Calving numbers have peaked and we’re on the back side of
the curve. But - “there’s always something." It’s a phrase we use often.
Yesterday it was another set of twins and two babies that were born and
didn’t suck. We walked them in and got them suckled and going. Most days the
cattle calve like clockwork, on their own as nature planned, but not so yesterday.
One day, just at dusk, a cow that Mark knew was preparing to
calve had not made any headway all day. Seth tried to get her in on foot, but
she was having none of it. Mark was tending a heifer, so Seth called me to bring a horse, and said he would stay with the cow so he wouldn’t lose her in the dark. I put Seth's saddle on Jane
and rode her with my toes just barely touching the stirrups until I found him. He
got the cow in and checked her out. Sure enough, the calf was upside down,
meaning the head, which was below the legs, would never have entered the birth
canal - a sobering outlook for the pair if we had waited until morning.
We've been moving the cow-calf pairs away from the "drys" every few days. It's social distancing for cows so they don't pass any sickness to one another. Yes, there's good reason to cancel our human gatherings for a while.
I looked at seed catalogs today. Should I try some eggplant
this year? How about a row of sunflowers on the edge of the garden? A rainbow
blend of carrots would be fun, and there’s a cylindrical beet that’s
good for canning. We have a wedding in our future, so a row of Queen Anne’s
lace would lend a nice touch to bouquets.
I felt so much like my Mom today, not only about the seed
catalogs, but for the hardy noon meal I fixed - fried pork chops, red spuds from
the garden (yes, they’re still good), flour gravy and creamed corn, which I had
picked and frozen last summer. The only thing missing was Mom’s homemade bread,
which left a pretty big hole if you think about it. I felt like her again this
afternoon piling limbs to burn out under the big cottonwoods. She loved to work
outside like I do.
Seth said this pandemic is likely the most globally
disruptive event of his lifetime. I hope so, but I'm afraid we may be challenged again and some more. The loss of species across the globe isn't as front and center as coronavirus, but it's more deadly long run. The human race has always seen times
of hardship, but now we experience those hardships globally. We depend on one
another so much. It is our strength - and our weakness.
I believe our kids, and their young peers across the planet, are up to the task. I found a phrase in my daily reader that's very fitting. It said to switch from fear and uncertainty to faith
and confidence. We can do that, right? The younger generation is talented, ambitious
and courageous. They think collectively and believe we’re better together. Let's help them.
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| Leah coaxing some babies across a ditch |
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| a neophyte mom pretty excited with her baby |
