Cow invasion failed.

I think they know a bad launching point when they see one.

All that's left after my burn last night.

I went out to check on my fire.  It was totally out.  I spent about 45 minutes raking and piling the missed and half burnt wood into another pile.  I tried to light it with a few newspapers but it did not go.  It never wants to burn when you want it to. Annmarie told me the butcher would be a little late so I went in and had some breakfast.  Coffee had come out with me in a travel mug so I was caffeinated already.  The cows knew something was up but the two little girls only ate about 1/3 the feed these two pigs had been eating.  When I went in for breakfast I grabbed some of the extra egg cartons I had lying around and used them to start my fire.  They worked great!  I had to feed the fire for about 15 minutes to get it to really take off but it was going good when I went inside. 

The butcher was his usual efficient self.  I am always amazed how quick and easy he makes it.  We had a great conversation about life, work ethic, animal breeding, carcass grading and children.  It is always a pleasure to see and visit with him.  I saved the organs from the cows for a coworker's dogs.  He feeds them raw meat and I don't want anything to go to waste that can be used.  The truck did not want to go it was sliding on the surface of the snow and mud.  I had to go get the tractor and put a scoop of gravel in front of each rear drive tire so he could get started and get on his way.  Glad I had just gotten that gravel!  One of the cows was a bull!  Everyone gets TWO rubber bands on their gonads when they are banded.  We had banded him and he had no scrotum.  So I am not sure what really happened other than he was not castrated.  Learning curves are steep for some things. 

After I picked up around the edges I am ready for another fire!