Open the door and let the light of Christ in.
Wednesday, December 29, 2021
Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Christmas Bales
One thing on my bucket list has always been to bale hay in December. Some people like to say they've water skied in December. I want to say that I've baled hay in December. Well, my dream came true during the Christmas Octave.
The weather started off perfect. It has been unseasonably warm. So I borrowed Bill and Joanne Fields' baler and headed to our feed yard.
She fit just right behind Johnny.
The deal was to re-bale these big grass square bales. I just couldn't feed them efficiently. Little squares are more my style.
It took a little playing, but what we found to work was to grab a bale with the bucket, flake it off with a pitchfork into a fluffy windrow, and then just craw along. It's amazing how much hay is in a 3x4x8.
Slowly but surely we'd kick them out. The 4570 Hesston didn't miss a lick. Out of each big bale we were able to get about 15 little bales.
Much better.
It probably would have been easier to just go buy new hay. But it wouldn't have been nearly as fun. I love all things ranch. Baling and feeding hay ranks right at the top. Our Lord became incarnate in the Christmas story. He loves humanity and so do I. Men were made to work. The more we live out of our human nature, the more we discover the hidden divine nature that Christ came to give us.
Monday, December 27, 2021
Sunday, December 26, 2021
Saturday, December 25, 2021
Thursday, December 23, 2021
Wednesday, December 22, 2021
Tuesday, December 21, 2021
Monday, December 20, 2021
Sunday, December 19, 2021
10-24
Growing up Dad pumped oil and gas wells. And as a kid I often tagged along. Each well had a name, which was usually like 12-dash-32 or 26-dash-15. One of the great gifts of my corrals on Bell Creek is the pumping unit in the background. I have affectionally named her 10-24.
It was fun to hear her pumping away. She was no doubt on a timer because she'd come on and off at random intervals.
I kind of felt like she was watching over me. Every time I looked south there she was.
Pumping units and cattle, so iconically Wyoming.
The circle of life.
People often ask me if it's hard to shoot a cow. It's not, but sometimes I wonder why. I'm not a morbid guy. But there is something beautiful about ethically harvesting a critter. What better way to die then to give your life for a good cause. They become our food, and how grateful we are for their sacrifice.
10-24 reminds me that this dynamic has been going on for quite awhile. Fossil fuels come from decomposed plant and animal life buried millions of years ago. Our modern way of life is indebted to the sacrifice of such life form. It is not evil to receive such a gift. But it does come with great appreciation and responsibility. To whom much has been given much will be expected.
Stewardship should be our response and way forward. It is how we properly care for and use the animals, lands, and minerals entrusted to us. God gave us dominion over the earth. Not to exploit it for selfish reasons, but to care for it and use it for it's intended purposes.
Animals and plants serve our needs and we are called to do the same for them. We can also learn from their sacrifice. True love is about giving of one's self for the good of the other. Our Lord's coming in the flesh this Christmas is all about that. He was born to die. Out of love He gave His life for us. Out of love we are called to do the same.
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