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”
Now you need a world map to put on your wall. Put a pin where all your farmy followers are. We are all bound together with your wonderful words and pictures of the animals. We join hands and send you good vibes and loving thoughts.
I’m from NZ – near Muriwai beach. Such a lovely spot to be. I do so hope that Ton is ok and give that Daisy a big pat from me!
Just a few of us and 40 billion flies here in Alice Springs, Australia, this morning. Thinking good thoughts for you and Ton… and Daisy!
Greetings and positive thoughts from dry and summery Sunshine Coast, Queensland (Oz).
Very cold here in Preston, Ct. (southeastern) Nothing like you all have had in midwest. Heard from my friend in Ind. today & they had 60 inches of snow so far this year. A record breaker. Hope Ton is ok, he looks like a such nice dog. Boo, in Nanny form, must think something is wrong. It’s funny you say you had a “niggling” about him, I have been like that with my cats, as well. You just know if there’s something wrong. Best wishes to you & Ton.
Praying for Ton from the Central Oregon community of Bend. I don’t have a farmy but we do grow herbs and tomatoes in pots every year! (August is about the only month in the year there is not danger of frost, so we can move them in and out doors as needed.)
Am putting my tuppence in re TonTon – I think he has an infection of one the sublingual parotid glands: a small calcium stone has gotten stuck in the duct leading to the mouth and the area has become cystic and infected and this may make him feel quite ill. A simple antibioticewill bring down the infection and the stone will slip into the mouth: problem gone!! Have had this myself a couple of times – actually quite sore!!! Let’s see what the vet says 🙂 ! Am truly feeling for Paisley Daisy and counting down the days . . . love your FB photo beautiful lady and in case there are new readers . . . am from the beautiful Southern Highlands, about 100 km south of Sydney, Australia!!
I am a stalker, not a talker….. I have read from the archives to date. I really enjoy living on the farmy through you. I am sad to say that I do not like the new layout, but will survive. It was sunny and warm in South Alabama, but we have had a cold rainy front move in. It is suppose to move out soon with the highs back in the upper 70’s by this weekend. I am located about 45 minutes from the Florida line, 1 1/2 hours from Destin and Fort Walton Beach in the panhandle of Florida.
good morning debbie, wonderful of you to pop up to say hullo, I am sorry you do not like the new layout and I am glad you will survive.. we are good at that.. c
I’m sending my best thoughts to Ton, and I’m hoping that worry is not necessary. I’m usually in West Sussex, UK, but right now I’m spending two weeks with my eldest son, his wife, and my two grandchildren. In Hawaii. No rain. No snow. No windy storms. Bliss.
Fingers crossed for Ton, lumps are always scary. Here in east central Wisconsin (’bout 50 miles north of Milwaukee) it just might be warming up a tiny bit but it’s going to take more than a couple 40+* days to find the grass! BTW, Mr. Bob has a litter of Kune Kunes due in a week! My neighbor’s boer doe had triplets two weeks ago, too cute and there’s a week old lamb there too, spring MUST be coming.
I live up a “‘holler”” near clarksburg wv,few yrs ago my 17 yr old border collie,violet, had several strokes,almost blind,deaf. would just sleep most of the time.my other dog, a rambunctous mixed breed pup, named dumass,name is self explanatary if you meet her,a completely goofy mutt.
would stand guard over voilet whenever the cows would come around.she would use her nose to push violet to her feed dish.was totally devoted to her
she was standing over violet at the end
now i watch her doing the same thing with my other dog, 15 yr old booger,voilet’s daughter
its amazing how some dogs have a gift
wow, what a pooch.. Dumass must be a stunning dog, how interesting that both our nanny dogs are rambunctious.. morning ron..
WV made the Farmy list! I grew up in Fairmont, then moved away.
greetings from colorado, originally from western massachusetts, so western we were 5 miles from the vermont border !!
daisy looks bigger than last time…..twins……????? ton ton be well !!
Marcel is my current favorite baby animal! I check on him and your farm every evening in Littleton, CO. Pretty soon your calves will be my new favorite baby animals!
Ah, sheep being shorn and cows giving birth. This is all very familiar to us in New Zealand. I feel the world getting smaller when I see these images from your farmy. And I must say that Marcel is an exceptionally photogenic lamb! Fingers crossed for Ton. No worrying until you know.
I love the new look of your blog! I’m sorry not to have commented lately, but I always take time before I lay my weary head down at night, to at least read about your day. Life has been a little nutty here in SW Oklahoma, but I’m hanging in there! I’m praying for good things for all of your furry, hairy and feathered friends too!