Sunday 29th July
Awoke to another perfect day…the sky is an azure blue, the temperature a mild high 20’s … we wander across to where we could hear the children singing at their Sunday school meeting. We joined in and in no time I had a little girl climb onto my knee and three dogs settle at my feet.
I had been thinking of having a quiet afternoon reading, washing my hair etc when suddenly we were asked if we would like to join the muster.
Another RR moment not to be missed and in no time David and I were hurtling through thick bush in a little open 4WD ‘Gator’, driven by one of the cattle workers. It was exhilarating as we hit trees, went down embankments, along river beds and around large ant hills, looking for stray cattle to round up. The skill of the aboriginal stockmen as they rode their motorbikes along the dusty track, leaped off them to bring down a big steer by hand, or to crack a whip, made me feel like I was in a movie!
After a couple of hours we brought the cattle to the stockyards (reluctantly for the cattle) and manned the gates. Then we began the drafting. This involved opening different gates to divide the cattle into like groups; cows, bulls, steers, wieners, calves etc. The cattle in their terror threw themselves at railings; got horns caught in fences, and chased the stockmen who could instantly jump up to the top fence rail.
The red dust was in our eyes, ears, hair and noses….we were filthy. But as the sun set and we rounded in the last of the cattle, all I could think of was what a great Sunday we’d had!! From Sunday school to a cattle muster…why not!
No comments:
Post a Comment