Back from the ranch...

Weekends just aren't long enough. We headed out Friday evening for a weekend at the ranch. One of Shelly's friends went with us, and it worked out great. It was nice for Shelly to have an extra set of hands to help with Jonathan while I was out on the ranch with Matthew.

Matthew and I filled the deer feeders, checked the deer stands, rode the ATV, and fished in the pond (caught a small catfish). We also got to go watch the caretaker kill a wild hog that had been trapped on a neighboring ranch. Matthew is only 4, but he was enthralled seeing that wild boar in the cage and watching Ron shoot it. He then watched intently while Ron cleaned it. The little guy also watched while I cleaned deer last fall. Maybe he'll grow up to be a doctor?

All was not perfect on this trip, however. Something, I assume it was a cow, got into the pen that holds my deer feeder. When I built the pen, I only used 3 strands of barbed wire, and since I am not a professional fence builder, the wires have loosened up considerably in the last 5 years. I just used a single corner post at each corner, instead of the "H" or similar posts that allow the wires to stay tight. The cows also push against the fence, causing it to loosen (corner post being bent in slightly. Anyway, whatever it was, my feeder motor had been knocked off the feeder and completely destroyed.

We generally have the cows on the South end of the property, and most of the deer feeders are on the North end. After hunting season, we open the gates on the cross fence and let the cows move to the North end. After I replace the feeder motor, I guess I'll start taking it off after hunting season to keep it from getting broken again. It is a little disheartening that I spent a weekend and the expense of a trip out there and was able to fill every feeder but my own.

Around mid-day today, Matthew figured out we were packing up to go home. He was a little sad and said he didn't want to go home, he wanted to stay at the ranch. I felt the same way, but unfortunately, I haven't figured out a way to live there and still support my family.