When it’s spring in Iowa, that could mean a lot of different things.
In the spring comes storms, and we had a rain storm literally blow in last night. Even though we didn’t get much rain (maybe a half inch?), we did get a lot of wind. It was a straight wind that can wreck anything pretty fast. So when I went out to do chores this morning I knew the one shed looked different, but just couldn’t catch what it was right away. Then I noticed the one door wasn’t shut and THEN I noticed where the one door was. Not good! The door is still like that tonight, and it sounds like we’ll have to take it off for the summer. We usually use these doors in the winter to keep it warmer in this shed, so it shouldn’t be a problem if it’s not up.
This is not supposed to look like this!
With spring rains, also comes worms. There can be quite a few of them coming out of the ground and if it gets warm in the afternoon when they are out – I think you can smell them. Now maybe it’s just in my head that they can stink, but in either case the only one that’s enjoying these worms coming out of the ground – are the soon to be very fat robins.
Earth worms came out this morning after the rains
OK, now I went to feed the cattle and everyone came out but No Ears. She usually is just right in there with the rest of them, but she wasn’t anywhere in sight. So when I went to look for her in the one shed with the bad door, there she was and there was someone with her. It was a NEW CALF! I was so excited, and when I called Daryl at his work,he wasn’t available so I had to leave a message. I didn’t say that we had a new calf – but just to call me back immediately when he gets the message. OK, I guess I could have left a little bit more descriptive message – but I wanted to surprise him on the calf. I guess my message was a little bit too panicky, because when he called me back he didn’t know what was going on and thought for sure that something very bad happened. So the calf is all white and very, very cute. He’s a bull calf and his name is Stormy. (get it? stormy weather last night…) Anyway, we put him in the barn because he wasn’t nursing from No Ears his mother, and in a pen, we were able to help get him started. I’m not saying that Rion isn’t the top cow in the yard, but I am saying that I really think Stormy is pretty cute!
No Ears and her new calf - Stormy
I found out that with just a half inch of rain, my new rain barrel can overflow. So I dumped out almost two thirds of it today, and tomorrow I’ll have to add another hose just in case it gets too full again. But when I was outside messing with the barrel, I noticed the peacocks. They also knew that it was Spring. The males chased around the poor female most of the day, and by the looks of it – she wasn’t interested.
Who to choose? A male on both sides of our female peacock
I cleaned out some closets that have been long overdue. These closest are in our laundry room, and for some reason, I must have thought that you should have tons of blankets, beach towels, pillows, and sleeping bags. And it didn’t matter that some of them were old. One of the beach towels, Daryl and I got when we were on our honeymoon and we’ll be married 29 years this year! Most of what I found in these closets are either going to Good Will or they are ashes in my fire barrel as I’m typing this.
To end the night, Daryl and I are going to check on Stormy one more time to see if he’s been nursing or not. I’ll have to take a better picture of him tomorrow. I think I was just too excited when I took his picture today 🙂