A Tad Better

Joe came both yesterday morning and this morning.  I had an early appointment in town yesterday so he and Bruce milked, and today Bruce had an early appointment so Joe and I milked.  Joe has been busy helping with other things besides milking which is really nice.  The calves get bedded, the barn gets extra alley scraping and little by little he is helping us get some things caught up.  It has been interesting trying to get things done, earlier with all the rain and recently with the heat and humidity.

Bruce has installed fly tape in the back of the barn with plans to put some in the dairy barn also.  So far we have been impressed, probably much more than the flies.  We are both excited that using the tape may help eliminate the fly spray we use.

Again today Mike made us smile.  It was still warm but the humidity was a bit lower and we had a breeze so the cows went to pasture this morning. Bruce had given the cows a smaller area of pasture and by mid afternoon they were warm and complaining.  We went over and Bruce disconnected the tank hose and sprayed them all down and then we moved the fence so the cows had more grass.  While we were doing this Mike seemed to disappear.  When we were on the far end doing the fence he suddenly showed up, and again disappeared as we came back home.  As it turns out, his latest cool spot to relax and wait is in the culvert under the driveway into the pasture.  Unlike any other dog we have had, he is a creature of comforts.   His first choice of places to hang out these days is in the house in the air conditioning.  Once Bruce suggested he come out with him and Mike laid down with his chin on the floor.  There is no doubt what his preference was.  If he is outside he has spots under the porches he likes.  In the barn he lays behind the bulk tank on the concrete.  In winter he lays in this same spot because the compresser blows warm air out there.  He will never lay down on a wet spot if he can find a dry one and he will lay on something soft if he can.  He will swim through anything while he is working but will walk around from dry spot to dry spot otherwise.  Today after we were done in the pasture he was warm.  We suggested he take a dip in his tank and he stepped in and right back out.....it was not cold enough to suit him today. 

We have an adventure going on in the neighborhood.  A couple days ago the neighbors had some animals to sell and in the process of loading them another animal (someone elses) escaped off the trailer.  Today Bruce's mom saw an animal along the road and called Bruce but by the time he got over there it was gone.  We suspect it is spending its time in our corn fields so who knows when the owner will get their animal caught and sold.