Thursday, May 27, 2010

and so it goes

Like plans often do, ours changed.

I was planning on bringing Stella back this spring, but instead she remains in her herd with many others, likely spending the day grazing, swatting flies with her tail and licking snot from her nose. Cows are glamourous creatures. I decided to leave her behind for the sake of safety. She is not a safe cow. She has no problem planting the top of her head under your ribs and sending you flying. So, since I like my ribs intact, I left her and brought two others instead. They are a kinder, gentler sort. Smokey and Too Dew, which we've renamed or nicknamed Toodles.

Toodles because Owen says it nightly to us as we leave his room from tuck-ins and stories. As he says it, he can't help but curl his tongue over the side of his front teeth creating the most adorable smile and snaky ssss sound at the end of the word.

The two, plus calves (Winston and Wellington) born last fall are gaining weight and happily settled into their new home with Bud. No chasing, no escapes, no charging or frantic, panicked cows this year at all. Just boring cows, grazing, swatting flies and chewing cud. Just the way I like it. Last weekend we finished the fence around the back pasture and let the gang have at the knee high grass. The second field in the 3 field rotation. Laying down, they are nearly hidden. All you can see is the odd ear flicker or swoosh of a tail.

There is still a list of to-do's as long as the fence line, which is probably why Mart was dead silent on the end of the line when I called and informed him the turkeys would be arriving in less than 2 weeks. He was clearly unhappy to hear from me while standing in the locker room of his gym, sporting nothing but boxers. My call informing him indirectly that I had another project for him to do, without actually asking him if he would, was probably poorly timed. So while I'm in the dog house, I'm making plans for a turkey coop. We shall see how good my carpentry skills are. Hopefully I'll look so pathetic he'll come rescue me, or, you know, I could just ask him nicely....

My most favorite aunt wrote in our wedding guest book nearly eight years ago, "Martin, you will never be bored with your new wife". I remind him that this is what she was talking about.