Yesterday afternoon I walked up through the fields the cattle are in to look for any signs of more calving.  This was the view back down toward the barn as I returned toward the house.    Matt has been tied up with needs to travel to Bozeman and to tend to furnace problems at his mother's house, so we have been keeping an eye out on the herd, and providing water and checks on the newborn premature calf and mother. Yesterday, I also went down to Ginny's and spent a little time playing tunes on the old foot pump organ by her wood burning stove.
The local news provides hints as to how different our world is out this way.  Not that I would call this a crime spree, but here are some listings in yesterday's police blotter from the Livingston Enterprise:

A man who was just arrested called the police to ask an officer to check on his cat and take a roast out of the oven.

A caller reported that an elderly man went to look at the train wreck, and came home with a pig.  The caller later reported that there was no pig-  the man was just confused.  We are pleased to report this was not Steve.

A woman called with a report of a suspicious vehicle in her parking lot. The investigating officer reported that this was an older gentleman eating lunch.  We are pleased to report this was not Steve.

A man reported finding a young woman sleeping in his carport around 5 A.M.  He said she told him that she fell in the river and was extremely intoxicated.  A police officer transported her to her home. We are pleased to report this was not Betsy.

Other local news included agenda for the School Committee meeting.  If these were the issues tackled in one evening, I can understand why Hannibal, who was school superintendent when we were here for our sabbatical may have decided to resign and shift his school superintending up to the northwest corner of Alaska!

Votes were to be taken on the following issues:

Employee cell phone use in school.

Appropriate use of social networking for teachers , especially when relating to students.

Appropriate conduct for school volunteers and chaperones.

Policy defining copyright rules for teaching materials.

A policy defining appropriate and inappropriate expression of religion in school..

A policy relating to fingerprinting and background checking for both school employees and volunteers.

Restructuring plans for the high school in response to having not met state requirements for graduation rates in 2012.

Hmmmm, well if this committee could tackle and resolve all of those issues in one evening, perhaps we should send them all to Washington!!!

I took Loki out for her early walk at 7 this morning.  Halfway down the drive, I realized that there were 20 elk heading diagonally across a field through the snow towards the ranch's hay supply (not fenced).  So I diverted and walked Loki over around the hay.  The elk shifted direction and moseyed up hill instead.  Matt arrived for early chores and I mentioned the elk.  He headed right up to the barn and shot off a few rounds (not at the elk) to discourage their coming back this way.