Spring chores

The sheep went into the trailer without any trouble this morning.  It took less than two minutes.  I drove them to the front pasture, set up the gates so when they walked out of the trailer they'd go the right direction, and out they went into the thigh high grass.  They are so happy they don't know where to eat first. 

Then it was time to start on some of the later spring chores.  I hooked the hose up in the front of the house.  Some day I will have a better set up with underground pipes but for now, it's hoses.  The hose from the front bib goes out to a four way split.  One hose waters the roses and olive trees.  One hose fills the stock tank in the front pasture.  One hose waters the flowers and plants in the front yard.  The last hose waters the trees in the front pasture.  The three hoses that water are all drip irrigation hoses.  I don't use normal emitters on these hoses though.  I just punch a small hole, using the emitter punch, and let the water drip out that way.  It works well and I don't have the expense, albeit small, of emitters. 

The stock tank always has goldfish in it to eat the mosquitoes.  I noticed only one goldfish left.  We had four or five in the tank and I remember two dying last year.  We buried those fish with the grapevines.  I will take a few of the fish out of the back pasture tank and put them up front.  I'm watering the strawberries and grapes by hand still.  I'll hook them up to the drip system sometime but right now I take the water out of the stock tank to water them.  I figure it's got some nutrients in it from the fish.  Before it gets too hot I'll set up the drip for them. 

Now it's off to inside chores.  Somehow granddaughter's socks all disappeared so we are holding a sock hunt.  She gets a 15 minute head start to find them.  Then grandson gets to look.  Granddaughter has to pay him a nickle for every one of her socks that he finds.  She owes me a chore for every one I find.  She certainly doesn't like either of those consequences.  Perhaps someday she won't be a slob.  I hope it's before she moves out.