Just a Saturday

First of all, Paul had a question about yesterday's post. And I quote:

"In one video, there are cows on both sides of the fence; are all the cattle yours and are they separated because the acreage will only support so many head? Inquiring minds and all that."

It's a good question. Here's the video in question (no need to watch the whole thing if you've seen it before).

Here's my video response, which is largely crap because it doesn't answer or explain very well. I shoulda wrote a script or at least practiced.

So here's a written explanation which might make things more clear. The pasture the cows are in now is rather "L" shaped, and within that pasture once upon a time some trees were planted around the perimeter of a "pasture within a pasture." I don't know why but I'm glad it was done as the trees make for great shelter for cattle, especially in the winter and during calving. That pasture within a pasture was fenced off to keep cattle from damaging the trees while they were getting established, and also to provide for some level of rotational grazing. All of this was done way back when I was sailing the briny. Here's a picture taken from a satellite image. As a slight aside, the image was taken in 2012 during a drought.

Red is the outer perimeter, yellow is the fence added to make a pasture within a pasture and protect new tree plantings.

The fence in the video Paul was asking about is where the very top left-to-right yellow line is. The fence is in disrepair as it just isn't a priority. Having that pasture within a pasture is a want rather than a need. So what looked like a fence separating groups of cattle was a non-maintained fence which the cattle just happened to be on both sides of.

Here are a couple closer views of the fence (or its location) in question. The red circle is the stock tank which also appears in the three subsequent pictures.

Does that make sense?

Here's a video featuring the same stock tank and some cows giddy over a fresh salt delivery.

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When I was finished checking cattle and doing other daily chores this morning I had to head on over to the Cheyenne VA for to get my blood drawn. There was some discussion regarding phlebotomy and lab waits over at Sarge's place the other day. Which I believe was yesterday as I write this on Saturday evening.

In light of said discussion, let me just say that the phlebotomists -- we called 'em lab techs in my day sonny! -- at the Cheyenne VA have always been superb in my experience, and I don't think I've ever waited more than 4-5 minutes to be punctured, even on a very busy day. And if it's routine labs you're having done, you can go in on Saturday and expect both competent phlebotomy and exactly zero waiting.

But it's the VA, so there's always a catch! Which I'll get to by and by.

The 60 mile drive over was quite interesting. It was warm and sunny and the roads were dry and clear. There was a stiff northwest breeze blowing and to my eye the trucks were occasionally having a hard time tracking true in their Interstate-80 lanes when the gusts got heavy. Therefore it paid a good driver, IMO, to pay attention and pass with caution. However, as is often the case, the bad drivers were heavily over-represented in the automobiles.

Be that as it may, I arrived safe and sound. I was surprised to find some serious parking lot construction going on though, and it was tricky to figure out how to get into the place, and even into the main building. But tricky is just a challenge. As was navigating the dimly lighted ghost-town Saturday corridors, some of which were blocked off by interior construction. I accepted those delightful challenges and found my way both in and out. I a big boy now.

Two guys working, two supervising. What the hell?

That's better. One guy running an idiot spoon while five guys supervise. I was about to get cross. No idea what the concrete crew thought they were doing.

Having finished my task, I was ready to head for home. But I decided to video a cornerstone of my partly-crippled fitness routine. I try to do 15 push-ups every time I get in or out of my pickup. I don't do it every time, but I generally get in 300+ on a daily basis, 15 at a time. It's not much of a challenge, but it does over-inflate the biceps, which the pretty girls enjoy. And they also seem to enjoy watching the actual push-ups, so I'm careful where I park. I like to provide the service for all those pretty girls desperately seeking proof that real men still exist, but I'd hate to cause a riot a' la "Hard Day's Night." So I try to be considerate.

When I got back to the ranch it was far too blowy for me to be able to convince myself to get stuck in to outdoor physical labor, so I took pictures and videos which will hopefully help me illustrate tomorrow's post.

No doubt about it, it was a great day. Even if it was blowy.

Be well and enjoy the blessings of liberty.