Tuesday was a day of contrasts. We had two cattle to deliver. When I went up to the barn, both of them had wandered in to the holding pen. All I had to do was shut the gate. It was a beautiful day but the forecast was for a cold front.

We loaded up and left after lunch. I t was 65 degrees which is really excellent for us in April. We plugged our destination into the GPS and took off. Over the years I have traveled over New York State extensively and feel comfortable free lancing. This time I should have followed a road map. We went on the some of the hilliest territory I've ever encountered. Along the way the weather changed from beautiful to 42 and rain.

We found the farm and the new owners awaiting us. The farmer is a young man who is putting cattle back on his grandfather's farm after a hiatus from dairy. It is a wonderful setting with a great pasture. When we let the cattle out, one looked at the other as if to say we really lucked out with these new owners.

After a tour of the old stanchion barn, which was full of vintage green tractors, we headed home by main roads. One of the best part of our cattle business is bringing the cattle to their new homes and seeing their facilities.

We resumed getting ready for planting on Wednesday. I went and picked up forage oats and grass seed to plant next week. The rain yesterday moistened the ground enough to keep us off the fields. We have chisel plowed this Spring for the first time. We try too till or minimum till as much as possible.

One group of our fields are quite silty and almost sandy. It doesn't hold its PH very well so we relimed. We also put in some additional drainage tile. We also have field that's about five acres where previous owners stripped and sold the top soil. We keep planting green manure crops to plow under. Last week we ran some extra baleage through the processor so we could plow it in this week.

Friday we got up early to drive to the Buffalo Airport for our trip to Florida for our new grandson's Baptism. It's an easy flight and we arrived on time. Mike picked us up and we went off to his house.

My right heel and lower leg have been bothering me for a few weeks. Mike knows a combination acupuncturist/chiropractor. Home, I never would have gone. Being In Florida with an unlimited variety of doctors dealing with unique ailments, I decided to give it a try.

We got right in and he asked me what ailed me. Then he had me lie down and he stuck five tiny pins in my foot and told me he'd be back. He came back in twenty minutes and took out the pins and gave my foot a big yank. It felt better almost immediately and is much better as I write this two days later. Amazing the doctor wasn't oriental but Irish.

Saturday afternoon, I got a text message from the friend who is watching our animals. We had calf number ten and she's a heifer.

The Baptism went well and the guest of honor was very well behaved. They had a nice gathering afterwards. Later, we borrowed Mike's car and toured around. Amazingly, the temperature at home was higher than the 83 in Florida.

My friend has a winter home about two hours east of Mike. He has had major foot problems with unremitting pain. He had an electric device implanted Friday which he says works well. We hope so and hope to see him home at the lake soon.