Today begins with cool breezy fog and overcast and ends with thunder, heavy rain, and another shot of light hail. Close to 2” of rain has fallen over the last six days, at times as hail, downpour, or steady drizzle. Only today, have all the cows finally moved out of NG1 (at times in SG6) into SG7, now on their way to WL2-the intended destination 11 days ago. A winter-like storm on the 10th compelled me to drop the fence on the east end of WL4 allowing the calving cows to drift east into the sagebrush and breaks of NG1 and SG6 to escape the stinging NW winds of the storm. While uncomfortable with the unplanned long grazing period, the abundant moisture will encourage plant recovery. The cows are close to ¾ done calving. The unexplained deaths of over 10 calves (we posted a few) seemed to be caused by a poorly understood respiratory infection. During this time, towhees, goldfinches, orioles, brewer sparrows, and lark buntings have arrived. Erysimum asperum, Astragulus pectinatus and missouriensis, Erigeron compositus and ochroleucus, Zygadenus venonosus, Hymenoxys acaulis, Castilleja sessiliflora, and Cryptantha celosiodes are the showy flowers of this stage of spring. Spring Flowers
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Bill Milton
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