Round Bale and an Update (2-23-15)

I don’t know what it is with Scarlett and Sundays, but she had a major episode last night.  JR and I tried to help her as best we could, but we felt helpless and two vets didn’t have much to suggest either.  The good news is that Scarlett’s biopsies showed no sign of cancer.  The bad news is we are still in the dark due to the other test results.  The test results indicate a possible inflammatory bowel disease, possible food allergies which can develop later in life (which might explain the pyloric valve constriction), or, as the liver tests indicate, she may have a copper storage problem.  Huh?  They are running another test for that one.  Results?  In a week or so.  Grrrr….

So, tomorrow we are back to the local vet for another food change and a steroid prescription to help with the seemingly systemic inflammation in her body.  Honestly.  Will she even be able to keep the pill down?  Who the heck knows.  It is all very frustrating, and extremely upsetting to go through these “episodes” with her.  She was truly suffering last night.  To be quite honest, I had some fear I would get up this morning and find her no longer with us.  It was that bad.  Oddly enough, she was her usual bouncy, happy, hungry self.  I just don’t get it.

And, because when it rains it pours, so-to-speak,  I also have Lazy J prosthetic news:  My vacuum pump is now not working properly.  Once again, I have maintenanced everything I know how to maintenance.  I got online for the Otto Bock troubleshooting guide for prosthetists, and I think I have narrowed down the problem.  How we fix it long distance, I have no idea.  I will think about that tomorrow, when it’s business hours in Georgia.

And, finally, in other less-distressing news, it was time to change out the round bale of hay for the horses next door (including Walker).  It was time two days ago, but with the wind, cold, snow, and snow drifts, it was impossible.  I had to “sled” some regular bales out to the feeder.  Today was warmer with little wind, so JR and I got out there at lunch to put out a new round bale.

First, JR had to plow out a path through the corral to the dry lot where the feeder is located.  Dry lot, ha ha ha.  Snowy lot, yes.  Muddy lot, yes.  Dry?  No.  I suppose “dry” in this situation means “not grassy.”  Anyway, JR plowed using the four wheeler while I gave the horses their supplemental feed.  Next, he got the tractor started and let it warm up while he plowed out a path to the round bales of hay.  We also went and moved the feeder out of the way.

Then, out came the tractor.

JR backed up to the bale to get it on the, well, bale holders.  I’m guessing that’s probably not what they are called.  Okay, I looked it up and it is a bale spear.  Close enough.

Got it!

Next, he headed out to the feeder.

The girls were getting curious, and dare I say hopeful.  I saw two sets of ears and eyes peeking over the hill.  They had previously hightailed it out of the dry lot when the tractor came out.

JR set the bale down and turned around to get ready to flip it right side up.

Once it was right side up, I cut the plastic netting off and threw the “hay saving net” over the bale.  Then we rolled and tilted the feeder back over the bale.

Ta-da!  Who says we aren’t getting the hang of this ranching thing?  Now, if the other facets of life would start cooperating…