Celebrating Rainfall and Fishing

The Ninnescah River looked a little like the wash cycle in a clothes washing machine with lots of little bubbles frothing to the surface. 

But nobody had gotten careless with the detergent. Instead, the frothiness was caused by the pressure of water rushing through a dam there. 

It had been years since we'd seen that much water and flow at the Ninnescah River pasture where some of our cows and calves spend their summer vacations.

 

There was even water working its way from water holes north of the river and spilling into it. 

 

 

Randy and I had taken the Gator to the pasture for fishing Friday afternoon (May 30). During the past month, we've received between 5 and 6 inches of rain. As we approached the dam, both of us commented on how the rainfall should help the Cheney Watershed, which has suffered from persistent drought in the past few years. 

From https://www.cheneylakewatershed.org

The Cheney Lake Watershed (North Fork Ninnescah River) covers 633,000 acres within five counties in south central Kansas including portions of Reno, Stafford, Pratt, Kingman, and Kiowa counties. More than 99 percent of the watershed is used for agricultural purposes. Also included is the Cheney Reservoir, an important source of drinking water and recreation for the City of Wichita and surrounding communities. More than 70 percent of Wichita's water is taken from the reservoir. 

Since last summer, weather forecasters on the Wichita television stations have reported on the low water levels at Cheney Lake. Ross Jansen, KWCH-TV's chief meteorologist, shared this map:

Here's what the graphic had to say: Where does the rain need to fall in order to fill up Cheney Lake? Other than the obvious (right over the lake), here's a map to show the watershed.

Looking at the water just before it reaches the dam - no "foam" on this side.

According to news reports, our May rains did have an impact on Cheney Lake, which was up more than 17 inches since the morning of Saturday, May 24, and up 7.68 inches since Wednesday, May 28, at 7 a.m. That’s  more than 3.2 billion gallons of water, according to KWCH. 

The lake now sits at 6.60 feet below normal. However, Wichita remains under Stage 2 drought restrictions, which it implemented August 2024. The yearly average water level at Cheney Reservoir must be at least 70 percent for the drought restrictions to be lifted.

But, it is good news for Cheney Reservoir and the city of Wichita. And it's a boon for all the farmers and ranchers who rely on the Ninnescah for their livelihoods.  

 

Thankfully, we don't rely on fishing to put meat on the table, though we do rely on the Ninnescah to provide water and rich vegetation for our mamas and baby calves. 

 

We wondered if the water was moving too quickly for Randy to even get a bite.  

However, success! 

 

He caught a 4-pound catfish. He had another catfish on the line (he says), but it got away. 

 

I can neither affirm or deny this fish tale. I had cataract and glaucoma stent surgery on my left eye May 19, so I'm not seeing particularly well at the moment. Thank goodness for iphone cameras to capture the moment easily. It was enough for a tasty fried fish supper at The County Line. 

 

Candid Camera: Calf Version

 

Working baby calves is a bit different for me these days. While other people do the work, I stand around and point my camera at cute baby faces. That works for me. Retirement certainly cuts down on the bruised shins, the manure-smeared jeans and sore muscles. 

I admit it: I'm a sucker for baby faces, especially the faces with unusual markings. No. 33 kept catching my eye. But he was not the only one. 

One of these calves is not like the others. (There were other light-colored calves in the bunch. They just weren't in this photo.)

We have turned the daily feeding and care of our cow-calf herd to Tye and Todd Miller, though we still own the cattle. They run our cows with their own herd. When babies are born, our calves get the yellow ear tags and the Millers' get the blue ones. 

During calf-working day, it used to be Randy giving the shots. Now, it's Tye and Todd, along with Norva Lee who keeps the syringes filled and the pour-on applied.

Randy and Tye's friend, Aaron, helped get the calves up the lane, ready for their "doctor's appointments."

 

Todd asked if I missed the work. He offered to let me join in. However, it looked like they had it handled.

Peekaboo!

 

 And that gave me free reign on checking out the cute babies ...

 

... And the cute helpers.

 

Oh Baby Face!

Baby face

You've got the cutest little baby face.

 

 

There ain't nobody can ever take your place

Baby face

My poor heart's jumping
You started something 

 

 

Baby face, I'm up in heaven 

when I'm in your fond embrace.

 

I didn't need a shove, 'cause I just fell in love
With your pretty baby face.

 

It's that time of the year. And we don't envy the job that Tye and Todd are going to have to accomplish in the next few days of sub-zero wind chills. It's calving season for our cow herd. The Polar Express is a rude "welcome to the world" for any babies born in the next few days. 

While we aren't involved in the day-to-day operations any longer, we do still own cows and calves. But we definitely remember the days of 'round-the-clock checks on mamas in the maternity ward. And we salute Tye and Todd - as well as other livestock stewards - who will be braving winter weather to care for their animals.

 

As I've mentioned before, Tye and Todd have liberal visitation policies when it comes to our visits to see the new babies. A bunch of them are already on the ground. Some arrived during the last storm and didn't seem particularly bothered by napping on snow-covered ground.  

Back in our active farming/ranching days, we always spread out straw. The Millers do, too. But that doesn't mean the mamas or babies take advantage of it.

 

 But some do!

 

 

The mamas also provide a ready "warm milk bar." That's sure to warm babies up quickly!

 

 

It's self-serve, all-you-can-eat.

 

Visiting the cattle also provides a ready genetics lesson. Some babies look an awful lot like their mothers. 

 

Others must resemble their dads. 

 But they are all pretty darn cute.

Shoutout to all those producers who'll be braving the extreme cold during the next few days. Be careful out there!

Paparazzi Moments

With Taylor Swift's sudden interest in "football," security at certain football stadiums has had a corresponding uptick. A whole new breed of paparazzi is more interested in what's happening in a stadium suite than the action happening between the goal lines. 

Tye and Todd have to deal with their own influx of paparazzi these days. So far, security has not increased, and we are allowed to view and photograph the Class of 2024 with no impediments - as long as we shut the gates. 

While we aren't doing the day-to-day cattle chores any longer, we still own our mama cows. Tye and his dad, Todd, are the caretakers and calve out our mamas, along with their own herd. As I've said before, we are fortunate to have a liberal visitation policy in the neighborhood maternity ward. (Hopefully, they don't cringe every time they see our pickup.) We've already had "visiting hours" several times this winter.

Even though No. 2 doesn't have a yellow tag - so it's not our calf - I couldn't resist snapping its photo. Tye saw us out there and called to tell us to look for a calf with a white leg. It had already caught my eye - and the camera lens - before the phone call.

 

Mom looked me over rather sternly, but she was OK with the paparazzi moment, too. That spot on her forehead made it look like she was cocking her eyebrow at the unwanted attention for her baby.

I couldn't help but laugh at No. 956. From its perch on the wrong side of the electric fence, it looked like a defiant toddler with an attitude.

This one was at the salt block feeder. But there were no "lick-your-lips" moments, a photo I finally got during last calving season.

We noticed several calves with an RP on the tag. As Tye and Todd told Randy before, the initials indicate which bull was used for breeding the progeny. We couldn't resist another phone call to Tye, asking him if the RP stood for Royal Purple. 

Tye - who is as big a KU fan as we are K-State fans - assured us that no bull in their herd had anything to do with purple (our Wildcat colors).

I always like seeing the interaction between mothers and babies. 

During this Valentine's month, there's no shortage of love around - for bovines, too.

 

There might be some family resemblance among the mamas and babies.

 

This baby was receiving a little "spa" treatment in the shed.  

 It's definitely cuteness overload in the maternity ward.
 

I'm sure it won't be our last visit.