Kenny and I worked all day cleaning out the pen behind our house to put Sugar in so we can keep a closer eye on her. It was the old working pen complete with squeeze chute where my father worked the cows with help from us kids and an occasional neighbor. As I guided the skid steer loader, knocking down the decrepit loading chute and splintered gates, I thought of all the times I'd been in that pen ~ holding the job of "tail holder" while branding calves, keeping an eye on the fire when dehorning and almost being run over by irate cows. It was the pen where my mother found me after fifteen frantic minutes early one Sunday morning, happily riding a horse alone for the first time ~ I was five and determined to ride our cow pony Houston (Mom loves telling that story! :). It was a bittersweet time and Kenny seemed to know it ~ he stayed on the other side of the barn, flattening some dirt piles and filling in holes while I threw out the old and brought in the new.
I think Sugar approves! She followed me and a can of sweet feed right on in! I stayed a good four feet ahead of her, of course ~ she's not a happy camper lately and those horns are long. Bless her heart, it wasn't hard to stay ahead of her! She doesn't move too fast lately. ;)
