I received a text from a man in west central Illinois who said, “I wish you guys in western Oklahoma were getting some of the rain we have had.”
I asked him how much he has received and he said, “I have lost track but well over 8 inches this month so far.” He said the corn and beans are not liking that much rain. Two or three weeks ago we finally started getting some very much needed rain in western Oklahoma. But even at that it has been very spotty. Three or four miles away from a pasture that looks green I have another pasture that is very yellow looking and the grass is short.
A few days ago we got quite a bit of hail in places. I’m not sure how religious these roofing companies are, but I definitely think they pray for hail. Bright and early the next morning they were prowling the streets.
The fat cattle trade last week was $258 to $260 per hundredweight in the north and south. I am amazed we are still at these levels. There are 15 screwworm cases so far in the United States.
Our entire livelihood in the farming and ranching business depends on moisture, and when things are going good most of us take it for granted. Then when we get extremely dry we start asking God to send us rain. Be sure and tell God thank you for the rain and Illinois might say, “Lord please slow it down.”
A couple of weeks ago in Sunday school the preacher announced, “Terry would not be there because they took him to the hospital.” He has become a good friend and both of us tease each other enough on the regular Sunday school chat group. The preacher put just me and Terry on a separate chat group because he could never tell what Terry or myself would say teasing each other.
The following Sunday Terry was back in Sunday school. I told Terry I was very glad he was back because I was afraid I couldn’t find a bucket for him to kick.
This week in Sunday school the preacher was talking about them trying to find a wife for Isaac and in the process Abraham’s servant had given Rebekah a gold ring for her nose and two large gold bracelets for her wrists.
So, if you know me well I spoke up and said, “If I ever get married I want my wife to have a nose ring in case I need to give it a yank.” And yes, I did get a little reaction from the women in the class.
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the view of High Plains Journal. Jerry Nine, Woodward, Oklahoma, is a lifetime cattleman and grew up on his family’s ranch near Slapout, Oklahoma.
