Tag Archives: weather

Weaning Steers

Posted on May 13, 2023 by John | Leave a comment

I think we’ve finally caught up and close to being on time with our ranch work since the last Atmospheric River at the end of March. We got across the creek towards the end of April when flow was down to 90 cfs to see our cows while trying to get our fences up to hold them when we gathered and weaned. Since the ARs, Dry Creek is spider-webbed with streams of sand in new high-water channels requiring some leveling with the skid steer to replace fencing and to approach the creek. Meanwhile on this side of the road and creek, we’ve had a crew building fence to better accommodate the acreage changes since Robbin and I have scaled down our activities.

But on time, our first bunch of calves will be weaned and ready for Visalia Livestock Market’s “Off the Grass Sale” on Wednesday, May 17th. They are 7-weight Vintage-sired steers. The market has been strong, though slightly weaker lately. With our cow numbers down due to acreage changes and past years of drought, we will need whatever extra money the market will offer us.

After seven days a week for nearly two months, it’s a relief to feel caught up.

Atmospheric River Repairs

Posted on May 9, 2023 by John | 1 comment

The grass has turned while we’ve been busy repairing our fences in order to sort and ship our calves to town. Because the brush catchers upstream failed to hold all the debris, our pipe fence across the high water channels when the creek was flowing 8,000 cfs (cubic feet/second) collected what leaked by until it was overwhelmed.

It’s been a slow process, but neighbors and friends brought their hydraulic muscle to stand it upright Sunday morning in a couple of hours. We had to cut it in sections and finished welding them together yesterday.

Thanks to all concerned.

1 Comment

Posted in Photographs, Ranch Journal, Video

Tagged Atmospheric Rivers, Dry Creek, hydraulic muscle, neighbors, photography, pipe fence, rain, weather

Crossing the Creek

Posted on April 23, 2023 by John | 6 comments

We haven’t been able to cross Dry Creek for three months due to the series of Atmospheric Rivers that began last December. Subsequently, Robbin and I haven’t seen the cattle for three months.

Fortunately, we had a dozer nearby to spread the cobble and sand bar evenly across the channel.

Salt hungry, they’ve been doing fine without us. We were quite pleased with both cows and calves.

6 Comments

Posted in Photographs, Ranch Journal, Video

Tagged Calves, cattle, cows, crossing, Dry Creek, photography, rain, weather

WINTER PASSION

Posted on March 30, 2023 by John | 4 comments

No spring chicken, she’s let herself go

wild after a decade of waterless summers

as if saving up the emptiness to fill at once—

every wrinkle in these hills oozing rivulets

into foaming cappuccino creeks cresting

towards runaway rivers spilling, flooding

valley towns and farm ground with lakes

and bogs—all the years of prayers answered

with much more passion than we wanted.

4 Comments

Posted in Photographs, POEMS 2023, poetry, Ranch Journal

Tagged Drought, flood, Mother Nature, photography, poetry, PRAYERS, rain, weather

INTRINSIC HABIT

Posted on March 29, 2023 by John | 2 comments

Too many years courting goddesses,

genuflecting at the foot of ridgetops:

oak trees sharp and close enough to touch

to beg relief—to even entertain

such shameful blasphemy, such

feeble will to forever lose their ear.

Every river canyon churns to fill

and spill its reservoirs, white-capped

Sierras stacked with two-year’s snowpack

awaiting summer’s melt to flood the flats

and yet I can’t concede what is not me:

always ready, waiting for a good-hard rain.

2 Comments

Posted in Photographs, POEMS 2023, poetry, Ranch Journal

Tagged dams, flood, photography, poetry, prayer, rain, rain goddess, rivers, snow, weather

Spilling Terminus Dam

Posted on March 16, 2023 by John | 2 comments

Road closures everywhere, San Joaquin Valley flooded, haven’t left Dry Creek Rd. for a week. Glad we’re on higher ground. 3.5″ more forecast Sunday thru Friday next week.

I am reminded of Christmas Eve, 1955. Much to my father’s chagrin and contrary to his good judgement, we celebrated with my mother’s parents, Dorothy and Floyd Cutler in Green Acres, Visalia. Mill Creek ran beside the home and we all took turns watching it rise on the concrete steps leading up from their garage. When it was time to leave, my Dad carried us three kids and Christmas presents through 3 feet of water to the car, then got the ’53 Buick stuck. My grandfather hooked on to it with his Studebaker pickup and we drove back to Exeter through the swamps (Lovers Lane to Anderson Road) on the two-lane highway in two plus feet of water (Kaweah River before the Terminus Dam), wincing every time we met another vehicle’s wake in the headlights.