Jasmine

Daisy Mae's new beauty reminds us of Jasmine, the Arab princess in Secondhand Lions. Daisy Mae has never seen the movie, of course, but she knows that her baby is a princess. So far, Daisy hasn't let Jasmine associate with the other calves, or them with her.

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"Sometimes it's the princess who kills the dragon and saves the prince." ~Samuel E. Lowe

Little Red

After Panda lost her calf (see The Robbed), Hubby milked Panda in hopes that we'd soon find an orphan calf that needed a mama. Ten days later, Hubby found a sad little Red Angus heifer at the sale barn.  

When they met for the first time, we restrained Panda for the Little Red's safety. Panda is easy-going, but it's not natural for cows to adopt another cow's baby.

It took a while for Little Red to stop looking for her real mama, but Hubby and hunger convinced her to try Panda's milk.

The next day, Panda kept an eye on Little Red but didn't really want her close. Sugar and the dogs, however, adopted Little Red right away. (They check on her almost as often as we do.)

We must have let Little Red drink too much of the new milk because Little Red got scours. Electrolytes, probiotics, and prayers worked wonders, though. Her digestive system functioned perfectly today.

After breakfast and playtime, Little Red found a cozy spot to nap.

I was amazed when Panda went over to Little Red and licked her--something that mama cows do to show affection and spiffy up their calves. Panda soon walked away, but it was a start!

Another breakthrough this evening: Panda, albeit reluctantly, allowed Little Red to nurse out in the corral. 

I'll keep you posted on the bonding process!

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"Grace is always a surprise. You think it's not going to happen, and it does." ~Stormie Omartian

Tex

Sparkle's calf won the door prize! Our first 2017 baby is a sweet, stout, fun-loving little bull named Texas, aka Tex. 

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"The Lord is gracious and full of compassion,

Slow to anger and great in mercy.

The Lord is good to all,

And His tender mercies are over all His works." ~Psalm 145:8

The Robbed

Last weekend, our sweet Panda went into labor weeks before she was due, and the poor little guy died only two or three minutes after birth. Our vet told us that the calf had a congenital heart defect which is always fatal. 

Don't cry, I told myself. Death is a part of life. Everyone who lives on a farm or ranch knows that. It was only a baby cow, after all. Babies all over the world are suffering from war, famine, terror, abuse, trafficking, racism, disease. Their mamas' hearts are breaking every day.

Thank heaven for Kleenex.

Anyway, we're looking for an orphaned calf in need of Panda. While we're waiting, Hubby has been milking her. I'm praying that Panda gets to adopt, but in the meantime, I may try making some butter.

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"The robbed that smiles, steals something from the thief." ~William Shakespeare, Othello

Élan or Not

Hubby and I met this darling 8-day old Thoroughbred filly today. While we marveled at her long legs, the future racehorse posed with her proud mama and the veterinarian who delivered her. The mare is sweet and quiet, but her filly is all spunk--what we in Wyoming would call "a pistol." 

Dr. Powell didn't know if the owner had named her yet. I'm a compulsive animal christener, so of course I've thought about what I'd name this little beauty if she were mine: Élan.

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"She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future." ~Proverbs 31:25 NLT

Hurry and Wait

I wrote this a few days ago for a writing challenge. I'm no poet, but it does portray the current state of farm affairs.

Icicles drip from barn roof and

Snowdrifts melt into glaciers and

Only two weeks left and

Pitchfork heaps straw mush and

Tractor pyramids manure and

Spud bar jackhammers ice and

Shovel carves canyons for corral rivers and

Culvert ices clear through and

Puddles freeze gates shut overnight and

Where did I leave that shovel and

Wind and Sun, come and

Sanctify dank nursery ground and

Soon! calving starts in March

But out in the field

Cows waddle heavy to water

One leg at a time

Eating, chewing, napping, growing bigger yet

Waiting easy.

Sparkle

Mayzie

Bubbles and Brownie

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"Away, then, all fears. The Kingdom is safe in the King's hands." ~Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening

The Nitty-Gritty

This actually wasn't the touching moment between close friends that it appeared to be. In truth, Sugar (right) was reminding Solly that her place is beside me, and his is behind her. She doesn't like to share her people.

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"The message of [Valentine's Day] is to shower with love and adoration the person who makes you happy....But the love of Christ compels us to love others even when they're not making us happy, when Cupid's not shooting arrows all over our relationships." ~Kelly Minter