Hmm... 2 pm. I should do something today. The weather forecasters were wrong - instead of High pressure building and sunnier skies, it was cloudier than yesterday. Breezy too. At least the wind wasn't blowing off the mountains like the other days.
I fertilized the front lawn. Something easy and quick.
I had found a heifer in the feeder again today. The feeder's ends are 6 inches lower than the sides so I got some boards and nailed them to the feeder's ends to raise their height equal to the sides. Apparently the heifers thought the lower ends were the entrance and exits to the feeder.
The heifers are getting more accustomed to me. Even when I pounded the nails they ate at the feeder. Even though I hadn't added hay this time they followed me to the feeder then started eating as I nailed. A few heifers took the opportunity when my back was turned to sniff my shirt.
I am feeding them bread each day. Two heifers now take the bread from my hand. One had the knack of eating right from my hand; the other takes the bread then steps back, drops it to the ground, then eats it. Others will sniff the bread and my hand but haven't figured out how to use their tongue and lips to get the bread. Their attitude is changing as now they come to the fence when they see me approach or follow me in the corral. Still they get antsy when I walk close towards them.
Now what? Burning the pasture probably was out for today. I seen Bob's roofer was done and gone so I went over and put back into his garage the couple unused bundles of shingles. Then I checked my pocket gopher traps and caught two more.
I dug around more tree stump roots. This time in the south pasture as there are only a few left there. One stump I completely got out of the ground. No, it wasn't a big deal. I am not sure it was a 'real' root as it was an odd shape. It was more like laying in the ground than coming out of the ground. My previous two burning attempts last year got rid of much of it. I just didn't realize that with a little digging it would come out of the ground. Well, good. One less to burn this year.
I thought I only had four (now three because of the one I removed) stumps left to finish burning in the south pasture but over the past year I found two more stumps. They were like icebergs - their tops barely sticking above the ground; mainly hidden by the tall grass of summer. With my shovel I uncovered their true size. It is not good enough to have the stumps at ground level. If I want to rake or do something that disturbs the top several inches of soil I don't want to snag a stump.
Then on to the middle pasture by the river where I had burnt stumps the previous years. I will keep at them until they are gone; then move on to other stumps in the middle pasture at a later time.
I don't know how many stumps I dug around. I lost count. I do know each stump was less work than yesterday's stump as many were partially dug the previous year.
I saw a beaver or muskrat go into the river when it saw me. It swam downstream not far from the shore as the current is moving right along with the higher water.
On the walk back home I covered with dirt a number of prairie dog holes. Maybe they'll get the hint they are not wanted here. One prairie dog hole was at the top of a big bump (or small hill). The bump was large enough I couldn't drive over it with my pickup without fear of getting hung up. I dug down and lowered the bump's height by half. The prairie dog will be surprised when he comes out.
After supper I decided I hadn't enough physical exercise for the day
and rode my bicycle to town to get the weekly paper with the grocery ads. The wind was dying down and the clouds were holding the temperature steady. I took the long way around and rode 14 miles total.As I arrived home a hoot owl was in a tree by the house and was "talking" to another owl in the middle pasture. It was dusk and I couldn't see the owl before he flew away.
So, not as busy a day as yesterday. Tomorrow?
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