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.

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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.