Pocket Photos in the Pasture

I like this idea of Pocket Photos. Not pictures of pockets, but just whip the phone out and take photos. These were taken in the pasture yesterday and today. IMG_1014Can you tell what that one is? Look below to see it from the other direction.IMG_1013  That web stands out with the sun behind it. Sometimes these are face-height and you really don't want to walk into that.mowing with tractor Yesterday afternoon I mowed three paddocks that the sheep had grazed. I will irrigate tomorrow and I hope that by mowing the  tall dallisgrass stalks that are left after I move the sheep it will give more opportunity for the annual grasses to start growing. The recent rain started some germination but I think that this last irrigation should bring up more.Dan fixing tractor At one point the mower stopped working. Fortunately Dan had just got home. He doesn't usually work on the tractor in teacher clothes--it's pretty hard to stay clean around tractors and barns.IMG_1060 Speaking of barns, see that cement? That used to be a wall that created a doorway in the ram pen. This small area with cement walls is the "whiskey barn" because we were told that whiskey was stored here during Prohibition. The only reinforcement in these cement walls seems to be a few strands of barbed wire running through them. No rebar. I don't know if the rams pushed this by rubbing or if one of them hit it when he was fighting.IMG_1073 The rams are feisty. This ewe is obviously in heat because she hung around the outside of the ram pen all day. This is the second day in a row that the rams have broken the electric wire that runs around the inside of their pen. That coincides with the second day that the ewes have been directly across the fence here. Tonight I moved the rams to a more secure location. We have to get through a couple more days without mishap. On Friday one of them will go to Lambtown for the sheep show and the other is sold and will be picked up this weekend. After Lambtown the remaining ram and a new one (as soon as I can get him) will be put with the ewes.  

This afternoons's job was to weed-eat the ditches in preparation for irrigating tomorrow. Not only will the water flow better for more effective irrigation but we are working hard with the Mosquito Abatement District to minimize mosquito propagation. That means getting the water off the fields and out of the ditches as quickly as possible once irrigation is finished.  We recently bought a trash pump to help with that as well.IMG_1075 This is the ditch at the north end of the pasture after weed-eating the north side of it (looking east).IMG_1080 This is after I cleaned up the south side of that ditch (looking west).  IMG_1085This ditch is at the south end of the property before  (looking east)...IMG_1084...and after (looking west). I used 3 tanks of gas and had to add more string to the weed-eater to get through this. IMG_1083The sheep don't mind me working while they graze.

Stalking Butterflies

I took my camera with me to change the pasture fence this morning. I shouldn't do that if I have things to do. I get distracted by things like dew drops and butterflies and flowers.DSC_6970 I didn't realize how many different butterflies are here because I usually pay more attention to warm-blooded creatures. DSC_7022DSC_6976 I thought I'd google "butterflies of Solano County" so that I could identify these. There are dozens on the list (without photos) so I guess I'll just enjoy them without names.DSC_6985 DSC_6995 I also didn't know how hard it is to sneak up on a butterfly before it flits away. How do they know?DSC_7009 It's easier to take photos of flowers.DSC_7005   Have you seen the rare Wool Flower? It occurs only in fields where sheep have grazed.DSC_7010 

DSC_7003 DSC_7028The sheep were not amused while I was in the pasture and they were not. That's Athena on the left and Phyllis on the right pawing at the gate.

An August Morning

(Note: I don't know why the photos imported smaller and the spaces between text and photos are so large. I don't think I did anything different than usual. Sometimes this computer stuff drives me crazy.) I have plenty to do but when I take my camera with me life slows down.Sheep behind barn

View behind the barn in the morning.

cattle egrets in tree

Cattle egrets roosting at the edge of the pasture.white tailed kite, adult and juvenile

White-tailed kites in the tree at the other edge of the pasture. I've been hearing a lot of squawking out of them the last few days. The one on the left with the brown feathers is a juvenile...."Dad, pulleeze let me have the keys."

Views from the pasture.

Sheep going to pastureSheep going to pasture14082 lamb

This is the ewe lamb born last at the State Fair.DSC_6787

BFL cross ewes.

hay truck

Hay truck whizzing by. Won't you stop here?trefoil

One of my favorite flowers because it is so good in the pasture. Birds foot trefoil.butterfly

dew on grass

bug on grass

cyclists

DSC_6821

mockingbird

Mockingbird behind the barn.

rust on tin

Phyllis

Phyllis is the oldest sheep here.

 

Sheep Portraits

The sheep bed down around the barn at night and this morning took their time about moving to the pasture.Sheep going to pastureHere are some sheep who posed for portraits (and, for those of you who care, some ancestry info).829 Moon 5-year old Moon (bide a wee Yuri x Hillside Luna's Harvest)Matrix x Jazz Yearling, Sophia  (Kenleigh's Matrix x Meridian Jazz)13068 Cascade Yearling, Cascade (Meridian Miller x Meridian Sierra)13077 Mae Yearling, Mae (Meridian Miller x Meridian Mary). She must have been looking in the mirror when she wrote the number on her tag?14027 5-month old BFL cross who I am keeping. No name yet. (Faulkner x Dazzle)Miller x Vicki 5-month old lamb who may stay here. (Meridian Miller x Meridian Vicki)Hendrix x Alison  5-month old lamb who I want to keep (Meridian Hendrix x Meridian Alison) JimmySomeone is hiding behind the dallisgrass.Jimmy (1)  It's the wether, Jimmy...who I may just rename to Jake, because I tend to call all wethers Jake.OnyxThis is two year old Onyx, a BFL cross. 14079 This is one of the newest members of the flock. (Meridian Miller x Meridian Donna.) Six lambs were born in July at the State Fair.14080 This is her brother.lilac ram This is a gorgeous lilac ram lamb (Meridian Alex x Meridian Phyllis), just what I've been waiting for....except those horns on his right are growing together and his horn set will be horribly asymmetrical. He won't be registrable.DSC_6609 Out to the pasture. "Mom!"DSC_6612"MOM !!!"DSC_6668  

Vacation Interlude - Back to Work

I'm on Day 4 of describing our wonderful vacation to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone last week, but I will insert a post of what I am doing now that I'm back home.IMG_0106 This is the north fence of the pasture. This is AFTER grazing. The sheep don't venture in this far once the combination of dallisgrass and blackberries grow so thick. Access is hampered since there is an irrigation ditch just in front of this mess (the left part of the photo). IMG_0107 There is a fence under there. IMG_0109 This was yesterday morning's achievement. Sheep eating blackberries I dumped the branches in the corral and the sheep were happy to work on defoliation when it was easier.IMG_0130However I'm not happy that the branches  get stuck in their wool.IMG_0129IMG_0128IMG_0114 This morning's task was to finish the  job.IMG_0126    IMG_0132IMG_0111There are plenty of these still on what is left and they will be easier to get to. With my luck though they will all ripen just about the time that I go to Texas for the birth of my granddaughter. By the way, you'd think that I'd come up with another solution to this problem. See this post from just over a year ago. Maybe some strategic fencing to hold some sheep right at that fence line.

Stay tuned for our adventures in Yellowstone!