Under the Wire

I give up

 

November 9, 2022



This story is very hard to write because I am, in a way, having to retract a statement I have made quite often the past few months. Even worse I must “throw in the towel," “wave the white flag” and any other saying that describes defeat.

This past summer I have complained about flies. Living with feedlots, large dairies and our own contribution to fly habit with horse and cattle pens near by, we must live in fly nirvana. “I can’t wait for the first freeze to kill these pesky flies," had come out of my mouth a hundred times. They tried to help me eat my steak cooked on the grill this past summer. When discouraged at that, they decided to just eat me instead. Our resident population of house, heel, horn, horse and deer flies to name a few I am now on a first name basis with, seemed amused by my fly strips, smelly traps and feeble attempts with a fly swatter. Gave some thought to my little 410 shotgun but could see too many potential downsides to that option.

My problem is this. It got eight degrees a couple of weeks ago and flies, along with most weeds and mosquitoes, are gone for another year.

The only creatures on our ranch that were happier than me were our horses who had been constantly stomping and swishing continually the past several months.

I know they are happier because last week we caught and saddled them to begin gathering cattle for calf weaning and shipping. Their hair was a bit longer due to the colder temperature but the cinch latigoes did not draw up as far as earlier in the summer. They had gained a few pounds. When we unloaded them from the trailer in the first pasture and mounted up, old Freckles headed out with a spring in his step. Within a quarter mile he was getting kind of obnoxious and prancing. Obviously, he was feeling pretty energetic. As we topped a small hill, he seemed ready to buck, not too far off I saw son David, working to stay on his bucking horse. Cowboy helper Kenny’s paint was trying to decide whether to watch the action or join in. Can’t say I know how that came out since I was kind of busy staying out of the hospital again.

All three, normally very business minded steeds had found themselves with way too much extra energy from lacking flies to fight.

Now I must admit, I miss those flies. I had forgotten that “fly-less horses can send their riders flying.”

Boy will I be glad when spring brings back the flies. I give up. They win.

 

Reader Comments(0)

 
 

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024