Slow

Boy, things are going slow around here. As far behind as I am getting they should be going fast, but they're not. I'm not really complaining though. What's slowing me down is rain and more rain and more rain. It keeps it to wet to do most of the work I need to do right now. It wouldn't take me to long to get caught up if there would just be a break. These showers that hit every third day allow me to get some things done but keep it to wet for others. <br />n<br />nThe biggest hold up now is a little farming. I need to get the renovating done and I really wanted to plant one field down to a grass/alfalfa stand. It's been way to wet to do the farming though. If the seed was in the ground all the moisture would be great but with the seed still in the shed it isn't doing me much good.<br />n<br />nOn the hired hand front, I offered the job to a guy and I think he is inclined to take it. I am a little worried that his family might be a little large for the bunkhouse but he says that they are fine with it. In a way I am taking the first guy that is showing an inclination to want to work here but what do I do? With <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/04/21/news/state/72-unemployment.txt">unemployment in the state at 2%</a>, workers have more than enough jobs around so you have to take what you can find. This guy on paper looks more than qualified but how it works out in real life waits to be seen. I'm hoping for the best.<br />n<br />nI keep meaning to take some pictures and I haven't yet but I now have 5 bum calves running around. The damnedest thing is happening this year and I have no explanation. Perfectly healthy, young cows in good flesh have a calf, take care of it and everything appears to be all right. Then a few days down the road the calf is starving to death. He nurses the cow fine but she doesn't appear to have any milk, or enough milk, and the calf is starving to death right on the cow. Not all 5 calves are from this but too many, that's for sure. I've considered bringing the cow home and trying to feed her up to produce more milk but have decided against it. If she can't produce enough milk for a calf to survive on, I don't want her genes on the place and she needs to go down the road. She's not fit, so she don't need to survive. Sounds cruel but it will help the cow herd in the long run.<br />n<br />nYesterday in <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2007/04/22/news/local/35-lights.txt">Ed's City Lights column</a> he had a real good statement that I wanted to preserve for prosperity.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>When we flew into Miami, the whole city was still soaking wet from a storm a day earlier that dumped up to 2 inches of rain on parts of town.<br />n<br />nIt turns out that the storm stopped just minutes before Florida authorities announced the imposition of severe new water restrictions in the face of a continuing drought and the prospect of rampant wildfires this summer.<br />n<br />nAnd I saw in USA Today's state-by-state roundup that Montana's Drought Advisory Committee had to cancel its meeting last week because of heavy rains.<br />n<br />nIt's like talking about global warming during a blizzard. Shortsighted skeptics love those coincidences.</blockquote><br />n<br />nI wish I had Ed's way with words. I've heard people questioning global warming during cold snaps or our recent blizzard and have never been able to figure out what to sat about them. Shortsighted skeptics, I love it. <br />n<br />nWell, time to see what I can do in the rain today. One hundred percent chance of rain all day long so it will be too wet to farm. Maybe in a couple more days. We will see.<br />n<br />n<strong>I'm a slow walker, but I never walk back. Abraham Lincoln</strong>