Cattle in yard, day 4

Today was the last day for the cattle in the front yard.  The grass is mostly eaten down.  The taller pieces left were from tall stemy grass and the cattle aren't too keen on eating all of them all the way to the ground.  Instead some of the cattle are looking at other things to eat.  Beulah tried to reach the caragana bushes but after last year I wised up to her.  This year I added chicken wire over the fence wire so she could not get her tongue through the wire to reach the bushes.

Number 7 was the problem cow today. She is usually the bad girl of the herd.  I caught her eating lilac leaves after she pushed the field fence down and got into the patio area.   Then later I heard a loud crack.  Number 7 again!  This time she reached through some boards to reach the grass in the hayfield.  She cracked to almost breaking one board - even though I had earlier pounded a metal t-post on the other side of the long board to help support the boards.  She also pushed the t-post back.

I spent the evening in the back yard splitting a few logs so that I could keep and eye and ear on the cattle.  Later I saw number 7 on her front knees so she could reach the hayfield grass through a log fence in the back of the yard.  She didn't break any of the logs.

Tomorrow I will open up my front gate and take down the protection for the trees, flowers and shrubs.


This evening when riding my bicycle to get the last of the miles in for the month of May, I saw an animal in the middle of the south bound lane of the road near Donna's pasture gate.  I thought it was her cat.  Then I saw a larger animal move to the side of the road.  A small object remained in the center of the lane.  I thought it was some small animal her cat was playing with.

Wait a minute.... it is black and white.   It was a baby skunk and its mother.  Oh boy.    The mother raised her tail as I approached but she remaining facing me.  Apparently she didn't want to take her eyes off - or spray - her baby.  I was able to get away before the mother could turn around to spray me.  Mother and baby then ran into Donna's front yard.   The baby was very cute.