Thoughts from the Middle of Nowhere

This really caught my eye the other day. The blue sky, billowing clouds and green grass really gave an idyllic scene. Taken 4/24/2007.

I know posting has been lacking here of late but I have been fairly busy and not had much time to post. I finally got all the cattle where I wanted them this week and got some farming done.

I finished the renovating Saturday, covered almost 800 acres in 4 days, and am now working on the field I want to plant. Should finish getting seed in the ground, 120 acres, by Wednesday at the latest. I have hated putting some of the cow work on the back burner to finish this farming but long term, the farming is just as important and needs done. Hell, if the cattle want something other than a snowball to eat next winter it's vital to get done.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but I have hired a new guy to work here and he should be coming in later in the week to start. It's so hard telling if a guy is worth it but what am I to do? I need a hand so I hired him. He has a large number of kids and the bunkhouse is a little small for the family but he says that it is just fine with him. Normally in a situation like this with a wife and kids, its the wife that doesn't like it out here and they leave because of that in the long run. We will see.

As soon as I get the farming done I have to get ready to brand all the calves I turned out. Not a lot of work to do but I will stay very busy. I won't say I am behind this spring but I am just on the edge of slipping behind on my work. Going like mad I am able stay on top but the extra hands will sure help start pulling it ahead around here.

One last thought, why is it that when some people are behind on their work, all they can do is stand around and complain how they are behind instead of trying to fix the problem? If they would just get busy and do something maybe they would catch up. I know its not easy to do, but a little initiative goes a long way to getting things done instead of whining about the problems all the time. I just can't figure people sometimes.

Never complain and never explain. Benjamin Disraeli

Now that the weather has warmed up the horses are really shedding their winter hair. This was just from one side of the horse I was riding. I'm sure they are glad to be combed out. Taken 4/14/2007.

I see that South Korea is maybe, I repeat maybe, modifying their official/unofficial US beef Blockade that they have been preaching for the past few months. They have finally accepted a load of US Beef. It's a start but I am not getting my hopes up on one small load of beef. It will take significant movement of US beef into South Korea for me to think that they have dropped their official/unofficial US beef Blockade. It's a start though I guess.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Confucius

The Montana Constitution requires a 90 day Legislative session every two years. The only purpose given in the Constitution for the Session is to draft a balanced budget that will run the State for the next two years. You know what, the children couldn't handle this simple little thing required of them from the Constitution.

The Democrats blame the Republicans and the Republicans blame the Democrats. It depends on which side of the aisle you stand on to decide who's to blame. I'm sure there is enough blame to spread over both sides but the Republicans are coming out looking the most scarred by the fray. This might not have been the case if Lange wouldn't have had his "YouTube" moment but that is water under the bridge and the Republicans are in trouble over this situation.

Looking beyond the parties, who is being hurt the most by the children feuding like they are? The citizens of Montana. No budget and now looking at having to foot the bill for a special session. If the session is called within the next 7 days the startup costs will be significantly less than if the Governor waits longer but he seems to not be sure when to call them back.

The whole thought of having to do this all again is sickening. Watching the children fight over how to divvy up the projected $1 billion dollar surplus is really getting old. Both sides need to give a little to come to a solution but with both sides standing on their high horse that isn't going to happen and the citizens of Montana are going to continue to suffer.

It will be interesting to see how all the feuding affects the 2008 elections. Even Republican supporters are questioning whether they want to support the party in 2008 so we will just have to wait and see.

Children are in a very precarious position when they enter into relationships with adults because their personhood is not acknowledged in our society. Kate Millett

Cows and calves lolling around a rock formation after getting kicked out to the hills. They are really scattering out and looking good. I didn't have as many calves as I would have liked, the dry year last year and the late snow storm really knocked my numbers. That's the breaks, means more replacement heifers to keep this fall. Taken 4/18/2007.

A little more information on the drought Down Under.

Cattle feed in crisis

AUSTRALIA could be importing food for cattle within weeks, as the crisis in the country's rural sector worsens, breaking more and more farmers' hearts.
Agriculture Minister Peter McGauran said yesterday the "real problem" facing beef and dairy farmers across the country was the unprecedented lack of stock feed.

Unless there is substantial rainfall this weekend and over the next couple of weeks, Australia will have to look to our neighbours for help.

"The twin problems here with the fodder is it's increasingly scarce and at this rate will be totally unavailable, and secondly it's expensive – beyond the reach of most of livestock producers," Mr McGauran said.

It's getting really tough for the farmers and ranchers in Australia. Working the land is always tough but when Mother Nature doesn't cooperate it is heart breaking. My thoughts and prayers go out to these people. I would send them some rain if I could but I never know if I will have enough and it's not possible anyway.

I think we are bound to, and by, nature. We may want to deny this connection and try to believe we control the external world, but every time there's a snowstorm or drought, we know our fate is tied to the world around us. Alice Hoffman

The children are out of control this time. Mainly one individual who used an obscenity laden tirade yesterday in the Republican party caucus. The only reason I say children is that there was quite a bit of applause from those present over his words. I guess something better to say would be the Republican children are out of control.

Now I don't know everything that went on in the meeting between Gov. Brian Schweitzer and House Majority Leader Michael Lange and it doesn't matter. This kind of name calling and obscenity is not necessary in our Legislature and in our State. I made a call for civility and no name calling many moons ago and I stand by it. Michael Lange was in the wrong, period, no questions asked. The Governor response to all of this was great. As much as I don't like the man, he took the high road calling Lange "a perfect gentleman." After his tirade I wouldn't have been as generous but that's the sign of a good politician.

Common courtesy and decency are obviously a dying commodity. What I can't figure out is how the party of "family values" thinks such profanity and vitriol upholds their party standards? They think such profanity is the example they want to set to school children across the state? How hypocritical.

One needs to know what the hierarchy of values are from which one takes inspiration, and in a democratic society this is the subject of continuous democratic debate. Rocco Buttiglione

Gathering cows in the fog to work them out to the hills. I don't see fog around here very often so it's not something I normally deal with. Taken 4/24/2007.

On Monday we got over an inch of rain. Last year I would have given anything for moisture, so far this spring I am getting more than enough. I rode across my plowed field that I want to seed to grass and my horse was sinking in about a foot and there was water standing in the field. You never see water standing in a plowed field around here. When I will get the seeding done is beyond me.

I've about got the cows straightened out finally. All the cows with calves hopefully will be in the hills after today and everything without a calf, at this point I call them all drys but it is not true, will be in a separate pasture gaining weight so I can sell them. Some of the "drys" will still calve yet and make the cut to stay on the place but it is nice to get them sorted out. Between the dry year last year and the late snow storm I have more critters in the "dry" pasture than I would like. That means fewer calves to sell come fall especially since I will have to keep more replacement heifers to try to build my herd up.

If it isn't one thing it is another. Damn the luck.

Most of us regard good luck as our right, and bad luck as a betrayal of that right. William Feather

The yearlings waiting for me to open a gate so they could go to the hills. Taken 4/14/2007.

Craig asks a very good question about gas prices. Why that the Democrats are now in control are we not hearing any noise about the high gas prices like we did before the elections? I see that there is no answer to his question, some comment about gas prices but no answer to why the Democrats aren't fixing the problem like they promised.

What I find even more interesting is the fact that the high gas price hasn't changed Americans behavior.

As gas prices once again inch toward $3 a gallon, U.S. motorists are reacting with everything from indifference to outrage. But on the whole, they don't appear to be driving any less.

In fact, despite a 10-week run-up in pump prices, Americans continue using more gasoline this year than they did in 2006, according to a Department of Energy report last week.

Overall we are using more gas. Are Americans immune to under $3 gas now or is the economy just that strong that nobody cares? I know I care but I think most people are immune. I do everything I can to cut gas usage and I have done it. I don't know who is using my share of gas but they can have it.

It is interesting that there is no more noise about gas prices then there is now. Without the politicians egging on the masses about the situation, it doesn't make news.

It's interesting that when economic times were the hardest, that's when many people embraced liberalism. Oliver Stone

The cows enjoying being out in the hills and away from the feed ground. The calf appears to be enjoying his supper. Taken 4/18/2007.

Boy, things are going slow around here. As far behind as I am getting they should be going fast, but they're not. I'm not really complaining though. What's slowing me down is rain and more rain and more rain. It keeps it to wet to do most of the work I need to do right now. It wouldn't take me to long to get caught up if there would just be a break. These showers that hit every third day allow me to get some things done but keep it to wet for others.

The biggest hold up now is a little farming. I need to get the renovating done and I really wanted to plant one field down to a grass/alfalfa stand. It's been way to wet to do the farming though. If the seed was in the ground all the moisture would be great but with the seed still in the shed it isn't doing me much good.

On the hired hand front, I offered the job to a guy and I think he is inclined to take it. I am a little worried that his family might be a little large for the bunkhouse but he says that they are fine with it. In a way I am taking the first guy that is showing an inclination to want to work here but what do I do? With unemployment in the state at 2%, workers have more than enough jobs around so you have to take what you can find. This guy on paper looks more than qualified but how it works out in real life waits to be seen. I'm hoping for the best.

I keep meaning to take some pictures and I haven't yet but I now have 5 bum calves running around. The damnedest thing is happening this year and I have no explanation. Perfectly healthy, young cows in good flesh have a calf, take care of it and everything appears to be all right. Then a few days down the road the calf is starving to death. He nurses the cow fine but she doesn't appear to have any milk, or enough milk, and the calf is starving to death right on the cow. Not all 5 calves are from this but too many, that's for sure. I've considered bringing the cow home and trying to feed her up to produce more milk but have decided against it. If she can't produce enough milk for a calf to survive on, I don't want her genes on the place and she needs to go down the road. She's not fit, so she don't need to survive. Sounds cruel but it will help the cow herd in the long run.

Yesterday in Ed's City Lights column he had a real good statement that I wanted to preserve for prosperity.

When we flew into Miami, the whole city was still soaking wet from a storm a day earlier that dumped up to 2 inches of rain on parts of town.

It turns out that the storm stopped just minutes before Florida authorities announced the imposition of severe new water restrictions in the face of a continuing drought and the prospect of rampant wildfires this summer.

And I saw in USA Today's state-by-state roundup that Montana's Drought Advisory Committee had to cancel its meeting last week because of heavy rains.

It's like talking about global warming during a blizzard. Shortsighted skeptics love those coincidences.

I wish I had Ed's way with words. I've heard people questioning global warming during cold snaps or our recent blizzard and have never been able to figure out what to sat about them. Shortsighted skeptics, I love it.

Well, time to see what I can do in the rain today. One hundred percent chance of rain all day long so it will be too wet to farm. Maybe in a couple more days. We will see.

I'm a slow walker, but I never walk back. Abraham Lincoln