Happy New Year! It is hard to believe all that has happened in the last year.
It's been a while since I have been able to post. Since the previous post, I have started a "real" job - at the Southwest Dairy Museum here in Sulphur Springs. It is actually a little ironic that I am employed there, as I do not drink milk or eat ice cream - lactose sensitive. The museum is a tribute to the dairy industry, which was and is a large part of the economy of this area. The dairy industry is not an area with which I have ever had any experience. It will be a learning experience in my attempt to be an asset to the organization and the industry through the job.
I am having to learn how to make use of daylight after work to get cows checked, counted, and fed before dark. When my spouse is out of town, I need to get out to check cows, count all, look for new babies, and feed - all before it gets too dark. I normally leave work at 5 p.m. and immediately head out to our place. See - the cows are black and most of the calves are black with white faces. Can you see it? Trying to count black cows and calves and it is quickly getting dark? Yep - hard to see them all and get an accurate count after dark!!!
The other part of this equation is feeding. I try to get a good count of the cows and calves first, then work at getting hay to them. The tractor does have lights so I can at least feed after it gets dark. Now remember that I said I leave work and immediately head out to the place. I don't have time to go home and change clothes as it would be too close to dark to see clearly. Soooo - yep - I have gone out in my "work" clothes to check and feed. One time I was in a dress, tights and boots, climbed up on the tractor, drove it to the hay, picked up the bale, drove to the pasture, climbed out to open the gate, climbed back up, drove into the pasture, climbed back down to close the gate, and dropped the round bale. THEN I had to climb down to cut the twine, and reverse the procedure. Interesting to say the least and I must say I was glad it was dark so no one could see me jumping up and down. Someone could probably win $10,000 if they had a video camera to catch all the action! LOL!
One of the guys at work commented that a woman could not handle or understand about needing to feed livestock. One of the other ladies that works at the museum and has livestock made the following comment - "The difference between a woman and a man feeding is that we both can get the job done, but we women LOOK GOOD doing it!!!" That's my new mantra!
