We've had two beautiful days in a row his week. That might not mean much to some readers, but here in Saskatchewan, in April, it's pretty special. Late this afternoon it clouded over and we've had the odd sprinkle since then. As most farmers have been gearing up for seeding, this weather is not all that welcome. I don't think anyone would turn down a really good soaking rain, but drizzle will just hold up seeding and not contribute real moisture at all.

Anyone watching the news is probably wondering why I would be talking about needing rain. The areas hit by the flooding are hundreds of miles to the north. Here, in the southeast, we could use a rain, and out west they are desperate for it. This province is a very big place.

This past week we've been cross fencing the pasture on 21, cutting it into four pieces so we'll be able to control where the cows graze, and for how long. With just one fence around the whole thing, they can go where they please which means they don't graze it to its full potential. They have their favourite plants to eat, and favourite places to spend the hot summer afternoons. A lot of the nutrition value of the pasture is left, or trampled, in their daily trecks. Once this fence is done, they will have to graze one quarter of it at a time. The literature that we've read on this intensive pasturing method says that the vegetation also responds to the heavier grazing by becoming more vigorous. Of course, we'll have to keep watch on the land and the cattle and switch the pastures when necessary.

We have Jesse's friend, Jenn, a fellow Ag student, staying with us for the summer while she's working in town at the Coop. She may be from the city, but she dives right in when it comes to doing farm chores. On Sunday Jenn, Glen, Mitchell, and I spent the day fencing ... and collecting woodticks. There's nothing like a warm, spring day to bring them out of the woodwork. It only takes one of those nasty little bugs to show up, and pretty soon every little tickle you feel (and imagine) is another one. Glen was out fencing by himself today and said he hit one stretch of fenceline that just seemed to be crawling with them. This evening, having gone out to check cattle with him tonight, and sitting on the seat where Sam, the dog, sat I can't shake the feeling that I, too, have been infested with creepy crawlies. I think that this calls for a shower.

Yucky as woodticks are though, Glen says there is something worse. It is just ridiculous that a grown man can be so freaked out by a tiny little garter snake, but he really can't handle them. I don't want them anywhere near my house, and I'm not too crazy about being surprised by one, but I'm not afraid of them! The reason Glen took Sam with him today was for snake patrol - I wonder if Sam realized that? He probably thought he was on some kind of holiday or adventure on land he'd never explored before. Glen said it didn't matter - he didn't see one snake all day, and that's what counted.

Calving season is going along nicely - we now have 30 calves with another 22 to go. The really unusual thing this year is that the ratio of heifers to bulls is so lop-sided. There are only six bulls out there! Glen says he's going to blame Global Warming - he has no basis, of course, it's just a really good conversation starter.