Spring Snowstorm

"Well that was unexpected!" I muttered as I stared out the bathroom window...

"Well that was unexpected!" I muttered as I stared out the bathroom window at 6:30 this morning. The world was white. The tree limbs were hanging from the burden of the heavy, wet, spring snow. April 25th and we are getting snow. Rain, we were supposed to be getting rain. Boy, the weather man missed this one.

Glad the last heavy cow calved yesterday. Would hate to think of a calf being born in this cold, wet mess. It is hard enough on them as it is. But, I still need to go take a look at them. The twelve youngest calves are still vulnerable to the elements. And cows have been known to head for the cover of a windbreak and leave their calves out in the weather to fend for themselves.

First I have to struggle into the winter duds I thought I wouldn't need again for a while. I didn't know the "while" would be a week from the last snow storm the weatherman said wouldn't blow that left us with four foot snowdrifts and a foot of heavy, wet snow.

Then I push the porch door open and sweep the six inches of snow off the step. Wading through the drifts I can't see, I let Katie out of her dog pen. She loves running in the snow. She prefers the soft, fluffy stuff, but don't we all. I head for the pickup and clean off the windows and windshield. Checking to be sure the hubs are locked in, I jump in (Katie is in and waiting) and we are off.

The dirt road is soft and mucky as I drive from the buildings to the gate to the calving pasture. The county road grader chose just before the last storm to pull the shoulders in on our road. The dirt road is a mess. There is a drift across the driveway to the pasture. Glad I have the four-wheel drive. I struggle out of the pickup, head down to shield my face from the wind driven snow and make my way to the gate. Once again it is hard to judge how deep the drifts are as I stumble through them. With the gate open, I drive towards the windbreak. It looks like the cows are all there, but are the calves?

With the window rolled down, the wind blowing snow in my face, I drive along the south side of the cows. I can see some calves easily and some I can only see their legs as I look under the cows' bellys. Counting as I drive along, I am coming up one short. So I back up and do it again and again, until I come up with one curled up behind a cow. They look okay, no messy behinds, a sign of scours. Stressed calves very often come down with the scours and need to be treated early to be saved. The baby born yesterday looks good, but his mom doesn't look like she has been sucked for a while. We brought them in yesterday after he was born because he was having trouble getting started sucking. Will have to keep a close eye on them today.

The pairs out North are bawling at me wanting hay already. They will have to wait until evening. They would waste most of the hay if we fed them now. The hay would get tromped down into the snow. It will melt this afternoon and they will get more good out of it then.

Back at the buildings, I fix a bottle of milk for my bucket calf and take care of him and go to the house. Check the Writer's Cramp and write this. I will be lucky to get it posted before the deadline. It is only 10:50 here.

Thanks for listening.