GREAT FOR GROWING HAY

It seems like I'm always starting out this blog with an observation about the weather, and here I go again ... Man Alive! Is it ever hot out there! My ancestors came from the cool, lofty heights of the Scottish Highlands and I'm just not made for temperatures above the low twenties. Neither can my white skin tolerate the blasting UV rays that a day like today throws at it. Hence, I'm hiding out in my house and finding something - anything - to do that keeps me out of the heat and sun. I can see how badly my garden needs weeding from here, but I'm afraid it's on its own until the shade stretches across the lawn at about 7:30, and by that time the mosquitoes will be out for blood.

The rain that I talked about last time and the sun we've had since have completely turned around the hay picture in our area. It's not likely that we'll get the full tonnage we got last year, but we're pleasantly surprised at how much the crop recovered from the cold, dry, slow start it had. The pastures are looking lush and green; the cattle, sleek and content. We have split the herd into three parts this summer - the older cows are up on 21 and have recently been joined by the older Angus bull. The two year old Hereford bull is out with the 2nd and 3rd time calvers across from the house, and I think tomorrow's project is to sort out which of the heifers we are keeping as replacement cows and putting them out to pasture with our young Shorthorn bull on the east side of the home quarter. All the bulls should have been out by now, but Glen has been too busy in the oilfield to be able to get the farming done too. From time to time he comes up with the idea that "we" need to cut back somehow, but besides talking about it, he isn't really committed to the idea. I keep telling him that if he drops dead from overwork, that he's not going to be happy with what I spend all his money on. So far that threat hasn't managed to change anything.

There is an annual family camping weekend coming up that Glen had said he was going to make it to this year, but I can already see the writing on the wall - the guy we get to cut our hay has been at it for two days now, so guess what Glen is going to be doing for every waking minute for the next three weeks? I'm just going to sit back and see when this fact is going to occur to him. I've got a kind of secret bet with myself about which day I'll be told the old "I can't go, but you go and have a good time" line I've been given every year since we got the cows. It will be either Tuesday or Wednesday next week, just you wait and see.

The main focus of this summer is going to be the wedding, anyway. Not much time for any holidays, I'm afraid, as I intend to go to great lengths to keep ahead of the grass and garden situation. We are also very excited about Wayne, Jacqui and family being here for a whole month. We keep in contact with them with web cam conversations, but it will be so much fun to see the kids in person. I've taken two weeks holidays during that time, but am starting to wonder if I should see about taking more. Guess I'll re-assess a little closer to the date.

Besides, I might want to hang on to a few holidays for a winter trip to somewhere in the sun - which seems to be a little crazy when I've just told you how I feel about gardening in the sun. Let's just say that sitting in the shade of a cabana and sipping some kind of fruity rum drink is something I can tolerate in one week doses.