We took Secret for a little romantic vacation with a Scottish Highland bull. She's due to come in heat sometime between this coming Wednesday and next Sunday (18 to 21 days). This little bull has never had opportunity to breed a cow, so here's hoping he figures it out (he will). And here's hoping Secret doesn't have some reproductive problem to keep her from getting pregnant. If she does, we'll be eating Secret-burgers before long. Usually when you let a new cow in with a cattle herd, they'll swarm over to meet the newcomer, smelling her behind, jumping on her as if she were in heat, and sparring a bit with their horns, if they have them, to establish pecking order. So Cliff and I were surprised to see that all Tommy's cattle, including the bull, were scared silly of Secret! I wish I'd have been able to get a video, but they were quite a distance away. Remember to click on any picture if you want to see it larger.
They kept a healthy distance from her.
That's a steer on the left and the bull on the right. Tommy has his heifers separated from the bull at present. Notice the pretty autumn colors in the background.
Wouldn't you know, the steer is more interested in Secret than the bull is?
So Secret went over to the fence to make friends with some heifers. Girl talk, you know. 
Someone gave Tommy's son some chickens, so Tommy's building a chicken house. He said he's using stuff he had on hands already, so he only has $40 worth of material in it.
We advised him to make access to the nests from outside, so his boy won't have to crawl in chicken-poop to gather eggs. He agreed that would be a wise move. Wish Secret luck on this little honeymoon!
Cliff got a call from a friend last weekend. Tommy said a neighbor of his had a trip-bucket loader for a Ford tractor, and he just wanted it out of his yard. Obviously the man never heard of Craigslist. 
Cliff can't use the loader, but he has heard of Craigslist, thanks to his loving wife. We'll see how much we can get for this thing.
Tommy's neighbor has a skid-steer loader, which he used to load the bucket-loader onto our trailer. Cliff took time out to admire the skid-steer, which the man picked up from a farmer for a mere $11,000. In great condition. (Cliff takes time to admire all things mechanical.)
Tommy's neighbor had sort of a pretend town in his yard; I don't know what the purpose was, but it was cute. No, we were not anywhere near Holden. The guy is a retired mailman, so maybe Holden used to be his mail route.
Tommy has Scotch Highland miniature cattle; he pastures them sometimes on this neighbor's place.
Tommy has a brand new tractor. Sixty horsepower. It has an air-conditioned cab. Cliff is jealous.
Of course Cliff had to try it on for size.
Tommy used to live in that house, but he sold it, along with a few of his acres...
and built that house yonder.
Back at home, we took pictures of the bucket-loader and put it on Craigslist. And then went for a motorcycle ride.
They kept a healthy distance from her.
That's a steer on the left and the bull on the right. Tommy has his heifers separated from the bull at present. Notice the pretty autumn colors in the background.
Wouldn't you know, the steer is more interested in Secret than the bull is?
So Secret went over to the fence to make friends with some heifers. Girl talk, you know. 
Someone gave Tommy's son some chickens, so Tommy's building a chicken house. He said he's using stuff he had on hands already, so he only has $40 worth of material in it.
We advised him to make access to the nests from outside, so his boy won't have to crawl in chicken-poop to gather eggs. He agreed that would be a wise move. Wish Secret luck on this little honeymoon!
