Daisy needs lamby kisses. Poor Paisley Daisy. So large. So ripe. Just about ready to fall out of her tree.
She stands in the center of her straw bed pushing sheaves to and fro, eyeing the walls and the door, centering herself. Then she leans way forward and folds her long front legs right under her body, tipping forward, ungainly with her swollen body, she lowers her head and shoulders down carefully and just as she loses her center of gravity she allows her huge body to shift slightly to the side, lowering her mammoth haunches to the ground with a slow heavy twist that releases her, sighing to the ground.
She reaches out her head and calls a slow long forlorn foghorn of a moo across to me as I work in the pen next to her. The sound sways and drifts and carries itself mournfully through the falling snow out the door to Queenie. A ribbon of sound. Heavy and sad. Like blue. She whines, and blows air through her icy nostrils. Then she tucks her head back onto her left back hoof and with a great soft breath, sleeps.
Poor Daisy. My big brave girl.
The sheep have been shorn. The shearer offered to buy the fleeces from me and I agreed and took possession of my first wool cheque. The snow was falling and blowing outside as we bartered in the midst of another storm. I cannot see spinning and knitting in my future today. And I like my shearer man. And my sheep like him too. He has a way with them.
Last night I discovered an egg sized lump under TonTon’s chin, to the side of his throat. He has been eating and drinking well and minding his animals, jumping all the gates in the barn to keep up with everything. But I have taken to tying Boo up so I can spend more time with Ton. There has been a look about Ton that made me think he needed extra care. A niggly feeling about him. Twice in the last week he has refused to go on a walk with us, I put this down to the shoving from Boo, but even with Boo on his leash, Ton chose to stay with Daisy. Due to Ton’s long time connection with Daisy I just thought he was wanting to stay close by as she is soon to freshen with her calf. Then the last two nights Boo has lain down next to the food bowl and watched Ton eat, instead of trying to push him out of the way. I found this worrying. Boo would not eat until Ton had finished, which has been previously unheard of. Now I have found this lump. Could it have been there before? Hidden in his ruff? You would think I would have felt it. Or it is so fast growing that is probably a cyst of some kind and the vet will sort it out and soon Ton will be back on form.
Let’s hope that is it. We will wait until the vet has had a look before we worry. That’s what we will do.
And I was thinking the other day that it would be nice to know what State or Country you are calling from. If you want to tell us that is. It might be fun to know. In a very broad sense that is, no particulars. And maybe you will even discover some Fellowship neighbours. And this might keep our minds focused while we wait for news of TonTon.
I hope you all have a lovely day. Every day has some lovely in it.
Your friend on the farmy
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
158 responses to “The Low Moan of a Cow”
I read your blog each morning. It makes me happy here in the fly-over zone, also known on the map as South Dakota (USA). Like your other readers, I’m hoping for and expecting good news on Ton. You and your animals certainly receive heavy doses of positive thoughts and energy from all of us.
Thank you for your blog. For me, it is a reading gift.
Juliana (originally from the Atlanta, GA, area)
Oh boy, it’s always something, isn’t it? Morning C and rest of farmy. I’m usually either the last to wake up and read or one of the first…lol. Right now I’m the last in Vancouver BC Canada, and other times in Oxfordshire, UK.
I pop by every morning from Canada : )
I look forward to your posts every morning! I appreciate the kindness you give out to all the creatures on your farm! Wish we had a
winter here in Albuquerque, NM but we are hoping for at least a sprinkle this weekend!
Liz
I cannot think of images that make me happier than those of this little happy lamb. He is just precious and makes me smile every time I see him.
I will do my best not to worry about Ton, but will anxiously be awaiting news. I will not tell the kids anything just yet. You know they (especially Miss A) are big fans of his. He is a very special dog.
On another note, the air is different today. It’s still only 19F on the thermometer, but as I am now refusing to wear a hat and gloves, I felt the air today. It’s different. I think we’ll be turning a corner soon.
I live in Panama City, FL. Weather here is very nice. Wish I could send you some. Please post more about Sheila – she is a hoot.
Hi Dee – I grew up in Destin! You’re the closest so far to where I’ve lived in this wonderful list of visitors!
Nanny Boo taking care of Ton in a way, huh? The weird lumps I’ve found on dogs in the past have all turned out to be benign. Let’s hope Ton’s lump is the same.
I’m in East Texas, by the way. We’ve had a weird winter here but nothing like the terrible cold you’ve had. (Just last week, one day it got up to 78 F, the next day the temp dropped down to 25 F.)
Animals are so in tune with each other. I am constantly amazed. I hope Daisy has an easy birth and soon. Can’t wait to see the youngun. Waving from San Antonio, TX. Finally, it’s a sunny day!
Blink for a minute and everything changes! Just looks beautiful – neat, clean, bright – perfect.
Our Rags (rescued abused wild wild Bouvier) did the same thing with our big black resident Bouvier. Rags was always the trouble maker, but realized Coke was ill before we did. Saw the same odd thing at the food bowl. TonTon is a special fur person – will be waiting word.
(It’s 52 and sunny – finally- here half way between Houston and Galveston, TX by Clear Lake…and the spring break traffic is all ready clogging things. Molly sends an encouraging paw wave)
Boo must be looking forward to having a calf to play with. I hope Ton Ton is OK and just needs a lancing 😉
Peace, Love and Healing thoughts from south Georgia. Hugs Cee! 🙂
I’m feeling a lot of comfort in the words of commenters and their experience with lumps and bumps on dogs. May Ton’s be benign and easily treatable, and I’ll add all positive wishes to those above. Love seeing Marcel and Boo in the barn together and knowing the nanny is still at work. Poor Daisy, she does look more than ready to get this calving over with. Commenting from what’s supposed to be the sunny southern U.S. but is cold and dreary today in Atlanta, GA. I live “in town” close to Emory University and Decatur, GA.
Poor, dear Ton; here’s hoping for a quick remedy to that lump . . .
. . . and poor Daisy. My-oh-my she is certainly large with child/calf. We have a very old black and white Depression era photo of my husband’s great grandfather and twin calves. A big deal, I’m surmising, to warrant a photo in a time such as that.
We live on a street called the Cutoff on several acres with a herd of deer and fox and other wildlife in a suburb a dozen or so miles due west of Chicago. Like you, Celi, we are buried in snow, though the sun shines this morning and it has warmed to 20° F.
Oh heck, poor Ton (and clever Boo to notice first).
We won’t worry till we know more? – yeah, right!
From Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Ps – I love the new look Celi XO
Hoping for good news from the vet and some well-deserved early spring weather for all of us in the midwest. I’m from east central Indiana, on the Ohio border, roughly 4 hours due east of you, where there’s still snow on the solidly frozen ground. Haven’t seen any of the returning Turkey Vultures and flocks of Grackles that are our true first signs of spring, but they’ve just got to show up soon. That will really be a moment for rejoicing!