Monday, June 7, 2010

CATTLE HAULING DAY

Okay up early to get this busy day started ! Unfortunately I woke up with terrible heartburn this morning. I remembered eating some raw cauliflower last evening so I'm sure that is what gave it to me. Heartburn always makes me a little nervous !
G-son was here early as his dad had a construction job to do today.
I went out to deliver my Avon this morning. My orders are so small anymore it is almost more trouble than it's worth to fool with.
I got home at lunchtime and ate some leftover mac and cheese,I figured this was bland enough not to intensify my heartburn.
Then it was time to load a trailer with some stocker heifers that are getting to heavy to keep any longer.We usually keep them until the fall before we sell, but these 6 were so heavy we were afraid they would bring a lot less money if we waited. So here they go.
G-son sat in the hay storage part of the barn and watched as we loaded them.The closest livestock market is about an hour away from us in SC .
When we got on the road we both agreed we had surely been right about their weight because you could really tell we had a lot of weight in the trailer. Hubbie's truck is 3/4 ton and empty you can't tell the trailer is even back there,but we could sure tell it was back there with those 6 heifers in there.At least traffic was light as we headed down off the mountain into SC. They are repaving the interstate but we didn't ever have to stop ,traffic kept moving just at a slower pace.AHHH!! It's always a thank you Jesus moment when we pull into the stockyard with the load safely and without mishap !Here are our girls all tagged ready for the sale and already making friends with the bull in the next pin ! The sale starts early in the morning and hubbie is taking the day off work to go back down there and watch them sell. Hopefully the prices will stay like they were last week.G-son says his last goodbyes to his "friends", but he was okay as soon as we told him we were going for ice cream !!Right in the middle of the town of Chesnee,SC there are railroad tracks. Trains with many cars filled with coal pass here on their way to the Cliffside Power Plant. It takes about 15-20 minutes for the long train to pass. The trains are timed so that the full one and the empty one pass at the same time. They look like they are going to hit head-on,but the empty train passes behind the full one.This is the rear pusher engine on the full train. G-son was very excited to see a real train.And now for the fun part of the trip. We always stop here for fresh in season produce.In the acres and acres around this shed are strawberry fields and peach orchards as far as you can see. Their produce is always fresh and delicious. Today we got strawberries,peaches,cantalopes and tomatoes.In their ice cream pallor they make hand churned ice cream from their fruit to go along with all other kinds. G-son has a cup of Superman flavor, hubbie had cherry vanilla and me , well I had peanut butter,caramel,cookie dough !!!! MMMM MMMM.Superman ice cream with a Kit Kat bar for dessert, that's what Nena's and Pawpaw's are for, right !!!!!Ready to head home !!
G-son slept most of the way home which was uneventful and another "thank you Jesus trip" if you travel up and down through the Green River Gorge you know what I mean. Wrecks of big rigs are common in this area and it takes hours to get the road cleared and their is no way to get off the interstate all the way through the narrow gorge.
After g-son went home and a quick supper of grilled chicken breast,I went outside to walk off some nervous energy. These cattle moving days are nerve racking and the older and slower I get the more nerve racking they get!
I have had a long day and look forward to a good nights sleep hopefully tonight without heartburn.
Thank you Jesus for watching over our travels today.
Good Night and God Bless.

4 comments:

Paula said...

Thanks for taking us along on your trip!! Loved seeing the sights- and your little grandson is adorable! Sure looks like he was enjoying that ice cream!!
I always thank the Lord for a safe journey too- you never know what could happen!

Grace on the Narrow Path said...

Wow I have to agree with Paula . . . thank the Lord for a safe trip.
Although I must say it seems very interesting hauling live stock.
God bless you my friend.
Bren

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Glad you got the cattle transported safely, Marilyn. I would go along also to get fresh strawberries, peaches, etc. at that market. WOW!!!!

AND--the ice cream is to die for!!!! I'd love that peanut butter, caramel, cookie dough ice cream. YUM....

Hugs,
Betsy

Gail said...

Safe and sound! That is a relief but you know you are watched over all the time.

It was funny the lighting made the cows look almost purple to my eye. I thought, how cool, purple cows and a childhood poem came to mind.

I never saw a purple cow
and never hope to see one
but I can tell you anyhow,
I rather see than be one.

Here's hoping the market stays solid for you.