Saturday, February 23, 2008

Yep, it's that time of year again......

Snow's melting.......



A fresh, new calf is born......



Reliable hens are making breakfast.......



Colorful, aren't they?

It's dinnertime!









This was the sweet pea that I found this early morning......



Six new babies were born here today.

Ancestry of Cows
Lady is Sally's calf
and Skyline, Sally's mother.
From there, Anything, then Spot--
geneology of cows
repeated to describe a temperment
as if decades on a place
means identity.
When Lucy kicks the hired hand
across the barn
a farmer can only say,
no wonder, considering her mother
and her grandmother--
Lucy's short for Lucifer --
it's in the blood.
Most people see nothing
from the ground up,
but old farmers can repeat
a milk cow's pedigree
like words to a favorite jingle,
what's lacking nowadays, they say,
is that kind of continuity.

~Anita Tanner


From the book....
(women write from the heart of the west)

By the way.....we're ranchers, not farmers.
And we raise Herefords, not milk cows,
but the ancestry is all the same.
S. named his new bull calf "Malibu."
I asked why, and he said it's the car he's buying.

12 comments:

  1. I just loved all the photos! Is the fur around the calves head soft? I was surprised when I held a lamb once, the only soft spot was the head between the eyes. Everywhere else was like a berber carpet!

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  2. Great pictures Jody! Those baby calves are adorable. And it looks like you are collecting quite a few more eggs than I have been getting here lately.
    Enjoy your weekend,
    Debbie

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  3. What a great post!
    You know we take for granted that we all walk the same walk. I loved the walk in your shoes... er' muddy boots.
    How long does it take for a bull calf to turn into a car?
    :-D

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  4. What a fun peek into your daily ranch life. Spring is in the air! The baby calves are so cute. The hen looks looks quite content. I especially love the subtle pastel colors of the eggs. Beautiful!

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  5. Love the photos, wish I could see the calves for real. Love that phrase "reliable hens" !

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  6. Diana, your description of a lambs wool is well said -- berber carpet. It's funny what the storybooks and children's poems make us believe about "cuddly, soft lambs.) The hair around the calf's head is not soft but course. It's softer than it ever will be, though.

    Deb, the eggs have finally increased. It's been a fairly unproductive winter at the coop. I think the girls want OUT.

    Clarice, we had mud yesterday, snow today. Keepin' it interesting.

    Sandi, it takes about 18 months for a bull calf to turn into a Malibu.

    Dixymiss, I'm fond of the soft greens that my Auracana hens produce too.

    Laura, generally the hens have been fairly reliable, but when the cold, cold weather hits, they are sporadic in their laying. Lately, they're reliable!

    Thanks everyone for your comments. I always enjoy reading them.

    Jody

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  7. I love all your photos; everything is such a celebration of life.

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  8. Jody,
    What a treat to see all these photos! We just loved them here!
    My youngest has recently witnessed a lamb being born and thought it was just wonderful!
    Oh, to be right there!
    I realize that you have to deal with the cold and discomfort also, but thanks for letting us see the best of ranching without the discomfort!
    Loved the pics!
    Joanne and family

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  9. Junie, it really is a celebration of life out here. It's happy hard work.

    Joanne, I'm so glad your children are getting in on lambing too. There's really nothing like "being there." Life is the best textbook. The cold and discomfort is especially sharp in the middle of the night when you come in cold and try to warm up to sleep again.

    Jody

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  10. I enjoyed this post ... the eggs are the most wonderful colour. I loved reading about the calves.

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  11. Those are the most adorable baby photos I have seen in a long time! I love the close-up of the baby with the tag on his ear....the eyelashes are awesome.

    Thanks for sharing.
    Barb-Harmony Art Mom

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  12. Oh there is nothing cuter than a new calf!!! I love to see them butting up against their mamas in the fields.

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