sheep, cattle and presents...............

It's been a big week....I've been writing this post for several weeks in my head so I decided to jam it all into one post instead of 3.......Last Sunday (week ago) we tagged all the lambs......

I hate this thing below............my hands need to be a bit bigger and it would be better......it's a bit fiddly putting the tags in the lambs ears.....some go easy others harder........it identifies our sheep to our neighbours if they get mixed up but also is a requirement by law to sell sheep............

see it in the ear here............. 

the sun thru the dust............the yards were terribly dusty

we push them into a long race to do the work on them............ 

 hey Cardygirl I have my work boots on..............

 

A couple of days at town work then into the cattle yards...............

Mustering first.............I get distracted by beautiful flowering trees............even when it is this dry......amazing........

some parts are nice and open and others are timbered and "wild" let alone keeping an eye on the cattle you're supposed to be mustering

trying to find a track thru can be interesting..............

some logs you can ride the bike over but not this one......

one day turned into 3.5 days and we got lots done...........these big boys (steers) were going to a feedlot..........trying to clear out numbers as cattle feed is running out fast............
We pregnancy tested all the cull heifers (girls) too and I tried to grab a pic but the vet was too fast and my camera was having issues..........
Thursday was an awful day in the yards it was SOOOOOOO windy I didn't need sunscreen I was covered in so much dust..........the shower that night was heavenly..........

some crops look like this (below - not our crop)...........with the big frost the previous week before last what little green there was got burnt with the frost and the last week we are 25-28degC so now the heat is affecting it............so pleased we didn't put much in...........some people will be having huge losses.............feed is running out rapidly.........we are just managing on 2 properties but it is a massive worry coming into summer with no feed and limited water..............WE NEED RAIN...........soaking rain but also a few quick inches to run some into dams and fill them for summer.............we have not been this low going into summer for many years........quite a worry............and all the optimisim around town is going negative very fast............

the other day while taking some cattle back to a paddock Fairy Girl was on the bike with me and spotted something on a bush......we called past it on the way back and quickly took a detour as it is a bee swam...........we got in the car and drove back over to it as it was close to the road and snapped some pics up close...........amazing to watch them (safe in the car)..............it was pretty much flat on the other side..........I tried to take a pic but you can't really see it.........

these girls were the last go be returned to their paddock and these will be kept to breed from...........this is where looks do matter...........all the blacks were culled and the herefords who didn't have the "right look" or were too small went into a cull mob and they should go in the next week hopefully............these girls will be meeting some new bulls this week...........

Fairy Girl taking the girls back to the paddock.........
it was nice and cloudy keeping it cool..........

in the blur that was called August I had a birthday..........The secret sewing sisters sent me this bunch of goodness............French Generals and reproductions..........thanks heaps girls.........I have a plan for the FG fabrics and the others will be added to the civil war repro box and included in the quilts I am working on there............it certainly brightened my day............

Little Chicken and family found this for me for my birthday...........he'll live in the chookshed............

and last but certainly not least Friends in Stitching online group have a birthday swap and Teresa sent to me..............how lucky am I........(pics by Teresa) I just love the gifts........
"Friends make each day a new beginning filled with wonder an joy"

Teresa made the chook and card too.........isn't she talented.......
Now to get Mr Chooky to put some hooks up so i can hang some of my wall hangings........thanks for the gifts............

ok better go........
Hope you had a great weekend.............I did managed to get one and a bit days at home..........wash, cook, do some cleaning try and regroup............Mr Chooky mowed for me so that makes things look better..........when the lawns are done I do feel good.....mind you if it doesn't rain soon they may be dying off with lack of water............if it doesn't rain I won't be able to use the dam water on the lawn............it will be to just keep the plants alive.......and water stock...........

Catch you later..........
Chookyblue............

PS once again it's taken days to get this finished to post and I have also got to see the elusive Miss Kate from Show and Tell  she'e been busy cooking for a big market this weekend.............goodluck Kate...........here she is below with her new range of goodies....."Pickled on Peisley"
every jar is a different variety...........
we got to have lunch together............it was delicious too..........

PSS the swap is about to close so be fast...............