Skip to main content

Mama Gathers the Cows

Mama was not a happy camper. The cows with the two youngest calves were in one pasture. Everyone else was in the other pasture. And Grandaddy didn't seem to care.

It was all that little cow's fault. This was her very first baby and she couldn't seem to do a thing with her. The calf went where she wanted to go, which frequently was where Grandaddy didn't want her to be. Little Guy helped Grandaddy get the calf out of briars and bushes several times.

That meant that Skittles, the other cow with a newborn, had to stay with her. Skittles was unhappy. Why should she be put in time out? She always knew where her baby was and kept him in line. Skittles was experienced. This was her eighth calf.

Mama called all the cows to come around. She opened the gate. Most had come through when Gran said it was time to eat. Right now! Mama left the gate open so everyone else could come through. The cows like to be in that pasture at night. It should have been simple.

After supper, Grandaddy went out to check on the cows and close the gate. Two small calves were playing down by the pier. Somehow when all was said and done, all the cows ended up on and around the dam. Uh-oh.

Mama had to leave. She had procrastinated and had an appointment to get her taxes done. That left Grandaddy in charge. He closed the gate again and left the cows separate. Little Guy knew that could only mean trouble.

When Mama got home, the cows were back in the front pasture. Poor Skittles was standing by the fence looking longingly toward them. It broke Mama's heart.

Mama quickly changed clothes and pulled her boots on. She got some sweet feed in a bucket and went out the front gate to get the cows. They heard her call, saw the bucket and came running -- literally. Mama poured out a little feed and barely made it back through the gate before they arrived. Little Guy was really glad Mama hadn't let him go with her.

Next, Mama went down to the gate by the pier and called again. She didn't even have time to pour out any sweet feed. The cows ran past that gate and on toward the back gate. They beat her there. Mama opened the gate and in they came.

Grandaddy showed up for the head count. Mama just looked at him and headed for the house.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Good Day Turns Bad

Little Guy thought he was having a pretty good day. He and Sunshine spent the morning helping Grandaddy spray the fence rows for weeds. They'd even counted the cows. Gran had fixed spaghetti for lunch. Little Guy really likes spaghetti. After lunch, he'd stretched out on the cool tile floor for his afternoon nap. Then Mama had an idea. It was not a good idea. Mama decided that Little Guy and Sunshine needed baths. And it wasn't even Saturday! Little Guy didn't realize what Mama had planned until it was too late. Sunshine had her bath first. Since Little Guy was inside having a nap, he didn't know anything about it. He should have suspected something when Mama opened the back door, called his name and insisted he come outside. Sunshine met him at the door to tell him what was about to happen. Little Guy scurried toward the shop but Mama caught him. She picked him up and carried him to the wash area. Little Guy started shaking before Mama even turned the ...

art for a cause

This cabinet was my contribution to the Funky Furniture Auction held at Landmark Park recently. The event was to raise money for a scholarship fun. The original cabinet was stained a dark brown. It came with hearts cut into the doors and chicken wire behind them. It didn't have a back. I was told it had been chicken wire. It was definitely country -- which I'm not. I took the old doors off and put new doors on. It cut some har, a couple of eyes, put on nose knobs and some bright lips and Miz Bea was almost ready. I added her shoes and hat and she was set. This piece of functional art is whimsical and unique. And it was all for a good cause.

Sammy

  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. – Revelation 21:4 He was smart and stubborn. He was my protector and rarely left my side. He loved licking bowls and eating treats of any kind. He was bribable in the best way. He loved walks in the pasture and aggravating his sister. His body failed him in the end. His hind legs were barely functioning. His back pain sometimes caused him to cry out. His eyesight was almost gone. But he was still so happy. I helped him stand when his body refused to lift his backside up. He rested against me until he could gain his balance. I covered him with my body when he started to slip down the stairs. We made countless trips to the veterinarian but there was no magic pill. He was only 14. He was about a year old when he came home from the kill shelter. He’d come into the shelter as a stray. Thirteen and a half years wasn’t nearly long en...