Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[flowerbug]

...
Oh, yeah.......we have a new postmaster and she's a witch. Change that first letter to a b if you want. 😉

it's sad when a great job gets ruined by a new boss.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Haven't posted much because there's just not much to post about.

DH had a b'day recently. I took him to a nice seafood restaurant on the water. He wanted fried oysters and a cold tap beer so he got fried oysters and a cold tap beer. I also picked up a metal insulated coffee mug because he has dropped several ceramic mugs lately. His hands are not to be relied upon. I have to be good to him because he's just so good to me. He understands my bad days, my angry days, my want to stay in bed and cry all day days. He's the kindest person I've ever known. 😍

Hay is a precious commodity here - like so many other places. I'm glad I got quite a bit this spring. If I dole it out by hand instead of letting them have it free choice I think I can make it through winter if need be. My hay guy was hoping for a cutting in July - that didn't happen. Now he's hoping for a cutting in October. If so I'll pick up some insurance bales.

Daughter in law and I went fishing Monday. We tried a new spot that's just a couple miles from here. We had a great day and we must've caught at least 30 fish between us. We catch and release unless we get a trophy. We have yet to land a trophy fish so all the fish got to return back to the pond from whence they came.

If it ever cools off - and if we get the boat fixed we'll get back to salt water fishing this fall. I've offered to pay for the boat repairs. I mean why not share what I've got with my child now instead of making him wait until I'm dead?

Need rain!

 

[murphysranch]

Yes, a loving keeper!

 

[baymule]

Treasure that wonderful man and I know you do!
Hay! I thought I was getting plenty, got 26 round bales. But they are eating a bale every 7-8 days. I quit giving the horse a bale, now put bale in shed and give it to her by the wagon loads. She eats every bite. No more drag it off the bale, step and poop on it.

I hope your hay guy gets an October cutting!

Fishing sounds like so much fun. I love to go crabbing. I’m gonna have to find a partner in crime and go!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Yes, a loving keeper!

Treasure that wonderful man and I know you do!

He can drive me crazy faster than anyone I know! It's ok. I'm sure I might make him a tiny bit crazy occasionally too.

 

[farmerjan]

Hay should be doled out if there is a question as to having enough... Years ago, before round balers were popular, normal sq bales were used and animals ate what they were given and didn't waste... In the interest of time saving, we feed round bales and there is alot of waste... Just for example, a mature cow should eat 25-40 lbs hay a day... if you put a round bale in front of cows, one cow will usually eat one (900-1,000 lbs) in 20 days.. so that is 50 lbs a day... there is alot of waste...
With the hay we store outside, there is weathering on the outside and they will waste that... but they pull it out and next thing it is muddy or manure on it or something.
Free feeding is not free... for anyone that is not tied to a very tight time schedule, where a roll at a time is the only way to go... a roll should be set on the flat side under cover... and the amount of hay unwound that can be consumed in an hour or less... 2-3 times a day... more work but much more savings. Sheep and goats also ruminate although not as long as cattle I don't think... and horses don't ruminate and are more "constant graziers" so need more frequent feeding.... but cattle ruminate for approx 12-18 hours total a day.... they are NOT actively consuming hay during the ruminating times...

I used to feed my few cows no more than 1 sq bale per animal per day... split in 2 feedings... our bales were in the 50 lb range M/L.... sq bales cost more so I was careful way back when I first started out... with my horse she got several flakes in several spots twice a day... so cows got fed the same way... weather and temps will affect how much as well as nursing or not...
Now we try to roll out hay for the beef cows many places... 1 roll per 25 head of mature cows... and good hay they will clean up and practically lick the ground... and most will have calves on them and this gives everyone a chance to eat at the same time and there is no pushing or shoving or "hogging " the roll of hay... which results in more waste overall....

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Hay should be doled out if there is a question as to having enough...

Absolutely! (but I hate it, lol) It is a royal pia to peel it off and put it in racks - but that's just the way it is right now. As Jan mentioned - it cuts the waste to nearly zero. I'm hand-feeding it twice a day. I wish they could go at it all day long because they are dry-lotted and they WANT to eat all day. But, conditions dictate what and how things need to be done right now.
Back into triple digits today but hopefully this is the last of it. A front is on the move in our direction. We've got a 60% chance of rain starting tonight and going into tomorrow. Just in time. I've been watering the concrete slab foundation of my house. Hopefully I got it in time and we won't have any cracks. One of my doors wasn't closing properly and after watering it is almost back to normal now.

I started a couple more worm buckets after losing my first bucket o' worms to ants. Grrrrrr! My bad - I took 'em outside because there were some gnats swarming the bucket. When I went out to get them and bring them back in ants were swarming them. Ants have been horrible since it's been so dry. Not just at my house - but friends that I've spoken to spread over several counties are having the same ant problems.

I neeeeeed to fish so I neeeeeed worms. I get outside in nature and can meditate or not meditate, think or not think, remember or not remember, cry or not cry. It has become 'church' to me. Found a place close to home. I can get fancy and take lots of different lures, poles and equipment or just grab my little Zebco pole and some worms. I can spend 5 hours or just one and be happy. Just catching little blue gill mostly, but I'm ok with it.

My neighbor is expanding my puddle pond. Hope to get it to about an eighth of an acre - or close. When that happens I'll be fishing for some of those little blue gill to toss into my own pond.

 

[baymule]

He can drive me crazy faster than anyone I know! It's ok. I'm sure I might make him a tiny bit crazy occasionally too.

Ya’think?

 

[The Porch]

Absolutely! (but I hate it, lol) It is a royal pia to peel it off and put it in racks - but that's just the way it is right now. As Jan mentioned - it cuts the waste to nearly zero. I'm hand-feeding it twice a day. I wish they could go at it all day long because they are dry-lotted and they WANT to eat all day. But, conditions dictate what and how things need to be done right now.
Back into triple digits today but hopefully this is the last of it. A front is on the move in our direction. We've got a 60% chance of rain starting tonight and going into tomorrow. Just in time. I've been watering the concrete slab foundation of my house. Hopefully I got it in time and we won't have any cracks. One of my doors wasn't closing properly and after watering it is almost back to normal now.

I started a couple more worm buckets after losing my first bucket o' worms to ants. Grrrrrr! My bad - I took 'em outside because there were some gnats swarming the bucket. When I went out to get them and bring them back in ants were swarming them. Ants have been horrible since it's been so dry. Not just at my house - but friends that I've spoken to spread over several counties are having the same ant problems.

I neeeeeed to fish so I neeeeeed worms. I get outside in nature and can meditate or not meditate, think or not think, remember or not remember, cry or not cry. It has become 'church' to me. Found a place close to home. I can get fancy and take lots of different lures, poles and equipment or just grab my little Zebco pole and some worms. I can spend 5 hours or just one and be happy. Just catching little blue gill mostly, but I'm ok with it.

My neighbor is expanding my puddle pond. Hope to get it to about an eighth of an acre - or close. When that happens I'll be fishing for some of those little blue gill to toss into my own pond.

Yep,,, I love my forest time

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Fishing this morning and Texans football this afternoon. I'll take it! Be even better if the Texans win.