High Winds, Hormones and Cooking

 

For the past two days the farm has been hit with High Winds BIG TIME... I was off the farm Friday and did not return till late and the animals were so freaked. I did a head count by headlamp and found the reason for their panic, another metal roof panel was ripped off the smaller barn.  So thankful that all the animals were safe but I could tell nerves were frayed..  I had the ear plugs in all night hoping to block the howling - Yeah Right.  Let not even go there again.

 

Today I worked in the barns cleaning and fixing those small little tasks that add up so quickly but need to get done before snow sets in.  It was difficult to get things done because I had way too many shadows - you know a barn full of toddlers.  I love that my animals love me but at times I could really use them to find something else to love for just a minute or two.  I remember the days when as a new mother you just wanted to go to the bathroom without your toddler - well that is what it is like here but times 40 or more.  I locked them out of the barn and they stand on the other side of the door crying and banging - those horns can make a whole bunch of racket.  Then you have those who stand on the rake, grab your gloves and if not paying attention bit the headphone cord to my CD player before you even knew they could reach it.  I love them dearly but sometimes you just want to get things done....

 

Then we have the issue of the girls REALLY, REALLY, REALLY wanting to be serviced  - that is a nice way of saying "Horny as HELL" - My Gosh Gretal jumped over two sheep panels, through a metal gate and ran herself ragged up and down the boys pasture fence line hour after hour.  I put her back several times with a scolding but on the third time I had lost my last bit of patience.  So when I put her back this last time all the girls got their bodies locked up - the big doors closed and a huge finger wagging from me.  As I was walking back to the house I saw Herschel trying to wiggle under and heavy gate.  In a blink of an eye he did it and pronged (Jumped, Hopped and Skipped) over to the girls barn.  He reached the big doors and his face was priceless.  You could just see how disappointed he was - just then I yelled "Herschel what are you doing?" - He looked at me and ran so fast back to the gate he just came from and then was wiggling, wiggling and wiggling trying to return as if nothing happened.  The problem like with all things it is easier getting out then getting in.  In his panic he forgot to tuck his big horns the right way and you guessed it - "STUPID got stuck"  There was a part of me who wanted to leave him there for a bit to teach him a lesson but in the wind and the way the boys are now it was too risky.  So I got the bugger unstuck and then drug him into his pasture.  He ran when I let go of him and then turned to look at me as if to say "MOM, it is the hormone thing - Honest, I never would have done it otherwise" (The picture below is of him in the spring - he is much bigger now so that makes wiggling on the gate even more amazing)  I put a huge log in front of the gate so for now the problem can not be repeated - at least until they or I think of something else.

 

I hate to make all suffer for the horny hormones that is not within their control but I am not chasing after love crazed folks in the high winds and pitch darkness.  So I have the ear buds back in, the movie turned up and the house filled with yummy smells.  I decided to try a new recipe for cabbage rolls in the crock pot -  I tasted just a bit and I think it will be wonderful.  I finished a nice loaf of white sandwich bread and have a apple crisp in the oven.  Hate to admit it but this gal is wiped out and just want to be a blob for a few hours - is that asking too much?