SOME BOLTS WERE ALSO MISSING AND OTHER MINOR THINGS. GOT THAT FIXED, PETE STARTED HAULING AND SPREADING.

BROUGHT THE LARGE GRAVITY BOX IN AND TOOK THE ROOF OFF AND SET IT IN THE BULL PEN. NEED TO GET CORN GROUND FOR THE HEIFERS. THESE GIRLS NEED ALL THE HELP GROWING THEY CAN GET. NEED TO PAINT THE INSIDE OF THE BOX BEFORE WE FILL IT.

WENT TO THE NORTH HOUSE TO DO PLUMBING. THE CARPENTERS WILL BE HERE WEDNESDAY AND I NEED SOME OF THE PLUMBING DONE BY THEN. WHEN I WAS JUST GETTING INTO IT, GREG (BUFFALO GUY) SHOWS UP AND ASKS TO BORROW THE CATTLE TRAILER TO TAKE TWO BUFFALO TO THE BIG RANCH IN THE SKY. WE HAD TO MOVE LITTLE CALF INTO THE SHOP AND FIX A MAKE- SHIFT PEN FOR THE NIGHT. A PAIN. SHE DRANK TWO QUARTS OF MILK THOUGH.

WAS TIRED, MY COMPUTER WOULDN'T WORK, I WENT TO BED.

APRIL 13, 2008

PUT HOT COMPRESSES ON BOOT'S HEAD YESTERDAY AND TODAY, WHICH HAS HELPED TO STOP THE BLEEDING. WILL DO IT AGAIN TONIGHT. ABOUT NOON I FOUND THE CALF WAS STILL ALIVE, SO I MIXED A QUART OF ELECTROLYTE AND SHE SUCKED IT DOWN. SHE WAS ACTIVE ENOUGH TO STAND UP AND TRY TO PUSH HER WAY OUT OF THE CAB.

DID HOT COMPRESSES AGAIN AND BOOT'S HEAD HAS QUIT LEAKING. IT MUST BE HEALING BECAUSE HE NOW WANTS TO SCRATCH IT WITH HIS BACK LEG. GOOD THING FOR THE LAMPSHADE. TOMORROW I WILL CALL TOM TO FIND OUT WHAT TO CLEAN THE CAKED BLOOD ETC AND A LOTION TO SOFTEN THE AREA.

THE CALF DRANK ANOTHER QUART OF ELECTROLYTE TONIGHT. MAY BE A GOOD SIGN. SEE IF SHE'S STILL ALIVE TOMORROW. GOOD LOOKING HEIFER CALF.
GOT THE ELECTRICITY HOOKED UP AT THE NORTHERN WISCONSIN VACATION HOME CALLED MORSBACH FARMS NORTH GUEST HOME. THE FURNACE IS READY TO BE REMOVED SO THAT WORK CAN BEGIN ON SHEET ROCKING. MAYBE MONDAY I'LL START CLEANING UP SOME MESS AND SORTING THINGS TO STAY AND GO.
SATURDAY THE 19TH IS ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CRANE FOUNDATION'S SAND HILL CRANE COUNT DAY. CRANES ARE COUNTED ALL OVER THE MIDWEST FROM 5:30 TO 7:30 IN THE MORNING. I'LL HAVE TO CALL THE COUNTY COORDINATOR TOMORROW AND SEE WHATS HAPPENING IN PEPIN COUNTY. MAYBE I'LL COUNT SAND HILL CRANES ON SATURDAY. I'VE SEEN THEM AROUND THE POND, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF THEY HAVE NESTED THERE.

TALKED WITH THE GUYS WHO RUN THE HANDCAR TRAINS IN TIFFANY BOTTOMS ACROSS THE RIVER. DAD ALWAYS SAID HE HAD TO ROW PEOPLE OVER TO CATCH THE TRAIN WHEN HE WAS A KID BECAUSE HE HAD THE BOAT. SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE FUN.
GOT THE TRENCHER GOING TODAY. I NEED TO GET WATERERS IN THIS SPRING.

PICTURE OF EAGLES NEST ACROSS THE CHIPPEWA RIVER FROM THE NORTH VACATION HOME OF MORSBACH FARMS GUEST HOMES.

APRIL 12 2008

BEEN A BUSY WEEK. BEHIND ON BLOGGING, AND MANY OTHER THINGS. IT'S HARD TO KEEP UP WITH EVERYTHING GOING ON. ONE OF THE SQUIRRELS BROKE THE FEEDER.

BOOTS BARKED THIS MORNING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A WEEK. LAST MONDAY WE STARTED OUT IN PETE'S TRUCK TO JUMP START A TRACTOR, AND AS USUAL BOOTS WAS TRYING TO GNAW THE TIRES OFF THE TRUCK. WELL IT FINALLY CAUGHT HIM AND I RAN OVER HIS HEAD. NOT A PRETTY SIGHT. TOOK HIM TO THE VET, LOST HIS RIGHT EYE, AND STITCHES IN HIS HEAD, BUT JAW SEEMS OK, LOST A MOLAR AND A HALF AND A LOT OF FACE FUR. ANTIBIOTICS AND PAIN PILLS. BY WEDNESDAY A LOT OF BLOOD IN HIS DRINKING WATER, WHEN OUTSIDE HIS INCISION BEGAN TO DRAIN. HE WAS PAWING HIS FACE SO ON WENT THE LAMPSHADE ON HIS HEAD. HE DIDN'T APPRECIATE THAT. POOR GUY HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIND COMFORATABLE SPOTS. SAT NIGHT I PUT HOT COMPRESSES ON THE WOUND, AND IT'S ONLY ABOUT HALF THE DRAINAGE THIS MORNING.

THE SUN IS SHINING THIS MORNING, WHAT A DELIGHTFUL CHANGE. IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER TODAY WAIT UNTIL TOMMORROW. WEDNESDAY WE HAD TWO CALVES SHOW UP, ONE WAS BEING MOTHERED, THE OTHER WAS LAYING BY HIMSELF. MOST OF THE COWS WERE AT THE FEED BAGS BECAUSE WE JUST OPENED THEM SOME MORE, AND WE ASSUMED MOM WAS OVER EATING. SHE MOVED AROUND THE WOODS TNE NEXT DAY BUT NEVER SAW A MOM. YESTERDAY MORNING PETE BROUGHT HER IN AND SHE SUCKED DOWN MOST OF A BOTTLE. BECAUSE IT WAS RAINING, SNOWING AND WIND BLOWING LIKE CRAZY,WE PUT HER IN THE OLD PICKUP CAB. LAST NIGHT I GAVE HER A SHOT OF ANITBIOTICS BUT SHE ONLY TOOK ABOUT 1/4 OF A BOTTLE. HAVE TO SEE IF SHE SURVIVED THE NIGHT. SHE PROBABALLY WON'T MAKE IT. I NEED TO LEARN IF THERE IS NO MOM I NEED TO TAKE THE CALF. IF MOM WON'T TAKE CARE OF HER CALF, SHE NEEDS TO GO TO MARKET.

WEDNESDAY MORNING ALL OF THE CALVES (75) EXCEPT 15 HEFFERS WENT TO ZUMBROTA TO FIND THEIR NEXT HOME. ON MONDAY 4 COWS WENT TO EQUITY TO FIND A NEW HOME. AT LEAST TWO MORE SHOULD HAVE GONE, BUT THEY HAD AN ATTITUDE PROBLEM. THERE WILL BE A NEXT TIME!
BOOTS SAYS ITS EMBARRASSING AND DIFFICULT TO EAT WEARING THIS LAMP SHADE. BUT HE'S BARKING AND STRETCHING AND GROANING AND GETTING MORE LIKE HIS NORMAL GOOFY SELF.

WORKED ON THE NORTH HOUSE, PRETTY MUCH GOT THE FURNACE AND WIRING DONE, BURNED ON THE WOOD PILE, BROKE A HOSE ON THE LOADER, MADE BIG RUTS IN THE MUD, TRIMMED SOME BRANCHES ETC.

MOM AND POP DOWNEY WOODPECKERS.

GOT THE TURBO ON THE 1130 AND ITS HAULING THE MANURE SPREADER. AFTER IT BURNED THE OLD OIL FROM EVERYTHING, IT SEEMS TO HAVE NICE CLEAN EXHAUST. PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON IS NO MORE! NEED TO TAKE THE NEW TURBO FROM THE OLD 1105 AND PUT IT ON THE 1105 WITH THE CAB. THAT ONE IS SMOKING AND GETTING WORSE. PETE CLEANED THE FEED YARD AND PUT THE MANURE BY THE HAY SHED. IF IT WARMS UP THIS WEEK WE CAN GET IT SPREAD AND MAYBE GIVE THE 1130 A BATH WHEN WE CLEAN THE SPREADER. THEN WE CAN GET IT DRESSED AND READY FOR SUMMER.

THURSDAY WENT TO A GOOD MEETING ABOUT UTILIZING THE LOWER CHIPPEWA RIVER VALLEY WITHOUT DESTROYING IT. IT WAS AT THE UW EAU CLAIRE CAMPUS WITH FOLKS FROM THE UNIVERSITY, THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, ROUND HILL, TROUT UNLIMITED, CHIPPEWA VALLEY VISITORS BUREAU, AND OTHERS. NICE PRODUCTIVE BRAIN STORM MEETING. SEE THE WALL MURAL OF THE LOWER CHIPPEWA RIVER AND LAKE PEPIN.

april 6, 2008

ACTUALLY THIS IS SATURDAY, BUT I WON'T FINISH THIS TILL TOMORROW SO WE'LL CALL IT THE 6TH. DIDN'T GET FAR, THIS IS MONDAY MORNING. I GUESS I'M REALLY GETTING BAD. HARD TO REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST FEW DAYS. WE GOT JOHNNY ALL FIXED, EXCEPT THE ALTERNATOR DOESN'T CHARGE. IT WORKS, BUT DOESN'T CHARGE. PUT THE NEW TURBO ON THE 1130 MASSEY AND GOT IT RUNNING, IT NEEDS A GOOD BATH AND PUT ITS CLOTHES (SHEET METAL) ON. GOT STARTER AND MUFFLER ON THE SPARE LAWNMOWER (I HATE WORKING ON LAWN MOWERS). SATURDAY PETE AND KEN FOUND A YOUNG DEER THAT HAD BEEN HIT, BACK LEGS BROKE, CALLED THE SHERIFF TO SHOOT IT, (CITIZENS GO TO JAIL FOR SHOOTING WILDLIFE, PEOPLE ARE OK) AND GREG CAME OVER TO BUTCHER IT ON THE CHEVY TAILGATE. PETE TOOK THE QUARTERS, BACKSTRAPS AND TENDERLOINS. I GOT THE HEART, BOOTS GOT A BAG FULL OF MISC TRIMMINGS AND GREG TOOK THE INNARDS, CARCASS, HIDE, ETC HOME FOR HIS WILD BOAR HOGS. THAT TOOK AN HOUR OR SO, WE FED CALVES AND WENT TO THE NORTHERN WISCONSIN VACATION HOME AND STARTED THE WOOD PILE ON FIRE. CUT UP A LOT OF THE WHITE OAK TO GO IN PETE'S FURNACE, BUT SOME OF IT WAS TOO BIG FOR HIM. NEED TO BUILD THE WOOD SPLITTER.
SUNDAY I WENT TO MENOMONIE, WISCONSIN SHOPPING, IT WAS PRETTY CHEAP AND QUICK, BECAUSE PAT IS DOWN SOUTH. GOT A FEW PICTURES ON SUNDAY. WHO SAYS SQUIRRLS CAN'T FLY. THESE RED ONES CAN SURE JUMP WELL. THE WOOD-PECKER WAS POSING, BUT I WAS NEVER FAST ENOUGH TO GET PICTURES.

MONDAY, TODAY, WE SORTED HEIFFERS TO KEEP, COWS TO SHIP, AND TRY TO COUNT CALVES TO SHIP ON WED AM. THINGS WILL BE QUIETER ON THURSDAY.

APRIL 2, 2008

MISSED A COUPLE OF DAYS. MONDAY IT SNOWED ALL DAY. WE ONLY THOUGHT THE PRETTY WHITE STUFF WAS OVER. IT BLIZZERED ALL DAY AND NIGHT TO ABOUT 4 OR 5 INCHES. NICE! ST.PAUL GOT ABOUT 12. MUST OF BEEN A MESS FOR THEM. THE GROUND WAS BEGINNING TO GET SO YOUR SHOE DIDN'T SINK IN, BUT WE'RE IN THE MUD SEASON AGAIN. FREEZES AT NIGHT THAWS DURING THE DAY. GREAT FOR GETTING THE SNOW INTO THE GROUND AS WATER, BUT EVERYONE GETS TO ENJOY THE MUD. SOME PLACES IT'S 10 TO 12 INCHES DEEP. GOOD NEWS IS THAT PETE CLEANED THE 6 TO 8 INCHES OF COW **** OUT OF THE FEED LOT AFTER IT THAWED OUT. YOU HATE IT WHEN IT COMES OVER THE TOP OF YOUR BOOTS. IT WASHES OUT BUT IS COLD AND WET UNTIL THEN.

MONDAY THIS POOR HOMELESS WOODPECKER HAD TO SLEEP UNDER THE BRIDGE ALL DAY. WE SHOULD BRING THIS DEPLORABLE SITUATION UP TO THE DEMOCRATS AND MAYBE THEY COULD PROPOSE SOME NEW PROGRAMS TO USE IN PENNSYLVANIA DURING THE NEXT FEW WEEKS.

SUNDAY THE SILO UNLOADER QUIT. CALVES HAD TO EAT HAY FOR TWO DAYS, POOR THINGS. WE HAD POWER TO THE MOTOR BUT NO NOISE SO TUESDAY PETE LET THE 5HP MOTOR (89 LBS) DOWN THE CHUTE (40 FEET) SO WE COULD CHANGE IT. SOMEHOW WE MUST ALWAYS WORK ON THE UNLOADER WHEN THE SILO IS FULL. PUT THE MOTOR IN THE SHOP, OPENED IT UP, DIDN'T STINK, THATS A GOOD SIGN, FOUND CORRODED CONNECTIONS. CHECKED PRICE OF NEW MOTOR FROM DISTRIBUTOR $485. GLAD TO HAVE FIXED THE OLD ONE. ONLY PROBLEM IS TO GET THE BEAST BACK TO THE TOP OF THE SILO. THAT IS A TWO PEOPLE JOB. WITH PETE IN THE TOP OF THE SILO, A ROPE ON THE MOTOR, AND ME UNDERNEATH IT, WE'LL PULL AND PUSH IT BACK UP THE CHUTE. A NASTY JOB. SOMEHOW WE ALWAYS HAVE TO DO IT WHEN THE SILO IS FULL!!

OUR RESIDENT RED SQUIRRL HAS ADOPTED THE FEEDER FOR HIS DINNER TABLE. PAT OPENS THE WINDOW, (2 FEET AWAY) DOESN'T BOTHER HIM AT ALL. HE JUST IGNORES HER. NEXT SHE GETS THE PELLET GUN AND WITH ACTIONS REMINISCENT OF JOHN WAYNE PROCEEDS TO BLAZE AWAY AT POOR RED. THIS ACTION SENDS POOR RED SCURRYING UP THE TREE.

PAT IS LEAVING ME THIS MORNING, HEADING SOUTH FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG. I WILL BE LOSING MY EDITOR, SO THE SPELLING MAY GET ATROCIOUS IN THE FUTURE. MAYBE I CAN SHOW HER HOW TO REMOTELY ACCESS THEM TO KEEP IT READABLE.

MARCH 30, 2008

IT'S BEEN A FEW DAYS. NO TIME. THURSDAY WE PULLED THE LOGS UP THE HILL THAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE A YEAR AGO, AND RAN SILAGE, AND PAINTED PARTS, AND I FORGOT THE REST. THE LOG PILE OUTSIDE THE COMPUTER WINDOW HAS BECOME A WONDERLAND FOR OUR RESIDENT SQUIRRELS PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK, AND MAYBE OTHER THINGS.

FRIDAY WE FED EVERYONE AND WERE PAINTING PARTS WHEN PETE WENT TO LUNCH. HE CAME BACK AND SAID HE PUT SHEP IN THE HOUSE BECAUSE BOOTS HAD HIM PINNED DOWN BY THE NECK AT THE BACK DOOR. WENT TO CHECK IT OUT, LOT OF BLOOD ON BOTH DOGS. CHECKED SHEP (15 YEAR OLD BUDDY) FIRST, HAD A HARD TIME WASHING THE BLOOD FROM THE HAIR AROUND HIS NECK, BUT COULDN'T FIND ANY LEAKS. NEXT WE TOOK ON BOOTS. HE WAS THE BLOODIEST ONE. A BIG GASH UNDER HIS RIGHT EYE, ABOUT AN INCH LONG AND DEEP. APPARENTLY THE OLD GUY CAN HOLD HIS OWN IF HE NEEDS TO. IT WAS A DISPUTE OVER A CALF CARCASS THAT WAS ABORTED ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO. THE YARD IS ALWAYS DECORATED BY BOOTS WITH UNUSUAL ITEMS. WELL BOOTS GOT THE SHORT END OF THIS FRACUS, BUT HE REALLY NEEDED A COUPLE OF STITCHES TO PREVENT AN UGLY SCAR. CALLED THE VET, ALL THE DOCS WERE OUT, BUT THEY WOULD CALL WHEN BJ WOULD BE BACK. WE GOT TO THE CLINIC , BOOTS IS BLOODY BUT STILL ON HIGH ALERT, BJ GAVE HIM A SHOT TO SLOW HIM DOWN A BIT WHICH TOOK A WHILE TO WORK. IF WE SEDATED HIM WE WOULD HAVE TO LEAVE HIM OVER NIGHT. BOOTS HAS NEVER BEEN IN A CAGE, I WORRIED ABOUT HIS REACTION WAKING UP IN ONE AND TRYING TO BE ON HIGH ALERT, WHICH IS HIS NORMAL MODE. SO WE DECIDED TO MUZZLE HIM AND USE A LOCAL PAIN KILLER. AS I HELD BOOTS, BJ STITCHED FIRST THE MUSCLE AND THEN THE SKIN. PUT THE HOUND BACK ON THE FLOOR AND HE WALKED LIKE A DRUNKEN SOLDIER. HE HEADED RIGHT FOR THE DOOR - HE WAS READY TO BE OUT OF THAT PLACE. AT THE VAN, HE SUCCESSFULLY NAVAGATED THE FRONT HALF THROUGH THE DOOR, BUT NEEDED A SLIGHT LIFT FOR THE REAR. TOOK HIM HOME, SETTLED THE TWO DOGS (NEITHER WAS VERY SPRY) AND WENT TO EAU CLARE SHOPPING. PICKED UP THE REBUILT TURBO FOR THE 1130 MASSEY, FOOD, SHELVING TO FURTHER ORGANIZE THE REAR UPSTAIRS ROOM, AND EXPANSION FOLDERS SO PAT CAN SORT MY DATA PILES AND RECLAIM THE TABLE. THIS IS A CONSTANT BATTLE THAT SHE SEEMS TO BE WINNING. HAD SUPPER (BROILED SEA SCALLOPS) , PUT BOOTS IN THE ENTRY WAY FOR THE NIGHT (HE NORMALLY STAYS OUT AND PROWLS ALL NIGHT) AND WENT TO BED.

SATURDAY MORNING BOOTERS COULD NOT STAND UP. WITH PAIN HE COULD SIT, HE TRIED TO GET UP, BUT IT WAS TOO PAINFUL. BACK TO THE VET FOR A PAIN PILL, QUARTERED IT, AND AFTER FOUR NICE CHUNKS OF HAM (HE COULD SWALLOW THOSE) WE HAD THE PILL ON THE INSIDE. LATER HE FINALLY STOOD UP AND WENT OUTSIDE. 18 HOURS OF LAYING DOWN, FIRST OBJECT HE FOUND, OH WHAT A RELIEF IT IS. HE STRUGGLED AROUND THE YARD A WHILE, LAID IN THE SUN A WHILE UNTIL I WENT TO COAX HIM UP. AS WE WERE GOING PAST THE FRONT OF PATS VAN, THERE WAS A BIRD IN THE WHEEL WELL SITTING ON THE TIRE. ZING, OFF HE WENT CHASING THE BIRD, WE MUST BE ON THE MEND.

PAT AND I TOOK A WALK TO THE MAIN POND IN THE AFTERNOON AND WATCHED THE DUCKS TAKE OFF AND LAND. THERE WERE ABOUT FIFTY OF THEM. UP THE VALLEY THERE WAS A SMALL HERD OF DEER GRAZING. COULDN'T GET A PICTURE.

WE FINISHED THE PARTS AND LEFT BOOTS OUT ALL NIGHT. HE'S BACK TO HIS NIGHT TIME PATROLS.