February 13, 2007

3:30 am

ell, "Daisy"  stood for 4 hours last night before she laid down again and started chewing her cud. I am not too upset about it, now that I know she can stand and we have the equipment to get her back up. If I had not stood in 3 days and my heavy bum was squashing my legs for hours at a time and then I was suddenly standing after 72 hrs.. I may want to lay down again too after standing for a few  hours. I went out there with her at 9 pm tonight, told her I approved of her new spot (way more comfy) and curled up with her under her blankets after giving her 8 gallons of water. She rested her head on my knee for awhile and just to test her to see if she was aware how close her horns were to my face, I laid my cheek on her closest horn (horns get very cold) and I approved when she gently moved it away from me. Then I started poking the tips of her horns.. they are really rather sharp. And looking at the growth rings and the scarring (?) on them, make them very distinct. Woe to the coyote who messes with a calf of hers. It was nice petting her and us hanging out together. I am hoping this has a huge influence in the future for our relationship. 

Ok, some of you may laugh about having such a relationship with a cow, but a family milk cow is more than 'just a cow'.. she really is part of the family as she gives your family nutrition twice a day and you spend so much time with her. Part of the reason I wanted a Jersey is they are so beautiful and known for their butterfat content in their milk. (Yes Julie. Cows do all look different - Hope you feel better by the way). Those teddy bear ears, the beautiful fawn and black colour that "Daisy" is, and usually for their gentleness. It is really not "Daisy's" fault that she had always been a range cow and not a milk cow and never touched by a human before last October and then all the sudden I get her and have new plans for her. But she has a kind eye and I have (usually) always had faith she would come around. 

Yesterdays activities, other than the cow,  were ones I was accidentally putting off and today was a good day. I got the delinquent "Mystery Box" boxed up and ready to go tomorrow. I also have a 8" stack of magazines which have been piling up since Friday. I also finally got the pepper seeds for Heirloom Acres Seeds out of the pepper pods and packaged up. I was good.. wore latex gloves, made sure I did not rub my eyes.. but I forgot about breathing. I have never opened up that many hot pepper pods before and I breathed the 'dust' from the pods. I could not breathe and I was choking for some minutes. Once I thought it was getting kinda serious and I got worried as I was home alone.

11:16 am

My "FIL" came over to run the tractor and just he and I got her to her feet today. He used to have dairy cows he had to milk before school when he was young and he also agrees she does not look like a "normal" downer cow. He thinks that maybe the calf is sucking too much energy from her as well as being cast into the fence.  We got her up like all 3 of us (including "Daisy") were pro's at it. He left and as I was bring the water and grain buckets back, she decided she wanted to come to me, and she got a foot off her 'straw pad' and a foot sunk into the deep snow and over she went. At least she did not break her front leg or anything, she was up walking for 15-20 minutes. My boyfriend ought to be home in 4 hours.. so we can do it all again.. it may be a long week. She is nice and warm and I have her blankets off so she can bask in the sunshine. She has one pressure sore on her inside hock, but other than that and some scratches on her nose, she is looking pretty good considering.

I did not make it to town today, but I will get the mail out tomorrow. Frankly I am tired enough it would not be safe to other people to have me on the road. I am going to take a nap now.