The best one so far... says Robert

Robert likes this bench so much he asked me the day I finished it, to build another one ... a wedding gift for a niece this spring. 

I want to make one and try to sell it.... but have no idea what price to set for it. Any ideas ?




before I stained it




after I stained it




here's proof I actually made it


This bench was pretty easy to make too...of course I probably shouldn't tell you that...Robt says it is because I am getting better at doing them that it is getting easier...or seems like it is. 

We vaccinated the cows yesterday, to keep them and their babies healthy for the summer...the cow gets the vaccine, she builds antibodies in her blood and milk and passes the antibodies on to the calf...

The whole process of working the cattle is a misery this time of the year...rarely is it ever dry enough to wear regular shoes...yesterday, we needed hip waders... after disturbing the ground last fall with our corral re-construction it was very soft, add to that a foot of snow melting on it and a hundred + cows churning it up and by the half way point it had gone from mud to muck to eventually soup...and that's the point at which I belly flopped (nearly) in the deepest hole...and then a cow came after me....before Robt could intervene...I was plastered up against the metal panel with my right foot up and between the rest of me and the cows head...apparently she took exception to my using her fecal matter as a bath product hahahahaha

She chickened out before she did too much damage...and by the time Robt got close ..I was pretty livid...I put up my hand in the STOP motion and told him to not say a word....that if he could drag me out here to do this crappy (pun intended) work again (I did get a few years reprieve when I was told I was ill) then I was going to do all the work like I used to ..not just the fluff stuff...

we tried leaving all the work on his shoulders and he couldn't keep up, it takes more than two but two is all we have so, so be it...but two of us WILL be doing the work and if he doesn't like it he knows what he can do about....call a truck to haul the cattle to auction...it would alleviate 60 % of our work load...and free up the winter months...

We have to work the cattle in the mud again in 10 days to sort them for breeding groups...certain cows go to certain bulls sort of thing...then again in May we have to separate the babies and run them through the barn for their vaccinations... and then they all get walked up the road to our other land in early June...and then.......drum roll please...we get 2 months of nearly cow free time...all we have to do is take salt and make sure the batteries of the solar waterers are charged...and move them to new pasture every couple of weeks...which means opening a gate or two... 

I love this time of year....    I got a rash and itch from spending a few hours with all that manure and mud seeping through my clothes while we finished the cattle work...and the sun block I decided to put on after getting a bit of a burn on my face two days before while hoof trimming the cows...gave me an allergic reaction and by 8 pm last night when I got to come in and shower...I had welts on my face and it was on fire....I vaguely remember there was a reason I don't wear sunblock ......but I remember now... NO Sunblock.  this stuff was the stuff made for kids with allergies...too...so so much for that...theory.