Hello Darkness my old friend…….Yeah, that song.  No matter what my career choice or location has been, I thrive starting early in the AM.  Just me and the darkness.  Seriously, in the dark.

Wednesday night, I told the kids to leave the shop.  We couldn’t get a deal right.  It was jinxed.  I said, “Let’s all leave and come back with clear minds.”  A lot of these activities that we pursue in class are new to me as well.  There ain’t nothing wrong with learning and working alongside a group of kids.  I don’t do any of the welding but I will help cut, hold and point out problems.  The kids think that I just point out problems.

Thursday morning after I did chores in the dark, I headed to the ag building.  I sat on my stool and stared.  I got the sharpie and a tape measure out and made marks.  An hour later, the experta custodio showed up to do her job.  “Meester KellEn, I no mop today because the kids will just track snow into the classroom and make a mess, if that okay with you?”

That is my signal that there the light is on the way and I need to get ready.

Later in the day, when that crew of freshman got there after school, well….we made progress.  We weren’t in the dark anymore.

I truly believe that sometimes, one needs to be in the dark so that they focus and get rid of all of the peripheral crap that is always going on.  In today’s society, it is hard to be in the dark.  Too much info at the touch of a finger.  Yet, it is SO easy to be in the dark and not know any better.  People, sometimes, you just need to step back, stare into the darkness and realize what could be and what will be.  Simply put, pull your head out of your own ass.

And now, I am on the other end of this day, in the dark, typing this drivel.  Yes, in the dark.  And as I hit post, Hysteria is playing, in the dark.  And I can tell you that song is best played in the dark.

Unfortunately, your politicians work in the dark.  Basically, because they have shoved their own heads, up their own butts.  Which in turn, means that they have no light and no common sense.

L/. ,oists new shoes

Have fun, work hard and let’s do this.

Rolling blackout?!?!   Seriously????   Who makes these terms up?

And NO warning when the “rolling blackout” is going to hit.  Imagine a hog farm with a farrowing barn full of babies.  A greenhouse full of plugs and young plants.  Damn!    Give them some warning so that they can get a propane heater or a generator going.  Come on, man!

Common sense.  A simple message from the Southwest Power Pool (who ever heard of them before this week?) to their member companies–“Hey, we are cutting your power from this time to this time.”  Then, the individual companies could notify their customers.  “These lines will be off from this time to this time.”

And I could give a baboon’s red ass about these “grow houses” that have recently been built in Oklahoma or elsewhere for that matter.  Anybody that voted for ANY of the current ass hats in office should have their power cut–potus, senate, house–they all need to be gone.  Guess what?  I still have power as I didn’t vote for any of them.  Send all of them out into the Frigidaire and let them earn their keep, just like all of us.

Speaking of common sense.  All over the midwest, border to border, people are risking their lives to care for livestock, take care of neighbors and do what they can do to take care of their own.  Vet clinics are full of newborn calves that are dealing with hypothermia, or didn’t get colostrum and need a blood transfusion or frost bit parts.  There will be a lot of bulls that won’t fertility test this spring.  People are working to keep power going, water lines flowing, barns/houses heated, trucking supplies to all corners of this nation…yet, we are going to use power to have a basketball game in OKC.  In a big arena, with NO fans????     NOOOO!!!!

People in charge need to Stop and perform this simple exercise.  Stand with hands out-stretched above your head.  Take your left hand and reach over and grab your right ear.  Now, take your right hand and grab your left ear.  Now, with both hands, PULL your head out of your own ass!

Zero fossil fuels?    Dumb asses!

Last summer, a dude in Shattuck hit me up about putting up small square bales of alfalfa.  Sure.  I’m in.  I don’t use a whole pile of alfalfa but I would take 50 bales.  He texted when he was baling.  We went to get it out of the field.  I looked at it and then called him.  “Hey Don.  Is it okay if I take 100 bales instead of 50?”  This was some primo stuff.

Also last summer, our neighbor, the legendary Johnny File, had some wicked looking wheat straw left standing in a field.  It had been cut with a stripper header and the straw was clean.  I called and asked him if I could put up straw bales.  He said get after it.  I called other neighbors and we put up 400 bales.  I kept 130 bales.  My mistake?  I didn’t put up a 1,000.  It was dang good straw.  And another neighbor baled it up with a twine tie baler.  Oh, these bales “pop” when you cut the twine.  And no dust.

Now, during this butt-ass cold 2 week long blast, I have fed more alfalfa small square bales than I ever planned and several of us have used those straw bales to bed goats, pigs, sheep, cattle, dogs, etc.

Both deals were common sense.  That’s it.  Not some super intelligence, just common sense.  The opportunity to do right presented itself.  That’s it.  And of course, the Dragon Lady is now asking me why I didn’t buy more alfalfa or bale up more straw.  I cannot argue with her as she has been great help.  Yet, we’ve still got plenty.  Unless we get another couple weeks of this crap.

Stay warm!  Keep the stock warm, watered and fed.  We are another day closer to it warming up.

Rolling blackouts–my ass!

Thank you to all that called, bid and/or bought in last night’s buck sale.  I wasn’t sure if any of them would get a bid as right now, I have no desire to own another piece of livestock.  I could understand why the rest of the world would be of the same mindset.

It is of interest to note, that 4 of the 5 bucks went to either coast where they aren’t fighting this current frozen tundra.  Which means that Bob May is going to profit more from this sale than Milligan will.  Haaaa!!!

The next sale pics are posted.  Give me a holler.  I’ll gladly talk them.

I’ve never been banned from book face.  Personally, I don’t post much.  Most of my posts are for the Shattuck FFA page.  However, I find it amusing when somebody gets put in book face jail.  I do know of a guy that would like to kick Zuckerberg’s ribs out.  He might be old, but I bet he could do it.

I just finished filling out some required-by-law U.S. census report online.  This deal took awhile.  I hate giving out info as one just never knows what they are doing with the info.

Years ago, I wrote a post about the Polish people.  Once again, this under-rated nation might be leading the charge.  Do some homework and read up on how they are handling the social media giant removing/banning posts.  I bet you haven’t heard anything about this on your American news channels.

It’s not warm but it could be worse.  I guess.  At the least the wind isn’t howling.

Have a good one and a better tomorrow.  Stay warm and take care of the stock.

It is currently Juan degree outside.  One.  The plunge continues.  One damn degree.  I know it could be worse.  Way worse!

Weird thing today.  I woke up thinking about eating chili and I really wanted a chili dog.  This afternoon, I was getting ready to leave Shattuck, so I called the Dragon Lady to see if she needed anything.  Her reply, “See if the grocery store has any hotdog buns left, I’m craving a chili dog.”    And that my friends, is one of many reasons that she is my one & only valentine.

And now, we are thawing out some frozen chili and cooking some 1/4 pound, all beef dogs.  Big, fat wieners that will take two hands to hold.

Yes, there is more than one direction that I could go with the previous sentence.  But tonight, I choose to just leave it alone.  This is one of the one & only times that I am on good behavior.

Each time that I eat chili, I think about the Ron White story of the chili capitol of the world.  And it is a goat related story.  Juan with an onion and a pepper, riding a goat to a chili cook off and he comes home with a trophy and no goat.

I have one question for you.  Why won’t a doe goat drink in the dark?  They have to be really thirsty to drink when it is dark.  I’ve always thought that goats have very poor night vision.  Plus, they are dumb.  I guess it is an old instinct, you know prey vs. predator kind of thing.

One week from now, I will be loading Herfy the Hereford Hog on a trailer.  He has an appointment at the Gage Locker on the morning of Feb. 22.  For one thing, I’m ready to eat some fresh pig.

Keep it warm.  Keep it real.  And even though the temps are getting ready to be negative, I’m positive I’ll need more than one!

I’ve never had a buck sale in February before.  This will be the first and last Feb. buck sale for me.  I don’t have a clue how it will go.  The current weather conditions will play a role–one way or the other.  Either bidders will be trapped inside due to the extreme cold and with nothing else to do, will peruse this online offering.  Or, they will be like, “I don’t want to own livestock in this extreme bull$h!t and I’m not bidding on another goat until it warms up.

We will see.

Make sure your stock is getting a good drink every day.  Feed them some hay.  Especially bucks and wethers.  Give them some grass hay that is high in roughage.  Not bermuda hay, but a stemmy native grass hay.  That stuff will help stir their rumen, providing body heat.  And it helps balance out the calcium to phosphorous ratio and prevent kidney stones.

One thing about these winter storms…..they are good for selling fuel, bread, milk and alcohol.  I didn’t stock up on bread and milk.   My diesel tanks for tractor fuel are gelled up.  I’ve moved round bales to make a wind block for cows & calves.  All of the goat sheds are strawed down.  The goats in the kidding barn do not even realize that there is an ass-kicking cold blast this week, last week and probably won’t feel the discomfort next week either.

Stay warm.  Stay safe.  Keep the water flowing.  For those of you kidding, lambing or calving right now, I feel for you.  A week from now will be better.

Destruction is not one word.  It isn’t.  It is two words–Doe Goats.

Sure, there are more destructive elements in the world, such as weather.  But, in the animal kingdom, it is hard to find a more destructive creature.  How you say?  Well let’s list it.

1–Curse words–pick one, use em all (my favorites involve the terms–you sack of monkey crap, owl-headed, sideways-headed, the letter M and the letter F, then a whole string of expletives, throw something and the letters F & U.)  It’s kind of like watching Sesame Street with added verbs, nouns, adjectives and pronouns.  Yes, we are talking about the obvious head butting on any object that can be hit.  A doe can be a submissive in a group, but separate her and put a panel between her and the others and well, that female dog will act like she is tough and that panel is getting ready to be tore up like a fat kid ripping open a Twinkies package.  Why do we burn horns on wethers/bucks yet leave the horns on the destructive beasts?

2–Rubbing.   Non-stop, year round.  They will rub on anything and everything.  Just like we learned in Earth science back in junior high, weathering is the term that applies.  As a glacier scours the Earth, a doe goat will eventually erode everything in its path.

3–Climbing.   This is the goat trick that absolutely destroys and wears down everything.  Other species don’t have this ability.  A round bale of hay–a goat will find its way to the top, which in turn wastes hay.  Feet 3 foot high on a panel.  Eventually the panel wears down. 11 wire barb wire fence–yeah, a doe goat will eventually take the tension right out of that defense.  Constant upkeep. I want to see a name-brand doe with that name.

4–Pawing–Yeah, have yourself a concrete foundation somewhere in the pen.  A doe goat will paw next to it for a couple of minutes, then lay down.  Several times a day, everyday, every month, every year.  More weathering.  I guaran-dang-tee-ya that if there is a concrete wall, foundation, retaining wall in the midst of a doe goat, that foundation will become exposed.  Can a sow hog do the same?  Yes.  Yes they can.  Which brings us to the next item.

5–No other species can do all of the above.  Yet, a doe goat can take it to the next level.  They will climb on top and then CRAP on it.  Then piss on it.  There is a 1/4 of  a round bale left.  Let’s climb on top, crap and pee on it while we are there and now, it is inedible.  The dumb asses defiled their own food just because they could.  Every time.  Welfare?  sure.  Un-educated Democrats?  Hard to deny the comparisons.

6–The worst.  Absolutely the worst part of a doe goat, is the complete lack of spatial awareness and the willingness to plow a friend doe at the feed trough, which in turn hurts a baby.  I turn into Anakin Skywalker when I witness this.  I want to kill them all. I hate them.  They aren’t right.

And that, my friends, should answer any questions about why I am selling out.

Please be taking advance warnings of these weather warnings regarding this cold, cold shit!  Take care of the stock, take care of yourselves and please say a prayer.  We all need all of the help that we can get.  Horseshoes and shamrocks to all of you!  I hope that tomorrow will be better than today.

P.S.  I hope that I don’t know anybody in this 100+ pileup in Ft. Worth.  Be safe my friends!

I’ve never had a desire to be a full-time farmer…..till now.   I now understand how those notherners that farm full-time with no livestock make it through the days during the winter months.  They all have a big ass, well insulated, heated shop.  They weld, tinker and work on equipment during the day, all while drinking.  No stock to worry about birthing, dying, waterering, doctoring or feeding.  Make sure the generator has gas and the well has a heat lamp.  And that there is either a clear path, through the snow, back to the house.  That, or a cot in that big-ass, heated shop.

Cheers to those in northern tier states that raise livestock.  I’ve written it before but congrats on your dedication.

In the next day or so, we will start dealing with some first-world kind of problems.  Like hooking a generator up to the solar wells in order to fill cattle tanks.  Once again, your president and his cohort ass-clowns can take their anti-fossil fuel agendas and put them where their heads are already located–directly up somebody else’s ass.   At this juncture in time, a developed nation cannot operate without the use of fossil fuels of some sort.  Sure, we need to be cleaner and more efficient.  But, there has to be a reality check.  Yes, we need to be looking for alternatives fuel sources.

Decades ago, on a misty Saturday morning, I stopped in to the Waynoka CooP.  There was a group of guys there.  One particular cowboy was in the midst of the coffee drinkers.  He always had a way with words.  Somebody asked him if he was back in good graces with his wife.  I will never forget his reply.  The reply had no profanity yet, one might not want a young un to read the following.

“I would say that the only way that I was to enter human flesh is if I was to stick my own thumb, up my own ass.”

And that is how I think of the current weather conditions as well as the clown show in the 20003 zip code.

I’ve had plenty of people reach out to me about what equipment we will be selling.  Honest answer.  I don’t know and I’m not going to think about it until I don’t have goats around here.  I’m sure that there will be some creep feeders and feed troughs.  Maybe some round bale feeders and maybe some square bale feeders.  Maybe I’ll sell the semen tank but then I would still need one for cattle juice.

Clipping stands…maybe.  Maybe not.  Clippers, no, well maybe.  Because I’ve got a lot of different clippers and blades.  Then again, if I’ve got that many clippers, I probably need to part with some.  Kidding pens…sure, probably.  Horn burners, burning boxes, show boxes, trailers and such….yep.

Scales–probably should.  I think every show family needs a set of scales.  However, we don’t show anymore and we have 2 sets of scales.  I could probably part with a set.  I think I will.  Although, I do occasionally weigh myself.

Popper—NO.  I use it for multiple things for myself.  And I use it in the ag pickup.  Neighbors borrow it.  Can’t replace it.

Blowers—-there are a pair of Sullivan blowers.  Both–definitely NOT!   One of them–maybe.  Blowers are great to use to clean out grain drill boxes.  Blow out air filters.  Clean shop floors.  Blow out spider webs in barn corners.  Get done brush beating and you can blow all the grass off the top of the beater.  And after tonight, blow dry newborn calves.  Too many uses and new ones cost too much.

And I dang sure am not getting rid of my red “show box” bucket that I won at an NRA drawing.  Too many miles and memories with that bucket.

It’s butt-ass cold here.  And sounds like it will get worse.  I’m glad that I don’t live north of here.  I put straw bales down in all of the barns and huts.  Especially with the bucks.  That way they don’t freeze their nuts to the ground.

That many millions of dollars spent, a year of planning, the largest stage in the world and THAT was the half-time show?  That sucked.

I only watched a minute or so of the actual game.  I wanted to see some good commercials and the half-time show.  None of which was even close to being good.  I’m sure that the artist that answers to The Weeknd is talented.  But, my oh my, that was not good.

The best things about this “supper” bowl Sunday had nothing to do with football.  Made it into church.  I need all the help that I can get.  Then, got back to paradise to meet some Texans that drove up to look at bucks.  I enjoyed the chat even though it was cold and damp.  I spent the majority of the day dealing with county stock show stuff.  Always fun.

When, I got back home, I spread straw in all of the goat huts.  Especially the buck pens.  That way they won’t freeze their nuts to the dirt during this butt-ass cold spell that we are going to see this week.   We are going to be really cold this week, but as I look at weather forecasts north of here…..OH MY!!  I will shut my mouth and be glad that I’m not a yankee.

The Dragon Lady grilled some $5.99/lb  t-bone’s that I bought on sale.  I actually bought these steaks to be used for Meat ID and as a class in a judging contest.  And now, I ate them.  Good steak.

I recently tried some Whistle Pig rye whiskey.  I didn’t buy it but I had more than my share.  I’m not sure if I can whistle anymore, but dang it was smooth.

Time for me to say good night.  Have a good one and a better tomorrow.

We all take stuff for granted.  But there are some volunteers that are simply more important than others.  I could rank a list but I won’t.  There is only one on this list and that # 1 is Volunteer Fire Departments and the people that volunteer.

No, I have never been a volunteer fireman.  I should but I have always worked in other towns or been on the road too much to count on.  I’ve got some brother-in-laws that serve their time to help.  But, no, I have not.

Volunteer fire fighters are an integral part of Rural America.  They come a running to help their neighbor.  Always.  And for what?   A little bit of retirement.  And not enough insurance to cover their funeral if the worst happens.  But, yet, they still do the job.  This is truly what made America–some people that willingly face danger in order to protect others and with no reward for their efforts.  These volunteers may be the last bastion of true Americans–no politics, just take care of the job, your neighbors, your community–with little or no reward.  That’s how everything should be.

Friday, in Waynoka, there are two funeral services for two fallen volunteer fire fighters.  No, I did not teach either of them.  One was a few years older than my time there and the other a few years a younger.  Yes, I knew them both.  And I know a lot of their families.  Good, good people.  Exactly the kind that you would expect to be volunteer fire fighters.  Hard working, self-less, community-oriented and yeah, they knew a good time.

Prayers for the families and friends.  Please pray for all volunteer fire fighters as they do their un-paid jobs.

You can keep all these over-paid athletes, actors and musicians.  I’ll stick with the military personnel and the fire fighters.

In closing, I haven’t got any thing else to say except, “THANK YOU!”  To all of you.  For all that you do.

On a funnier note, listen to the Jerry Clower story of Uncle Versey and his family  saving the day by putting a fire out.  If you already know the story, you are smiling.  If you don’t know, well, you should.

GOD bless!   Home sweet home, wherever that may be.

Turn it up!!!!!!