OK. It has been a rough 36 hours. Or how many hours? Since Saturday morning anyway. It feels like a week. We are not out of the woods yet but I do see the light a little. 
The calf scours have not got the better of us yet. I have three calves looking quite good- still not robust but on the way. Another of the big girls is up and about but still needs a lot of patience to get feeding. But all four are standing to drink. And jump up when i come into the barn. Little is still lethargic – he is good in the morning – not so good in the afternoon, but he is cleaning up slowly and is peeing. He sleeps too much but often is in a different part of his pen each time I visit now which is good. I make him stand up to drink but it does not last long. It just takes so long to get him fed but I have all the patience in the world for little animals. He was also observed chewing his cud though how he got any cud to chew is anyones guess. I give them all lots of strokes and massages to get their bodies working. I can’t tell you how many disposable gloves I have gone through. And a different set of gumboots for each pen. Not good for the environment at all! But the best I can do.
But we need a few more days yet for any kind of prognosis.
They get milk and electrolytes in a four hour rotation, milk at 6, electrolytes at 10, milk at 2 and etc. The milk is still at a third strength. But three times a day. 
And in all this we have lost Godot. Our beautiful white peacock died of shock after being attacked probably by Mr Flowers. (I know it was not a dog as this happened during milking and the dogs were in my sight and he looked untouched). Mr Flowers has been hounding this young peacock since I let them all out. Usually Godot hides in the top of the barn but he must have been caught in the open. I found him with his head hidden under a tree root. (A classic with birds who have been harrassed.) He was alive but let me pick him up which was a very bad sign. I laid him up in the loft close to Mrs Flowers who is his buddy but he was dead in the morning. 
Miserable.
A short life is not a bad life. I say this all the time. But I felt devastated.
Especially after battling for the lives of these calves refusing to give up when when the calf stops peddling and then this magnificent bird dies without a murmur.
But life goes on. An age old saying but a true one. We must keep moving along. So we do.
Tomoyo is getting stronger and more confident every day. She looks after the meat chickens amongst a number of other things and is developing some wonderful skills in the garden.
Do you see that Geraldine is developing her crown? 
I was pruning yesterday. Pigs love mulberries and they actually have a high protein level too. So I throw the branches in with them any chance I get. The piglets grabbed the little branches and ran about with them, in high spirits!
As I was driving back from the barn yesterday afternoon we passed a large fertiliser truck on the side of the road. The man was working on his hitch. I slowed down to go around him and lowered my window to wave and say Hullo. He matched my Hullo with a nod of his head as we do out here and waved his arm to tell us to pass. I saw that he had no hand and the other arm had a little hand up by his shoulder. He smiled at me with his farmers smile and waved us on with a grin.
I am small compared to his heroism. His beauty and determination both captured me and chastised me. I lose a little sleep and I whine. What am I complaining about.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farm,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
70 responses to “The Woods”
Heartbroken about beautiful Godot.
I am so sorry about Godot – life and death on the farmy is difficult to handle at times and I know that I would be in tears so often if it was my farm. I do love how you shared your short encounter with the man working on the truck hitch. So often I need jolts like that as well to remind me that I have absolutely nothing to be complaining about. The challenges I have encountered in my life are minimal compared to so many. Thank you for leaving me with a lot to think about today. Hope your day goes much better today. Hugs.
I’m very sorry to hear about Godot, but well done on the progress with the calves. Geraldine does look very cute with her crown 😉
The ups and downs of livestock … we never know what each minute may bring. I am crossing fingers for your calves. Good news in the comments! Very sorry to read about Godot.
Such sad news about Godot, and I must say even though I understand the whole dominance thing in nature, I am NOT liking Mr. Flowers very much right now, no matter how lovely his plumage. You are doing such a good job with those small cows…all fingers still crossed that this bad time will end soon.
Poor Godot, such a beautiful bird. Nature can be very cruel. Glad little has perked up so that’s some good news x
Dear Celie, what can I say? Words of comfort are all very well, but we can’t bring him back. I suppose the establishment of pecking order just got out of hand for poor Godot, RIP.
I’m so glad that the ivalids are showing signs of responding to your unceasing care, and pray that they continue to improve. What a shame they are too big to be taken under nanny Boo’s ‘wing’.
Keep your spirits up,
love ‘n hugs,
ViV
One would have to be very pragmatic about life to be a farmer, I think. It’s hard to see so much struggle and lose while at the same time so much wonder and good. I will keep good thoughts on the babies that they thrive. What a sad ending for a beautiful bird. But one can not dwell on it. I shall also keep good thoughts for you to keep your strength with all the lack of rest you are getting. I don’t always leave a comment but yours is the first blog I read each day. Then I carry you all in my heart with silent prayers for the very best outcome of your day. Wishing you all well.
So sorry to hear the sad news about beautiful Godot. His etheral presence will be missed. It must help a bit that the calves are feeling better. Will keep everyone on the farmy in my prayers.
Oh my goodness, what a time you have had! So sorry for the loss of Godot, his gorgeous photos will be missed. And I think you are quite heroic, working so hard to save those animals. Compared to my life of ease sitting behind a desk writing all day, what you do is amazing! Sending you love and prayers.
Celi, your meeting with the farmer on the road and the message of how fortunate we are, but often still complain reminds me of a saying my Mom often shared. “I was sad I had no shoes, until I chanced to meet, a man who had no feet.’ Definitely food for thought. xo
That sounds like a proverb. Very touching. Thank you for sharing it.
What you said about the farmer you passed just humbled me something fierce this morning. I was having a “breakdown” of my own, but the vision of that man working away with a grin on his face put me “right” quickly. This is what I love of you Celi… you see the important things. I am sorry to hear about Godot. What a gentle and beautiful soul he was… we shall miss him – but oh how he blessed us all with his beauty and charm for this short while.
Ah, poor Gadot….. And prayers for you and the wee calves. I know your weary, but you have so much strength.
Oh dear, a sad day after all. It’s always sad to lose a treasured one and Godot was. The photo in your header holds so much more meaning.
On the up-side, I am thrilled to hear of your apparent success with the calves… the photo of them is so lovely. To know Little is up and active as you approach is a major bonus… Hope this all improves hour by hour for you and you can finally take a deep breath and rest again.
I always smile when I see your wee piglets. They always appear so shiny and clean, and slim too, hehehehe
Hope your day just keeps improving hour by hour. ~ Mame 🙂
Oh my your grass looks very tasty! Ours is white with weeks and weeks of heat and no rain.