Well, September 1, the first day of meteorological fall, and it's going to be hot and cold, rainy, humid, snowy, cloudy and sunny across the country. I guess that covers it.

I'm hoping my new, VERY comfortable desk chair will come today so I can spend a bit more time here. It just hurts too badly to sit very long in the chairs that I have, but I found one yesterday that was perfect, so I bit the bullet and plunked down the bucks. Unfortunately, all they had was the floor model, so it is coming from the warehouse today or tomorrow.

I hope the new chair works well for you, there is nothing as incapacitating as back problems!

Fall? Really? Here it feels like "endless summer"!

I just heard on NPR that it has been determined that cows that have names give more milk. I was curious to find out whether anyone here has direct experience with this phenomenon. (I can't confirm it as all our cows have been named.)

It might depend on the name, why she was named that,(maybe she was a PITB), and if her owner scratched her favorite itchy spot. 50 or 60 years ago there was an ad that claimed that contented cows gave more milk. Was that company Borden? Elsie the cow? Anyhow, their research claimed that cows prefered classical and easy listening types of music that kept them relaxed, and did not like loud or excited types like some of the dance tunes of the era. No jitterbugging! Cows prefer a waltz.

Our cows have had names and now have numbers and I can't say as it really has made a difference. I was the cow namer and when I quit doing barn chores that kind of went by the wayside. Our cows have listened to rock, metal, NPR and country and they don't really seem to have much of a preference. Personally, I think they were fans of what is now called easy listening (60s and 70s pop, the British invasion etc.) I do know there was one cow who did not like metal, but she seemed to be alone in that particular preference.

Ah, Elsie and milk from contented cows. What it really comes down to is how you treat your animals, feed them, give them enough space and water and their innate abilities to produce milk and their personalities. Brainless as they are, they do indeed have distinct personalities, and different production potential.

Kathleen, tell us some of the names. I seem to remember Nutmeg.

Our cows seem to like karaoke. At least they all stand at the fence and stare when our neighbor to the east has one of his loud parties. I have no idea how it affects their milk production - ask the calves.

The first cow we had was Molly. She was a springing heifer when we got her and aborted an 8 month calf. We weren't quite ready to be milking, so I did some old fashioned milkmaid hand milking for a few days until we got set up. Unfortunately, Molly couldn't carry a calf to full term and after the third try, we had to sell her. Another early cow was Goody - her name says it all: good producer, good temperament, good eater. She never gave us a heifer, but we did raise one of her bulls to use for heifers. There was Blackie, who's sister Cocoa was a white as Blackie was black. Cadbury, our first red carrier and Red, our first live red heifer - and she was lively! Raison, who was the first of a long line of heavy producers including Raisonette, Clarese, and Rese. Then there were Meg, Daisy, Cranberry, Strawberry, Byskit, Tyger, Ger, Snoopy, Clover
- it's been almost 40 years, there are a lot of them!

Great names, Kathleen. How's that new chair working out?

Shall we tell Anna we moved a few days ago? I think she might be stuck in that mudhole she wrote about on the last page.

Well, okay...

Would have been nice had someone told me and I wouldn't have put that missive over there.............

You can copy and paste it here.

Sorry, I couldn't sit at the computer for more than a couple of minutes until I got this rather wonderful new chair. Now, perhaps, I might be able to keep up with things better.

Anna, bring your posts over, please.

porkpal, are you near the fires???

Here is the post I put on just before you shut the last thread down. I apologize to anyone who had read it there.


Porkpal, sorry to hear that the rain gods have deserted you once again. *sigh*............

We had a fun time yesterday............our neighbors down the road a mile or so have a Labor Day picnic and "out of the field" tractor pull at their place. And after the "pull".........the young bucks take their trucks down to the creek and go "muddin'......." LOL College buddies of their oldest son, and HS boys with their trucks...........I will leave you to imagine. I guess the college son and his friends were trying it out on Sat. night, deemed it pretty good, and made the mistake of going to town later in the evening..............hmmmm..............Dad took the big tractor and chisel plow and buried it a few times in the middle, making a big hole. Too funny when the trucks got stuck over the exhaust pipes. Sounded like alot of squeaky brakes, and somebody's bumper got pulled off trying to get pulled out of the hole, but no lasting damage and nobody got hurt. A typical, neighborhood farm get-together. And we didn't get home till 8. Wonderful we didn't have to leave to milk.

Speaking of that.............we milked last Fri. night for my brother so he could go to a tractor pull and participate...........got rained out. But he got time away. And we have a job this Friday night, just the one milking. Been there before, so no need to go before and learn the ropes. The son is in the band, and they are having a special half-time show during the football game, and dad would like to be there. So, they will have cows in, and maybe even started milking, so it won't be bad. And dad will be able to attend. They also wanted us for 2 milkings in Oct. but we have other plans, and can't. Fireworks doings..............

So far all the fires are northwest of us. We are getting some of the smoke. The wind is much calmer today which should help get the fires under control - it had been about 25mph, from the NW.

Well, it's official: Texas had the hottest three months this summer of any state ever. I'd happily trade my share of the fame for a few inches of rain.

Here is part of the "estate"............which is what I call this place after I get it mowed. Those old buildings need to come down/get burned........whatever...........perhaps it is next year's project.

Gosh, it's so green!