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My goodness is it already Tuesday? My ranch house kitchen is filled with the smell of beef rump roast. I made fresh bread this morning anticipating the arrival of the men for lunch. I have been painting all morning in between cooking. My painting is of a long horned cow with a pretty little light colored calf. I am enjoying putting the finishing touches on the cactus in the foreground. I am working on shape using a wide variety from simple to weird. I am using light and half tone colors to achieve space and volume. I am working to be better than I am, not someone else. My prayer is for The Lord to help me paint with greatness.
Deep resounding voices of the men can be heard as they file into the mud room to wash before lunch. This is my first warning they are in to eat. Joking [ … ]
On Tuesday, we weaned calves. The ‘nearly weeklong’ process is for seven month old calves and takes time to prepare so as to lessen the impact on these fully grown calves and their good mama cows. The weaning is necessary so the mama can maintain a strong, healthy body for the upcoming winter season. These cows are pregnant now and will have another calf come spring.’To begin, the calves are trained at a early age to come to the feed truck with their mamas. They are rewarded with cake, cubes of cottonseed, pressed together with sweet molasses. These daily lessons prepare the calves to feed themselves and not depend on their mama’s milk. The men spend time getting the fences ready to hold cattle before the weaning.
The day starts like any other day on the ranch, but ends up with the cows separated from their calves in the pastures around [ … ]