The Bush

Sky High over our Dip…

May 30, 2008 / 5 Comments
We were working at the yards this week… it’s weaning time.
That means we muster in all of our breeders (cows and calves) and seperate them, giving the mothers a rest through the winter before they calve again in the spring.
Not everyone is entirely thrilled with this course of action.
C’mon kid… be brave!

But they get over it, and soon figure out that it’s better to shut up and eat hay (while the sun shines!). That’s the spirit, little man!

I get to help scan each cow (all our cattle have electronic ear devices called NLIS tags) into this little portable computer thingy (hey, I never claimed to be the family nerd!) and give them an injection to help prevent them losing their unborn calf . I’m not much chop at the last bit – SSB usually takes pity and does it for me.
…
We need to test each cow to see if she’s in calf again… but I’m saving that activity for a later post! Let’s just say we don’t get them to wee on a stick!
…
So there we were, working amid the dust and cows and bawling calves…
It was noisy and dirty.
But fun in it’s own kinda way.
My daughter thrives on a litte dirt and dust!
And the rest of view wasn’t too bad either… Mmmmm.
Where was I?
Oh. Views. Right.
So anyway, when I looked to the north – well, here was my view:

Can you see what I see?

To help, I have labelled this pic for you – in case your experience at a set of cattleyards is a bit limited. The crush (race leading cattle through the section we can hold and administer treatments and scan their tags) is to the right, out of shot; the dip is like a long bath for the cattle, filled with special stuff to get rid of ticks; the hay shed houses hay for feeding (natch) and…

See that circle in the sky?

It’s a plane. A looooong way up.

And as I scanned and needled and opened gates, I wondered…

Who was on that plane, soaring southwards, miles above us?

Did they look down?

Did they have a navigation map on their little screens, hearing about the temperature and rainfall averages for northern Australia?
Were they coming into Australia on business?

On holiday?

On the run?

Or are they Aussies, like me, who came home after exploring the world. Saturated with the colour and action and intrigue and history of the outside world, but relieved to be back in wonderful, laid-back familiar Australia.

Did they wonder who lived here, miles below, as I wonder about them?

I hope they are as happy and content as I am.

Whoever they are.

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5 Comments

  • debby
    May 30, 2008 at 8:39 am Reply

    Jees, BB. My mind wanders off on tangents like this all the time. I’ve actually wondered about planes and who was on them, all of that. It’s so weird to read other people writing down my thinks. It makes me feel…strangely…not as strange as I thought I was. Write on, sister!

  • Andrea
    May 30, 2008 at 2:32 pm Reply

    Wow that is a serious zoom lens you have there!! My little man is saying, “wow, air plane, and look dat cow eat hay!!”

  • Bush Babe (of Granite Glen)
    May 30, 2008 at 3:39 pm Reply

    Debby – I always knew we were Sistahs at heart!!! Vague and dreamy (can be) my middle names!

    Jayne – I’d a got a shot of that!!! That WOULD make the blog…

    Andrea – glad your little fella liked the pics… and my lense is good (although last pic blown up to heck, hence pixelisation!).

    BB

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