Spring is here!

Well... maybe I jumped the gun. My grandpa was just here and told me that it is supposed to get down to 40 again this week. Anyways, today, the sun is shining, a breeze is blowing, and it is right at 70 degrees. Who could've asked for a more beautiful spring-like day?

We have a little trap (or pen, to our northern friends) right beside our house that we usually keep a few special cattle in. In the past, we've kept some of my old Shorthorn show heifers, or maybe some yearling heifers we've picked up at sales to grow out and feed.

Since the two queens of that pen - Myrtle Bo and Cumberland (two of my old Shorthorn heifers) have been away getting flushed for a few months, its been empty. With the recent rains and then the few days of sunshine mixed in, there's a ton of grass and green clover in the pen.

So... we're so excited to have an occupant living there again! And it's not just any ol' cow, either. We've got the International Champion Miss V8 143/6 living here for a while. It's interesting to note that me and 143/6 go way back since I actually was the showman on the day she won the International Show when she was just a calf. My dad and my sister each had older ones in the champion lineup to show. You can imagine my skepticism when they informed me I would be showing the calf champion. First of all, they had these powerhouse older females that had won plenty of shows. Secondly, and most important to me though, I pictured the calf as a barely halterbroke, nervous, crazy-acting fool. Much to my surprise though, she was the sweetest little calf ever and I was so happy that she acted good! Even more happier that she WON! Everyone was surprised!

Anyways, nowadays, she needs a place to rest while she recovers from a foot injury, and our little pen is just the place. Today Luke spent time getting her place all ready - I actually saw him driving down the road with hay bales ON TOP of his Jeep. Wish I had a picture of that! He cleaned out our feed room and filled it up with 143's food. We're excited to have something to actually feed and pamper every day. The best part is that she is so gentle! She loves to be petted and I think she knows she's in a place where we love taking care of her! I'm thinking about raiding the showbarn and getting some brushes to get her all fixed up!

Anyways, while Luke was working he realized what a cool photo subject she was. Here's her posing in her new pen!