There oughta be a law

The July 4^th weekend has come to a close once again. It is hard to believe and appreciate that the days are actually now getting shorter than they were prior to the summer solstice. We enjoyed a great night at the wedding and reception that was a perfect Columbia Basin night for July. It was not too hot, there were no thunder storms and it really was a great evening. Congrats to Randi and Rob and best wishes on a life full of love, memories, and help at the spring branding.

If you have to leave your cousins wedding reception early because someone called and told you cows were out, you might be a redneck, or me as the case was Saturday night. Luckily it was not many cows and they went back in quite easily. Sunday dawned bright and clear but there was a bit of wind that would steadily increase throughout the day. The family went to our friends beautiful home and enjoyed a great day of excellent food, great friends, the pool and water slides and later an “illegal” yet excellent fireworks show. Thank you to all of you that hosted, cooked and provided a great day to celebrate our nation’s independence.

I really was not sure where today’s blog was going when I started but I have decided I am going to do a soapbox moment since I really have nothing else. I am a great believer in freedom and love many things about this great nation of ours. I certainly would not want to live anywhere else but I sometimes think our great nation of freedom has started down a slippery slope because we always feel we have to do something and by something it usually means the whole idea of “there oughta be a law.”

I started my Independence Day well enough. I awoke in my own home; I had a choice of what time I wanted to wake up and what time I wanted to leave the bedroom and the house. So far so good but that was the end point of my “freedom”. I started up my pickup that has a speedometer that does not work, has a cracked windshield, and currently does not have the exhaust system all attached. The moment I backed out of the driveway and onto the county road I was already a three strikes offender. I am a believer in wearing my seatbelt but when I am going to drive .3 miles and not attain a speed of 37 m.p.h I rarely put it on. I will point out that although I am a believer in seatbelts I am none too happy that a governmental agency “tells” me I “have” to wear it.

I changed some irrigation water and fed the fall calving cows in the corral and although I do not know what specific laws I broke I am sure there were at least one or two. I know that I did not perform a pre trip inspection of my pickup, tractor, irrigation pump or colon at anytime yesterday morning which surely made me a scofflaw. Just to make sure I was a rebel I crossed the Potholes canal bridge at 51 m.p.h just to feel free. At least I am guessing it was 51m.p.h based on my tachometer and since my speedometer is not working. While out changing water I noticed at least one noxious weed that I had not mowed or sprayed placing me farther outside the realm of the good loyal (subjects) or citizens written laws.

I then went to the party and had a beer which was legal but if I had drunk that beer on the way to the party would have been illegal. I only drank one beer yesterday as this cold is still kicking my ass. You know I am not feeling well when I drink one beer on the Fourth of July. Not only did I go to the party I drove my pickup that has no mud flaps which is a no-no here in the land of the free. The party was great but I was amazed that all of us were able to eat and nobody died without the presence of anyone from the Department of Health to monitor the cooking and food preparation. I saw one guy actually pull a chunk of steaming pork from a whole cooked hog without gloves and eat it. Clearly this man should be incarcerated immediately.

Anyway, I will stop my rant but honestly please as election season nears ask your candidates just where they stand on some of these issues. From my perspective it sure seems like the more we try to “save ourselves” the deeper our problems and negative issues manifest themselves. I have always felt lucky to be an American. I have always appreciated that the British showed up to squash a revolution dressed in uniforms that are the same color as targets. What the hell were they thinking anyway? Their planning commission really failed them. We should dress in bright red and then send a drummer boy through the forest at the front of the troops so some freedom lover that is standing behind a tree has no idea where we are. Think freedom people, think freedom and what that means to you.

Today’s real environmentalist species found on the ranch is the Barn Swallow aka Hirundo rustica.

Today’s picture is of the first “fall” calf of 2010. I know it is too early but this is a cow I bought this past winter and her and her mates are all looking to calve on the front end of the fall. The calf is healthy, alert, got its first milk and is alive. I would like to make this a law for all calves but nature has her own way of making laws.