Soapweed
Well-known member
My journal entry for Sunday, February 18, 1968
I woke up at 7:00 and had breakfast with Mom and Dad. Dad and I went out to a much nicer day than yesterday was. It got up to above 40 degrees, and there was little wind.
Dad caked what cattle we are still caking [in those days, we caked until we started to feed hay, and after that they only got hay. Now (in 2016) we cake every day even when they are getting hay], and I grained the calves. I finished my job ahead of Dad, so got the tractor and hooked on to the hay sled. I fed the bull bunches and while going into the heifer calves, one got by and into the bulls. I couldn't get her out, so fed the rest of the hay to the calves and Dad helped me get the obstinate heifer out later.
The cows and yearling heifers all had to drink out of one windmill in the Home Meadow. The last day or so has been plenty scarce on wind, so we had a water shortage. Dad went to the east end of the meadow where the heifers are, and chopped through the ice on the ditch. He hauled some refuse from the barn out so the heifers could go out on the ice without slipping. I saddled up Hawk Eye and shoved the cows out of the meadow, through a portion of the middle pasture, and over to the windmill in the horse pasture.
While rounding up the cows, Mr. Card came along. He inquired the directions over to Goose Lake, where he spent the morning fishing. Also, while getting the bunch together, I found a cow that had slunk her calf.
Dad shoved on some rough hay to give to the heavies. As I had three school books home and a lot of work to do in them, Dad told me to work on them until dinner time. I caught up on my diary but didn't get much school work done.
Mr. Card came back from Goose Lake at noon with the report of "no fish." I gave him a guided tour of the Green Valley until Mom and my sisters showed up, after having gone to church. Decklyn and Louese Nelson and their boys came out. We visited until a little after 1:00, when Mom called us to a real good dinner.
After dinner, Mr. Card and I headed down to Jim Gray's pond on the Niobrara to fish. I was going to take the pickup as far as Merriman so Mr. Card wouldn't have to make a trip back to our ranch with me later. He forgot to stop in town, so I followed him on down to the river. We went out to the first pond on the west side of the highway and drilled five holes, putting a pole over each hole. We caught 25 fish before 5:00, when I left.
When I got home, I brought in the heavies. I tied Hawk Eye to the fence and came in to supper. Nelsons left about 7:00.
Dad and I, with Sybil's help, went out to do chores. I rode the horse out after the bulls. Dad and Sybil put out the grain. We came in about 7:30, and I've been trying to do my diary and homework.
Sandra and Sybil made some malts.
I woke up at 7:00 and had breakfast with Mom and Dad. Dad and I went out to a much nicer day than yesterday was. It got up to above 40 degrees, and there was little wind.
Dad caked what cattle we are still caking [in those days, we caked until we started to feed hay, and after that they only got hay. Now (in 2016) we cake every day even when they are getting hay], and I grained the calves. I finished my job ahead of Dad, so got the tractor and hooked on to the hay sled. I fed the bull bunches and while going into the heifer calves, one got by and into the bulls. I couldn't get her out, so fed the rest of the hay to the calves and Dad helped me get the obstinate heifer out later.
The cows and yearling heifers all had to drink out of one windmill in the Home Meadow. The last day or so has been plenty scarce on wind, so we had a water shortage. Dad went to the east end of the meadow where the heifers are, and chopped through the ice on the ditch. He hauled some refuse from the barn out so the heifers could go out on the ice without slipping. I saddled up Hawk Eye and shoved the cows out of the meadow, through a portion of the middle pasture, and over to the windmill in the horse pasture.
While rounding up the cows, Mr. Card came along. He inquired the directions over to Goose Lake, where he spent the morning fishing. Also, while getting the bunch together, I found a cow that had slunk her calf.
Dad shoved on some rough hay to give to the heavies. As I had three school books home and a lot of work to do in them, Dad told me to work on them until dinner time. I caught up on my diary but didn't get much school work done.
Mr. Card came back from Goose Lake at noon with the report of "no fish." I gave him a guided tour of the Green Valley until Mom and my sisters showed up, after having gone to church. Decklyn and Louese Nelson and their boys came out. We visited until a little after 1:00, when Mom called us to a real good dinner.
After dinner, Mr. Card and I headed down to Jim Gray's pond on the Niobrara to fish. I was going to take the pickup as far as Merriman so Mr. Card wouldn't have to make a trip back to our ranch with me later. He forgot to stop in town, so I followed him on down to the river. We went out to the first pond on the west side of the highway and drilled five holes, putting a pole over each hole. We caught 25 fish before 5:00, when I left.
When I got home, I brought in the heavies. I tied Hawk Eye to the fence and came in to supper. Nelsons left about 7:00.
Dad and I, with Sybil's help, went out to do chores. I rode the horse out after the bulls. Dad and Sybil put out the grain. We came in about 7:30, and I've been trying to do my diary and homework.
Sandra and Sybil made some malts.