The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

It's good to see Spring-finally!

Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher/Owner

April 25, 2018

I wondered on Sunday afternoon, will I be sorry I've put the patio furniture and cushions out? Surely, Spring is here to stay this time! I see birds have made their nests and are busy feeding new borns, and the squirrels and fat raccoons have never been busier.

I grabbed the rake and cleaned out the flower beds to make ready for warmer weather. I had worked myself all the way around the house and soon my husband came out to remind me that he is going to mow right where I was throwing sticks and leaves out of the flower beds and shrubs.

Well, I asked him who threw the sticks from the yard in my flower beds when they were mowing last fall? It couldn't have been you? He gave a smile and soon found another rake to help in the task of spring yard work.

I wore out before I had all the beds cleaned out and decided I will slowly get back in shape and rake another day. Michael, whose farming duties with calves and cattle and building and mending fences, keeps him in shape, continued cleaning up all that I had pulled out of the bushes and flowers. It wasn't long before he came indoors and said he was ready to check his cow herd and his calves for the second time. He decided it might be a good thing to take me along, so off we went after eating a light evening meal.

Counting the larger calves, giving them some hay and filling up the water tank stirred the calves up into a playful mood as if they had spring fever too. They were jumping all around the lot. In the barn, we checked on new-born twins whose mom seemed to like one better than the other, so giving mom some hay kept her distracted enought so the skinny calf could eat.

It seemed there were four more lots of cattle, calves and bulls to count followed with a long walk to the far end of the pasture to find seven more cows not quite ready to calf. Once they saw Michael, they thought he was going to feed them and followed him all the way to the gate where there was a big bale of hay. We had spotted three very fat raccoons in the corn field, but no mountain lions or coyotees, although they've been seen in the area.

After all the fresh air and walking, one does sleep better at night. I'm hoping the 32 degree weather is gone, and this warmer 70 degree weather keeps on coming. My husband and many farmers are smiling, even with hiccups in their planters as they can finally get corn and soybeans planted in the fields.

I think Spring is finally here!