*hums* "It's been a while....."

That was from a song I like to sing.....
Anyways......... It has been a while since I U-dated this ol' blog. Can't say it was out and out laziness that kept me away from here. I have, as per usual, been a busy-busy little bee though. But, honestly, I was feeling like I just didn't really want to put much up here, and as time slipped away from me, it seemed like more and more it was easier to do... Funny that is. Like meditation. Skip enough times, and it's easy to forget the crystal clarity one can feel during it, and get all caught up in the day to day trappings of life..
This last week out in the paddocks has been a rough one though. I've put three calves in the sand dune hills with the ol' tractor. Firstly, I don't like it when anything dies, let alone animals I've watched come into this world and tended. I guess eventually other humans would've probably eaten them, but I can't worry about what might be's. I can only concern myself with "what can I do at this moment" things. There wasn't anything. My post mortem diagnosis was that they were heavily loaded with parasites that were brought in by the sheep that the owners dabbled in on the ranch. They should've wormed all the animals including the cattle when they found out the sheep were infected. One of these little calves I'd bottle fed and taken great care with, spent time with. They are so adorable when they're little..
So.. It's a bit sad out there for me right now. Most folks probably have no feelings one way or the other about it. But I do. Most probably have no clue how much it affects me. I try not to show it there, but a clever mind could tell I reccon.
So... I went out there myself and wormed the rest of them. I wasn't waiting for #4 to drop off.
Was funny though, how close they let me get to them. Even the 2000+ pound bull lets me pat his head while I;m sitting on a 4 wheeler.. Couldn't get them all though.. Some are more leery than others *nods*
On a lighter note... I have gotten a couple of giant projects wrapped up in the last week and a half. I got a magnificent set of parallel bars made for my friend who's just learning how to walk again. I set them in the ground 2 feet in cement, but built a nice off the ground plank/boardwalk path going through them out of old jarrah wood. All materials recycled. The bars were from an old trampoline that I cut on half and reworked the angles of the pipe, and the wood was from an old deck I'd helped take down on their property. This set, being outside and all, made me consider what he'd do if it was raining, cold, etc outside. So I made one that could roll and be moved to either the front porch, the back porch, or inside the house. Quite a feat of engineering as it could not be able to be tipped over while using (for obvious reasons), and yet still needed to be light enough to be practically moved (unlike a Trojan Horse).
It all came together great, with it having the desired rustic hue that a man of his status would like. Being a rough and tumble sheep shearer and cowboy sort, I couldn't make it all wimpy looking. Some time this week I'm gonna run old horse shoes around the edges to decorate the podium it rests on. I shall endeavor to get a picture up of both completed projects. (I know I'm remiss in not putting up pics of some of these projects, tractor and horse workings etc. But it's real hard to take snaps when you're neck deep in stuff)
So...yes...there it is. An entry.. Whewwww.. Glad I got that knocked out.
Oh...and I built another chicken yard also... Foxes are a big problem here, so this one I put metal sheeting buried a foot into the ground and wire mesh 12 inches or so out flat on the ground in front of the fencing. That'll out fox those ol'....ermmm foxes....
And what else ???? Oooo did a bit of a singing gig at the local pub sat night. I thought it was less than my best, but no one seemed to think so... Bahhh always my own worst critic I 'spose.
Anywhoooo.. getting on time to hit the paddocks folks, so I'll draw this to a close.
*looks up......* I think there's the slightest hue of Spring in the air.... *smile*
Have a great day now......*wanders off*