And, because this kid can relax anywhere, he took a few moments to create a rock lounge chair. |
As this busy spring season progresses I have a feeling we're going to stop, drop and roll each and every day.
The Rancher's Wife follows the life and times of a growing ranch family in east central Kansas. Always true, often sarcastic, sometimes humorous.
And, because this kid can relax anywhere, he took a few moments to create a rock lounge chair. |
During this parenting adventure I find that I am constantly either looking forward or backward, but not relishing in the moment nearly enough.
For instance, if I leave the house with all the kids now and feed them at 11:30, I have enough time to pick up parts, groceries and run to the bank and be home just in time for naps so I can run snap tests on cattle while the baby sleeps and then start supper during snack time. Perfect.
Or planning for the week: We can help work cattle these three days and skip naps, and then schedule me picking up feed on Thursday afternoon at 2. It's a 45 minute drive which will work perfectly for the kids to nap in the pickup.
Or, you can plan everything perfectly, lay exhausted kiddos down for a nap and then your husband decides to dry fire his implant gun in the house multiple times to test it and now everyone is awake and cranky. (I cannot even make this stuff up. That happened as I was typing the previous paragraph.)
As you can see, my life primarily revolves around working for my husband and then fitting the children in around the cattle and crops in our life.
***
I feel like this is how we operate in agriculture as well, always looking forward or backwards but rarely taking a moment to enjoy the now. The kids were helping me grocery shop last week and I grabbed a package of multiple cans of wasp and hornet spray to throw into our cart. Kenyon asked why I was grabbing that already as technically this is still winter. My answer to him? "It's about time to think about shipping calves."
From his perspective I was being absolutely ridiculous, but in middle-aged parent math I feel this timeline checks out.
It's about time to start calving, which means its then about time to turn cattle out on grass, then about time to burn, then about time to work calves, about time to bale and haul hay all day, then play baseball all evening, then about time to finish projects for the fair, then about time load trucks at all those pens with angry hornets and wasps.
Yes, sir. About three good blinks and it will be the end of summer. Then it'll be about time to chop sileage, wean calves, preg check cows, survive the dreaded holiday season and BOOM. It's 2025. I feel like I should say Happy New Year, but at this point I don't know if I'm dreadfully late for 2024 or incredibly early for 2025.
I often wonder how our children will recall their childhoods. Will they think back fondly on how they ran rather feral through pastures or will they remember chores and fixing fence?
Will weaning calves bring back smiles or mild cussing when they think of how filthy they were and how tiresome it was to roll out and set up pens to sort cattle time and again? Will they remember their mom cussing each time a momma cow came after them?
Will they remember the endless pasture picnics, the days their plates nearly blew away in the fierce winds? Will they wish they had eaten more meals around the table I built them in the house?
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that if you see our family in the flesh it is likely you will probably gather a slight whiff of branding iron smoke and our children will be covered in dirt.
I so enjoy these times. Everyone knows their place and what they need to do. There is minimal talk, save for the times I shout out ear tag numbers to John to make sure we are on the same page as he gathers ear notches for me to run BVD tests later.
We get to spread apart from one another and no one has to breathe my air, which is heavenly having come out of a pretty intense decade of raising tiny babies that often clung to me like spider monkeys.
The girls need reminded fairly often to quiet down. They have so much fun playing in boxes, climbing over old oxygen tanks and having sword fights with sorting sticks that they forget there is actual work to be done.
I can always count on John to make hilarious comments about no longer needing a bath when we both get sprayed with slobber from a rambunctious calf.
Kenyon is a solid worker and he always keeps the tub and alley way filled with calves. He loves to talk numbers when we finish and recount how many were bulls, steers, etc.
The husband runs his side of the chute and I run mine. We don't talk unless I ask him to pause so I can refill a vaccine gun. It seems like the wind is normally out of the totally wrong direction and the smoke from his branding iron fills my nostrils for several seconds with each calf. We never argue during this time. Processing calves is the one thing that we can do really well together and I always look forward to it.
We don't have time (or a desire) for things like Saturday college football games or weekends at sporting tournaments which I've seen many families on social media document. I'm glad they've found their niche in life. This is definitely ours.
This is a terrible attempt to photograph smoke in bright backlight. My apologies. |
Summer commenced.
We blinked.
Summer came to an end.
Captivating material, right? I'm renowned for my creative writing skills.
I've heard people exclaim 'I have no idea where the time went!', and while I understand the phrase I can assure you we know exactly where the time has gone around here.
Our time this summer was spent in the hay fields, the ball fields, the bean fields, the corn fields - any type of field you can imagine - we were there.
And then there were the chores. The kids were very faithful in taking care of their animals. Each morning they walked their hogs as well as fed and watered everything. In the evenings, provided they didn't have ball games to play, they walked their calves and then fed and watered all their hogs, calves, horses, chickens and dogs again. We were very proud of their work ethic. Don't get me wrong, they grumbled on many of those hot days, but they understood the importance of their duties.
On the weekends we'd have some quality, family bonding time while we processed calves together. For the most part, the boys are becoming pretty decent help. Kathryn fills in where she can and is learning the ropes... and little Reese does what most supervisors do and barks nonsensical orders that benefit absolutely no one.
I always enjoy when someone asks if we enjoy the sunrises from our home. Yes, yes we do. |
The kids and I try to sneak in a few walks each week before the heat gets too terrible. They subscribe to the Robert Frost school of thought and enjoy choosing the 'road less traveled'. |
Find a better babysitter. I dare you. Loopie is the best of the best. |
6am and ready to head out the door to load cattle. Pink, sparkly shirt? Check. Pink, sparkly belt? Check |
We are very fortunate to have many great mentors in our lives. (Bonus points if they are super pretty high school girls.) |
The girls thoroughly enjoy oiling anything with leather. Halters, boots, saddles, purses, diaper bags... If you bring it, they will condition it. |
They often move as a whole and I love to watch this little tribe and all their antics. They have inside jokes, inside arguments, inside super-secret plans. They are close and it is wonderful. |
This photo will never get old. 8am and running your hogs while topless in your socks and jelly sandals. Life is good for R.E.C. |
Kathryn touched her brother's welding project and burned a finger. While icing it down she also passed out from sheer exhaustion. This accurately captures the essence of our summer. Sheer exhaustion. |