Branded Cows and Amish Doughnuts

This last weekend, Zach and I went down to the farm to work cows. Jake, Amber, and kidlets came along as well. We packed up clothes, mud boots, and our laundry and headed on down. I love how Jeanie encourages me to bring down laundry each time as I need. It was rug washing time and I will not spend $1.75 on washing three rugs and then another $1 to dry them unless I can catch a sunny day. While the wash was going we watched "The Long, Long Trailor." A classic with Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez. Zach and I got about 30 minutes into it and then we just had to go to bed since we were falling asleep. On the way to bed we asked when we were supposed to be ready to get out to the cows and calves. The answer was "out at 6 am". 6 AM!! I thought we were going to get to sleep in. Apparently this was a little miscommunication between my husband and I. I was so bummed and all of a sudden way more tired than 10:30 pm had felt only a minute ago. So we set the alarm for 5:15 AM and crashed.

Early in the morning, we grabbed some bacon and eggs and headed on out. It really was a beautiful sunny morning, once I opened my eyes more. The calves running across the field were so cute awkwardly running along after their mothers. There is a bucket calf in the shed and he is so adorable!!! I was told to park the truck at the top of the hill on the road to tell peoples coming that they just couldn't get through due to whatever we farmer peoples were doing -- calves today. Once they chased them out of one field, across the road and to the other new pasture, I was free to move...once I could get the cold truck restarted that is.

Good morning cows!!! Come on...ya gotta get a movin'!

Jeanie, Jake, and Zach setting up the corral for the calves...the one we

didn't use cause they ran off.

Amber getting the girls' hair all put up for the day. Teddy bear ears or pigtails?

Isaiah wasn't too happy to be in the van alone, so I just had to do my auntly duty and visit.

Cutie pie!

We set up the corral for the punching, Pour-On, and branding and then set out to gather the cows and calves in the other pasture. We all headed out there and tried a couple of times to head them up, but rebels "44" and "47" had other ideas. They ended up running into the one weak corner we were trying to avoid and plowed through the fence too easily for comfort. The next hour we were tracking and then gathering Angus through a couple of neighboring pastures. These were unfamiliar territory to everyone and the terrain included hills, gates, streams, low trees, high trees, and other things to give it variety. Thankfully, it was a very nice day for being outside. I even rolled my sleeves up and worked on my summer tan. Unfortunately, it will take quite a few times like this to get a good tan started.

We were able to get all of them moved to one corner and into the neighbors corral. He was actually there turkey hunting and was so kind to even let us use the corral for all we needed to do that day so we didn't have to move cattle in the trailor twice as much. We were so very tired and hot from all the chasing and climbing. The cows were even breathing heavily and slobbering with their tongues hanging out of their mouths. I didn't feel sorry for them one bit. Well, I did have pity for the smallest two calves who were just following their moms. One even got run over in one of the earlier stampedes in the first pasture. He is okay though.

Here Jake and Zach are putting fly tags in a cow.

Bar S Double Bar

After lunch, we split the girls and baby Isaiah and then the guys up. The guys headed out to punch, pour, and brand the cows. The branding is new this year and they were anxious for and against it. The brand is pretty cool though. We got to see the last one branded when we got back. It is the registered Saylor Farm brand! Bar S Double Bar in wordage. I did feel a little sorry for the cows who looked pathetic in the gate with their head on the ground and their butt roast in the air. A couple of cows got away and we had to chase them back, but it eventually got done.

That easy going smile from my hard-working man.

We girls went to visit an Amish store that has fresh grains, spices, and dairies for way cheap and then a Dent and Bent store. We struck it rich cause we got there on the day that they make homemade doughnuts!! Yummm!!! We grabbed a couple dozen for everyone and headed back . We took the road through the Amish farms and homes. Interesting peoples, really! Also at one of the stores, we saw the most beautiful geraniums! It was all pinky and red in different spots at once!! Lovely! Jeanie ended up getting one for the house to hang.

After we got home, I showered and was given kid setting duty. I didn't mind. Then someone remembered the two calves that didn't follow their moms into the new pasture earlier that morning. So they headed out to chase those two. We finally were all ready to go at about 7 pm. Zach was anxious for the race that had started at 6 and I was anxious for the surprise that had been promised to me earlier. Turns out that the surprise was cheesecake to go from the Cheesecake Factory. Thanks my darlin'!!! I got a Dulce De Leche and I got him the Tres Leche. Umm, so good!! We also ordered a Taco Pizza since we were getting home so late with nothing defrosted and so much to do still when we got home.

We were so very tired, but we got a lot done and I beat Zach to bed. That doesn't happen to very much often since he got sick earlier this year. He is still recovering and I wonder when he will have his energy back 100%. Well, that was another taste of where our lives could be heading. It is kinda intimidating especially the getting up at 5 AM and needing to be flexible since you can't make cows and the weather submit to your perfect plans. (Though I could definitely get used to trips to that Amish store.)

We are still waiting to see when and how we are moving. Anywhere from Septemeber to January. We will see. In the mean time we are so thankful for what the Lord has allowed and given us currently and are loving our church!!! Who had ever thought...farming? Oy vey!

Early Mornings and Allergy Medicines

So life may change by the end of the year sometime to include some very early mornings and a visit to the doctor to get some major allergy meds prescribed. Zach and I are still in constant prayer and waiting for the Lord to continue to show the next step, but we will most likely be moving down to the farm sometime by the end of the year. New factors develop each week and seem to be leading us further toward Orient, IA.

As of the time being, a job seems to be coming into works for me mostly with some hours for Zach and would cover both of us for insurance. He is waiting to hear from another job to work for the rest of the hours that would be a well paying job though not officially full time, but it would all work out very well for us to have insurance and be able to be flexible to work the farm as well.

It is still mindboggling to me as farming was one of the three professions that I was scared of marrying into, the other two being military and politics. Well, I married a farmer (at least for the next 5 years) who loves politics. Oh, well. I really don't mind a lot of the work aspects of farming, but more so the whole lifestyle and mindset change. You have to live by the livestock and land schedule. Mornings become very early, an 8-4 schedule becomes a mostly regular hours with quite a few tweaks here and there, life has to be very flexible. I don't mind working hard, but it is all so very new to me. Zach on the other hand will feel quite at home and isn't too worried about that stuff at all.

The positives that I see and that I can daydream about are
- that we would be renting a house and eventually working to build our own on the farm somewhere. A house... not an apartment.
- we will be in the country finally
- I am trying to get some chickens for farm fresh eggs and maybe a dog too
- I will get to work with Zach in a job that we will be both so very involved in and that he has a passion for
- real sunsets and sunrises and clear starry nights
- not having to drive 6 hours a month down to the farm to work on it cause we would be living down there and more would get done

We both are not anxious at all to leave Cambridge Church though. We have been at this church for 6 1/2 years and love it and the people very dearly. We have had so many opportunities to gain trust and ministries and relationships. We feel so very comfortable and at home there and yet have so much to be able to do there. We would be going to Creston Church and Zach knows just about everyone there and I know or at are familiar with a third of the families. It is a good church and the people are good people. It just will be a big adjustment.

I was hoping that I wouldn't be at Faith in maintenance for years. It isn't a bad job, but I have been here for almost 7 years working off and on and fulltime for the last 2 years. I am very ready to get away and start something new. At the same time, we really don't wanna leave our friends and our young married's class or seeing Zach's brother and wife and our little nieces and nephews every week. It is part of life to move on and it is an adventure, but oh, so hard when you have come to love somewhere and people so very much. Plus, there is a lot to have to strongly lean on the Lord for and our puny human selves want to do all ourselves and in our own power. The more we go along I am reminded "What human power?".

Please pray for us as we work toward this transition for wisdom and provision and God's leading and timing as we still don't have a moving date quite yet.