Nature, beautiful but also sad!

We all love nature, but while beautiful it can also be very sad. We had a bird, a Killdeer Momma nesting almost on the road from the house to the barn. They always nest in the most vulnerable places it seems. I only got a picture with two eggs but she ended up with 4 beautiful eggs in her nest. My husband put up a post next to her nest so no one would run over it, every time he drove past he said something to her like "When are those babies going to hatch". or "You are a good Momma". We worried about her when it poured down rain or was a little cold at night. We went over to take pictures and she would get off the nest and act wounded flapping her wing like it was broken and make loud noises at us. That's what they do to try to detour harm from their nest. In essence she would give her life for the eggs. One day Richard, my husband got back from town just in time to save her eggs from a snapping turtle almost to the nest. A couple mornings later he came in from feeding the bottle calf and said all her eggs are gone and I don't see her. We figure either another Snapping Turtle, a Black Snake, or a Coyote got them, I don't know what happened to her although I'm sure she wouldn't hang around if her eggs were gone. Needless to say I cried and my husband with the big heart had tears in his eyes too. Yes we hunt, yes we raise beef cattle, and sometimes have to do things we don't like on this farm but we also take care of a little bird, at least we tried. And that my friends is the wonderful and cruel world of nature.

Bottle Calf Baby

It's been a while since my last blog. I have been really busy and now we have spring calving season upon us. Started last week with 12 babies in a week. On Wednesday we had a problem. During the night on Tuesday we had a cow have a pretty big calf and she had trouble. The next morning when my husband was checking babies they were laying down in the field but before long he realized the mom couldn't get up. Sometimes when they have a big calf or have trouble they can get a pinched nerve in their hips or legs. Sometimes they never come out of it but we were determined to save them both. This cow is the daughter of our Lucky Girl we raised on a bottle 5 years ago. We quickly ordered a contraption that would go on her hips and my husband could lift her with the tractor a few times a day for 30 minutes or so to hopefully get her legs working again. This would mean in addition to all his other work on a working cattle farm he would have to give her a lot of special attention like carry her feed and water along with trying to get her back up. We also were giving her steroid shots for four day and a muscle enhancer. Also we had to bring the calf to the barn to bottle feed. No way for her to get milk if Mom can't stand so here we are raising Lucky's granddaughter now on a bottle. She is now up and walking on her own. Still having a bit of trouble with one hoof turning under at the first joint but that is getting better too. Tomorrow the baby will get a bigger pen. It's 10:00pm and she just got her last bottle. She talks to us when she sees us coming. I guess for now we are Mom and Dad.

Black & White

When I came home the other night from work I saw this in the field. The four black cows all laying in a row and then there was Whitey just trying to blend in. And of course there is always one going the wrong way.

Reflections on Sunrises

As I look back over the last 10 days or so and all these beautiful sunrises I see God painting a picture and each one is it's own unique beautiful painting. Which one do I like the best? I would never be able to decide. They are all so different and all their own. But I do know I am blessed that my two little dogs want to go out at this time of day so I can see this awesome miracle each and every day that God gives me life. Love living on this farm and seeing this everyday.

Winter in Missouri and a Little Love

We have it now where our calves are born in the spring and fall so they are a little older when the cold weather hits. A few years ago we were having them in the winter and lots of them were born when it was so cold we had to bring them in and warm them up. You always take a risk that the Mom won't take them back. Sometimes even have to keep them in the garage overnight. We pull our Bulls now so the calving is right. It also allows us to take a vacation and my husband and I go hunting every November in Wyoming togethe and not have to worry about babies being born. We have to be here when they are in case there is trouble with one being born. Here is a cutie getting some loving from Momma yesterday morning.