Here she is. My sweet little one. Because her mother isn't afraid neither is she. She waddles right up to me, still learning how to work her long legs. She isn't exactly graceful, but bursting with life. She tries to spin and buck and jump. Amazing to think she's only a day old.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Xanadu
I'm stunned. Happy and proud and stunned. I have that new, proud mamma glow. Can you see it? Grinning ear to ear, I sit here stunned.
I got home from work today, just an hour ago and went out to the back yard. Mart was working on the chicken coop. The cows are in the closest pasture to the house, but were down over the bank out of sight. Suddenly we see a vulture gliding over the tree tops, directly over our heads and the field. I thought, that's weird. Vultures don't come around for nothing. I wonder why he's here. Not expecting anything but a vulture with a nose for chickens, I walked out into the pasture. I had to check if the cows needed more water anyway. I never expected to find what I found.
Smokey calved! A pretty little girl. All cleaned up and licked off. She was even standing. Old enough for her fur to dry but that's about it. I place her about, well, it's 6:30 now, so an hour and a half old. The vulture was fast sniffing out the after birth.
I'm going to do the only thing there is to do and let nature take it's course. Though, I am human and our species isn't known for letting nature do anything on its' own, which is why I'm here. It's stopping me from going out there. I would feel better if I saw the calf nurse.
I'm stunned because I didn't know she was due. I'm happy and proud because she is the first calf born on our farm. First calf of Two Crows farm. Did I tell you we named the farm? Two Crows for two crows joy! For days like this.
*********
Update:
The calf was nursing last evening, so I felt better going to bed. I put the horse in the other field so he wouldn't be a jerk and I'm glad I did. This morning they were all laying down in the tall grass, soaking up the morning sun. She's about 80 lbs, which is a perfect size. She's just little. We've named her Xanadu for the X year.
I got home from work today, just an hour ago and went out to the back yard. Mart was working on the chicken coop. The cows are in the closest pasture to the house, but were down over the bank out of sight. Suddenly we see a vulture gliding over the tree tops, directly over our heads and the field. I thought, that's weird. Vultures don't come around for nothing. I wonder why he's here. Not expecting anything but a vulture with a nose for chickens, I walked out into the pasture. I had to check if the cows needed more water anyway. I never expected to find what I found.
Smokey calved! A pretty little girl. All cleaned up and licked off. She was even standing. Old enough for her fur to dry but that's about it. I place her about, well, it's 6:30 now, so an hour and a half old. The vulture was fast sniffing out the after birth.
I'm going to do the only thing there is to do and let nature take it's course. Though, I am human and our species isn't known for letting nature do anything on its' own, which is why I'm here. It's stopping me from going out there. I would feel better if I saw the calf nurse.
I'm stunned because I didn't know she was due. I'm happy and proud because she is the first calf born on our farm. First calf of Two Crows farm. Did I tell you we named the farm? Two Crows for two crows joy! For days like this.
*********
Update:
The calf was nursing last evening, so I felt better going to bed. I put the horse in the other field so he wouldn't be a jerk and I'm glad I did. This morning they were all laying down in the tall grass, soaking up the morning sun. She's about 80 lbs, which is a perfect size. She's just little. We've named her Xanadu for the X year.
Monday, June 7, 2010
10 chickens
After all that we missed the turkey order.
Really. No turkeys. Bet you didn't know there was a turkey store.
But, 10 chickens, just 10 days old showed up at the house last night. Weird, I know.
Thursday, late afternoon, my mom called me at work to inform me that my sister in law would be flying in from Victoria and landing at 7 am. She'll have the kids with her, could she stay with me? Her mom was having emergency surgery to remove a large brain tumor. Of course, my answer was yes and she could stay as long as she needs to and no I don't have plans that I can't change and of course I'll babysit. Her mom has a tumor! She's family! There is no question.
My sister in law is an only child in an already small family. So she isn't used to the cavalry swooping in to help. It was over whelming for her on a stressful day. Tears of gratitude peaked through now and then. She isn't an only child anymore. Not in our family.
Her mom's twelve hour surgery was a huge success, the tumor was removed, it was benign and she's her normal self. We're completely blown away that a doctor can remove your skull, tinker with your brain, stitch you up and you're completely fine. Like nothing happened. Luck. Huge amounts of luck worked in her favour and as we heave a huge sigh of relief, we chuckle and think that brain surgery is a piece of cake.
Her mother, who lives in the same town as my folks, will likely be going home tomorrow. So my sister in law will follow with the kids. But she has no ride. So my mom drove up last night with plans to go to the hospital with her today and drive her and the kids home tonight.
Mom pulled in our driveway last night around 8:30 and with her, she brought 10 chickens.
So that is the story of how we got our chickens. An odd weekend of family and toddlers and luck and chickens. It seems to us that there are many things more difficult than brain surgery. So far, acquiring poultry is one of them.
Really. No turkeys. Bet you didn't know there was a turkey store.
But, 10 chickens, just 10 days old showed up at the house last night. Weird, I know.
Thursday, late afternoon, my mom called me at work to inform me that my sister in law would be flying in from Victoria and landing at 7 am. She'll have the kids with her, could she stay with me? Her mom was having emergency surgery to remove a large brain tumor. Of course, my answer was yes and she could stay as long as she needs to and no I don't have plans that I can't change and of course I'll babysit. Her mom has a tumor! She's family! There is no question.
My sister in law is an only child in an already small family. So she isn't used to the cavalry swooping in to help. It was over whelming for her on a stressful day. Tears of gratitude peaked through now and then. She isn't an only child anymore. Not in our family.
Her mom's twelve hour surgery was a huge success, the tumor was removed, it was benign and she's her normal self. We're completely blown away that a doctor can remove your skull, tinker with your brain, stitch you up and you're completely fine. Like nothing happened. Luck. Huge amounts of luck worked in her favour and as we heave a huge sigh of relief, we chuckle and think that brain surgery is a piece of cake.
Her mother, who lives in the same town as my folks, will likely be going home tomorrow. So my sister in law will follow with the kids. But she has no ride. So my mom drove up last night with plans to go to the hospital with her today and drive her and the kids home tonight.
Mom pulled in our driveway last night around 8:30 and with her, she brought 10 chickens.
So that is the story of how we got our chickens. An odd weekend of family and toddlers and luck and chickens. It seems to us that there are many things more difficult than brain surgery. So far, acquiring poultry is one of them.
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