I mowed our place yesterday....As usual, I dashed over first thing in the morning and hooked the Kubota up to the battery charger (I need a new battery!). I rotated the cows after I came home.

After lunch and watching 'Hawaii Five-O' (the orginial) with Granddaddy, I went back to our place.  I tried to start the Kubota and it just grunted at me. Humph. Well...I jumped it with the pick-up and it roared to life with a little subtle choke action. Then, with that right-rear tire flat as usual, I limped it over to the front of the barn, aired up the tires and greased it.

Thankfully, the grass wasn't as soppy as the last time I mowed, so it didn't threaten to bog down as much as it did last time. I got done with the back yard and headed to the front yard, and was in practically the same spot where I ran out of fuel last time, when I felt a bump, heard a rattle as something banged into the blades, and despite my efforts, the engine puttered out.
I figured I might have had the deck too low (that is pretty deep grass right there) and hit a stick--though there usually aren't sticks right there. Um, well...

I cranked the Kubota back up (yay! It started without having to be jumped!) and backed it up a couple feet. That's when I realized the truth of the matter. There, laying over on it's side, dug into a small hole was none other than the left caster-wheel off the mower deck!! "Oh great! Now, I've broken the wheel off!!"

I hopped off, collected the wheel, pulled my cellphone out of my back pocket and called Daddy. He told me to go ahead and keep mowing, just when lowering the deck be more careful. I think, though I don't know for sure, (hands and knees still hurts my left shoulder some), that the wheel is held on by a sort of big snap ring. That's what came off and no way I was going to find that in think eight-inch grasss! Maybe if it had been another color than dark gray....

Anyway, the grass got mowed...and the cows didn't get any of it thrown over the fence to them--they could use it, but I didn't think I needed to stress my shoulder yet. Poor Abe looked me straight in the face and went: "Mahoo!" I have to get those animals wormed sooner than later--they look horrid!

And that was my day...basically.

        Racheal

 
The Murry mower actually ran today...as you may know, that mower doesn't like running. I tried to start it last week and it didn't even grunt. After talking a walk through the heifer patch and horse lot this morning, soaking my jeans up past my knees and my boots and socks straight through, looking for Snip's wayward halter (which I did not find), I went to the barn.

I first took the cover off the Murry and eyeballed the engine--nothing looked wrong (like I would know anyway!), so I called Daddy and then I proceeded to take his advice. Once I put the cover back on and some gas in, I pushed the Murry out, ran to the house and got my keys, and brought the pick-up over. Then I hooked the jumper cables up. My attempt at grounding the negative cable was not sucessful at first because I hooked it to the mower deck. I called Daddy again and hooked it to the battery. Then, I took the positive jumper cable and put it to the bolt holding the cable into the starter, sparks flew and the engine started roaring to life. I jumped back and it puttered out. I am SO very thankful that I moved when I did, because my left foot was partially under the mower deck--and the blades were engaged!!! For some reason (providence!), I decided to check whether the blades were engaged before I tried starting the mower again...and I was horrified to see that they were! (You can tell by looking at the belt.) Anyway, I tried again, messing with that oh-so-stiff choke, and this time it stayed on!

I jumped on and started mowing. Shortly thereafter, I ran the deck into part of the fallen tree's root and it bent it under. The blade was rubbing on the deck so I disengaged the blades, dashed back to the barn, grabbed a pair of pliers and dashed back. I ended up actually using my hands more than the pliers to bend the deck back out, but I'm glad I had them anyway. I stuffed them into my back pocket and went back to mowing.

I didn't completely finish around the downed tree, but I did get behind the barn done before moving off to take care of the driveway--which REALLY needed mowing. By the time I got done with the north side, I had what I call 'the spider-creeps'. I confess, I did yell a couple times when colliding with spider webs. I didn't have my hat on (it would have been raked off even if I had) and I didn't even have my bandana on, so I was really rather paranoid about getting those ugly eight-legged critters in my hair.

I was almost done mowing (by now on the south side of the drive) when I ran out of gas. (I had put some in before I tried starting the machine and was going to finish filling the tank if I got it started, but what with the sparks flying and the excitment of getting it going, I forgot...) I pulled my cellphone out of my back pocket and called Savannah. "I'm out of gas! Will you bring some down to me in the truck?" Of course and she did.

While pouring gas into the mower, the UPS man drove by and we waved and he honked...we rather know who each other are a little better now after finding each other attending last weeks SCV meeting :D

Anyway, I got the mower running again, using the jumper cables and the starter (bypassing the ignition switch--which apparently is bad). I finished mowing shortly thereafter. Because the yard itself doesn't need to be mowed I went ahead and put the mower away. (Besides, with the way the deck is broken and tied up, attempting to mow the yard would rather be a waste of gas...it just reaches the tops of the seed heads.)

As soon as I got the mower shut off, I rushed into the house and showered--we needed to be out the door headed for my chiropractor appointment--fast! Savannah fixed me a plate and I ate lunch on the way down. Thankfully, we weren't late. I got cracked and now we're home...and it still feels/looks like it is going to rain.

Now...it's time to go pick and grin :) See ya later!

        Racheal

 
It's been a while since ya'll have heard the sound of the Cow Cavalry's hooves druming faintly around here, hasn't it?

That's my fault. I rather fell off the bandwagon, but with new developments pending,  I got a figurative kick in the seat of the pants. I have spent two days this week now working on the interviews. Tuesday I spent propped in bed (a convenient place to work with my laptop...I can sprawl my papers out and it's easier on my tailbone than sitting on the floor!) going through my script and transcipts of my interviews with Mr. Arthur and Mr. Hendry...and myself. (So far, I used two short clips of myself.) Today, I have spent the day staring at my computer screen listening to two very nice men talk in their two totally different speech patterns about a topic that holds interest for both of them. I did manage to pare down some of the more lengthy, extensive clips. I don't want to overdo the interview aspect of this documentary. After getting two or three more interviews, I think I'm going to say "NO MORE INTERVIEWS!" In my opinion, you can get too many and I don't want an interview overload.

Now my fingers are itching to work on the AfterEffect compositions...but some of those are going to have to wait for reenactment footage. In October, Savannah and I will be attending a reenactment in Dade City...I'm still planning on the Brooksville Raid in January too. From those two reenactments I hope to have plenty of b-roll. I can visualize in a general way what I want...

I also think that I may actually need the narration recorded before I can get started on that aspect of the editing...that way I know how long an AE comp needs to be, how much of such and such clip I need to use, etc. So...while I actually have something in my timeline, which is REALLY exciting, I'm kind of stuck against the wall again for another little bit.

As you may know, in the Cow Cavalry lulls, I have been working on the scripts for a Western, a Western serial idea, and I also started a really, really, really rough draft of 'Spectrum'. Filmmaking has still been on the brain...everytime I watch an old TV show on MeTV I try to remember to notice the cinematography...like this morning, "Daniel Boone" was on and Daniel was hurt and light-headed. The cinematographer clearly protrayed that through the use of shaky-cam. It was really effective.

So, while you may not be hearing the Cow Cavalry thundering around much, I haven't forgotten them nor my aspirations :) In closing, I will leave you with a quote from Mr. Arthur:
    "But to me it is the honor of the thing. Supportin’ a cause when you know that you’re right...when their State succeeded from the Union, they supported their government and their way of life, and to protect their way of life. So you have to give these men great honor in what that they did. You know, none of us is perfect, we all make mistakes but we do what we do because we think it’s right and we stand by it. And that’s no better than we can do today."

        Racheal

 
You know, when I started my blog, I fully intended on writing many more posts than I have on theological subjects. For instance, every time I read Titus 2, "I am going to do a post on this!" Has it happened yet? No. Why? Well, partially because there is usually some other tale to tell. Partially because without sitting down and writing a paper, my theological thought processes live up to my blog's name of "Ramblings". Now, I'm not stupid (but neither am I the most intelligent young woman), and I do know what I think even if I have trouble expressing in clearly in few words (without spending hours on it like I would an essay). In the long run, I really think that is why I don't do theological posts very often--and when I do, they are usually spur of the moment and not very clear.

In my day to day writing about the excitment of mundane life (ah, to live in a state on normal abnormalacy! :D), I never try to hide my faith, but neither do I spill it somewhat soppily over these pages. I believe that I come to life from a Christian worldview, but the constant 'godly' wording doesn't fall out of my mouth in real life, so I don't use it in my writing. Perhaps it should; however, I don't think one has to use 'pious' speech in order to demonstrate their faith in Christ. (And please don't get me wrong I'm not thumbing my nose at people who do use what I have here termed 'pious speech'.) I wonder sometimes how long someone could read my blog without guessing that I'm a Christian....

Overarching everything I do is a sense that our loving and just heavenly Father is supreme and sovereign over all. That is one of the reason that I burst into laughter after sneezing, which causes me to yell in pain--sneezing makes my fractured collarbone hurt! :D

I am fully aware that my plans for the day can be switched at the drop of a hat--and God has ordained it as such. I am learning to 'roll with the punches' on this...as you may know, I've never been keen on having my plans overturned or disrupted--it has always frustrated me.

I think the point of this post is something along these lines....though I seldom lay it out in the open here, I do think on theological subjects. Indeed, how often in the mornings while reading my scriptures do I engage in mock debates with invisible people?

However, if you will please excuse my cutting this short, it is 9:30 and I need to go feed the cats and Snip. Have a lovely (aka blessed) day!

        Racheal

 
...isn't all fun. I do so enjoy it most of the time, but once in a while there are unplesant duties...like putting a cow down.

I rotated the cows this morning. As I came up to the gate I noticed that the old cancerous cow was laying there under the first tree inside the north side. She just cocked an ear at me and slowly glanced over her shoulder. Normally she gets up when the truck comes around. All the other cows filed past her into the south pasture. She tried to get up several times, but never quite made it up.

Once all the cows where by, I drove in and stopped next to her. I thought she looked kind of sad as she looked at me. I walked closer to her and the notion that she probably was finished solidified itself into a conviction. It was clear to me from the way the grass was flatted out that she had been trying to get up earlier and only managed to scoot herself around in a circle. Her back was bleeding (I have no idea why), she was breathing heavy, and she was listless.

I got back in the truck and came to the house--I had to get Savannah, because I couldn't shoot the cow with one hand--even with a pistol or revolver. We called Daddy and he gave us the instructions on how to properly (i.e. the quickest and thereby the kindest way) put the bullet in her.

I cranked up the tractor and Savannah took the truck. One well-placed shot and the poor old cow was out of her misery. We hooked the body to the tractor and drug it to the 'graveyard'...there was no way I was going to leave that poor animal's carcass out by the road.

I almost cried...I liked that poor sick critter...she always seemed to be a nice cow (some of them aren't!) So...that's when ranching isn't fun. Could I have pulled the trigger myself? Yes...but then I probably would have cried.

        Racheal