Falling behind and jumping ahead

Falling behind . . .
 
It is a mess around here.

My garden has never looked worse.  There will be no pictures of it for awhile.  It is usually completely mulched by now, with the edges neatly mowed.

I usually clean up the greenhouse every Saturday after market - getting the plants that didn't sell back into alphabetical order, consolidating trays and making room for what we will be potting up in the coming week.  But I haven't straightened it in two weeks, and that is just shy of infinity in a greenhouse. 

The lawn still hasn't been mowed.  I am lamenting the lack of rain.  However, given that the service man still hasn't shown up (after three broken appointments), I am thankful that the grass hasn't been growing very fast. 

Why am I so behind around here?  Well, I'm adding two pastures with 12 paddocks in them, in part because of that lack of rain.  The cows need fodder and the pastures aren't growing.  Less than 3" of rain the whole month of April. 

Okay, the pasture project has taken up some time, but the big time consumer has been training the three new cows - our heifers Lucky, Smarty Pants and Dolly, a.k.a. Larry, Curly and Mo.  Lucky was a dream, and I had high hopes that having hand raised these little darlings would mean that training them to milk would be a piece of cake.  Oh, my, was I wrong!  Smarty Pants is finally trained.  It is hard to believe that just a week ago it took four of us to milk her. It was tough work, and tiring.  We really needed a rest after that, but Dolly freshened before Smarty Pants was completely trained.   We started milking Dolly three days ago, and she has proven to be at least as trying as Smarty Pants.  I just keep telling myself that she is doing better every day.  She is the last of the heifers.  The rest of the girls will have their babies and come into the barn without a fuss.  Phew!!!!!!!

Jumping ahead . . .
 
Today Androo and I worked in the greenhouse all day.  Everything is in place.  It was a fruit day, and every last fruiting seedling is potted up.  That is the last step until they are sold or go into the garden.  What a load off!

Allen is coming to mow on Friday, with old blades and old oil.  So be it.  I need the lawn mowed.  Looking at the long uneven tufts of overgrown grass is depressing me. 

As for the pasture, it should be 75% complete by Wednesday night. I suppose I am overly optimistic to think that the cows will be grazing on their new pasture on Thursday, but I can hope.