A good day to be a cow. Nothing but lazing about in the sun, thinking about nothing.
Ears up and head up when the tractor and the dogs and I bring their hay down to the back of the field. Breakfast in bed. Lovely if you are into that kind of thing.
I always throw the hay out in small piles onto clean areas of the field, small enough and spaced out enough to avoid turning into cow beds, or pooed on and being wasted. Cows like to eat off clean ground (an oxymoron if ever I wrote one) . Cows will often poo when they are eating and do not like to eat where they have pooed, wasting hay, so I always try to find a clean table for them. It works for many reasons, the grass does not get smothered and they spread the good fertility from their manure through out the winter field and they waste very little.
Pigs love the sun too. No digging into the straw yesterday at a high of 52F (11C). Everyone was laid out in the sun.
Of course all these home barn pigs could have been outside in the sun too, the gates are always open, but they chose to sleep in their sunny pen instead. Perfectly spaced as though parked by a valet. Molly and Tahiti the two gilts are the sweetest pigs. I say roll over to one and they both throw themselves down for a belly scratch.
Tahiti has 16 nipples, Molly only 12. Though I think Molly is more beautiful with her four red legs. And Tahiti is spectacular with her large wide expressive face.
We walked between the barns again the dogs and I. The cats come a ways then wait in the long grass to lead us back on the home stretch.
Today will be even warmer which is good as the dogs and I have to drive up to Chicago and pick up Our John from the plane. He has been gone ten days. Ten very quiet, tidy days.
I hope you have a lovely day.
love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
72 responses to “… to be a cow”
Seeing your wide skies, makes wonder if I imagined we had a view for miles from five windows at the back of my house. We seem to have had leaden low skies for months and the rain is never ending. Enjoy your trip to the Airport.
Look at that lovely tractor! All just for you!
Linda
My brother is a farmer by heart and driving a tractor makes him happy. You have a nice tractor, my brother would like that.
I love that last photo. It reminds me of a spa scene, everyone basking in the sun! I noticed on the last hike to the river, that the pecan orchard man (who has cows on his land) had just rolled out a bale in a long path through the woods. It was covered in poop, and some of the early morning loafers were laying right in the hay path, using it for bedding. I don’t know much about raising livestock, but with hay prices what they’ve been the last years, your method seems much more food conscious! 🙂
I HATE wasted hay. It is so hard to make. It would depend how many you have how much you put out though. I guess. And this is exactly why i do not want the big round bales, the waster is awful… c
I think I told you already that I envied very much the cows being a school girl. Them, laying lazy about an orchard under the trees mornings at 8 o’clock, ruminating, dreaming and being so so free, while I was passing by with my bike in a big hurry to be at my not very beloved nun’s school timely. Every morning. I so wanted to be a cow then…
Love your photographs so much, especially the piggie’s pic with the hens – oh my, lovely Farmy life… I so agree with you: Molly & Tahiti are very special – love them too. Who could not love them…
Cannot believe that ten days have passed since Our John’s departure… Where has time gone???
Have a nice Sunday afternoon & evening, you and John!
Today is ‘status quo’ with mom. I was at the hospital with her for her first feeding last night and then this morning the nurse had me to it. I pulled my shoulders back, lifted my head and pushed my nerves down to my toes – – and I did it. We will not know the effects of finally getting real nourishment for a couple of days.
For those few who do not know – my mother is 79 (as of a week ago) and was diagnosed with esophageal cancer last October. Wednesday the 20th I had to call the ambulance and get her to the ER due to pneumonia, high fever and lack of nutrition. She has not eaten a nibble of food or sip of liquid since the 17th so combine that with 3 rounds of Chemo and 25 radiation treatments – she went down hill very quickly. The doctors had told us that they would not do a feeding tube unless the endoscope showed signs that the treatments had helped. Our first doctor after the scope said “I’m sorry” but we can not proceed with the tube because her health is just not stable enough. But her oncologist on Friday night saw some improvement in the blood work and the Friday scope – thus we got a feed tube late Friday. We still do not know if the cancer is better – but a feed tube gives us some home of better and a few more days.
Thank you all for your prayers and support this week. I will try to post an update in the comments of this lovely blog every so often.
C – I love the pictures today!
Still praying. I have wrapped you all in a fluffy blanket and handed you to God. I wish you the grace and strength you need day by day.
Chris S in Canada
Prayers being said, Pat. May God bless both you and your Mum, and others who are holding vigil at this really tough time. My thoughts are with you. ~ Mame
Well who wouldn’t love to be a cow…or a pig for that matter on the Farmy…with room service!! 🙂 Our John gone for 10 days?? Isn’t that an all time record? Where was he off to C.? Well, for someone not liking to travel, he is probably thrilled to be back home!
Yes – ALL TIME! And he is pleased to be home. c
Ten days as a bachelorette! It is nice to have the ‘alone time’ when everything stays neat and tidy but eventually it’s long enough. The quiet is a little too quiet and it’s good to welcome them home. We had drizzly grizzly rain on and off all day here though it was close to 40* F. It made a mushy mess of the snow. Sun should be back tomorrow and all the creatures will be out basking again.
Like you I have spent a good deal of my life with my own company so it is easy for me to toddle along alone.. c
Citygirl talks about cows:
I never saw a purple cow, I never hope to see one
But I can tell you anyhow, I’d rather see than be one.
by Gelett Burgess (I checked on google and did remember his name)
Lots of love, Gayle
What a funny poem – thank you gayle. c
I think one of my parents taught that poem to me. Maybe Dad? Lots of love, Gayle
Hahaha… that’s hilarious!
I recited that poem in first grade on the stage at my parochial school for all those people in t he audience I didn’t know, (while searching for my parents out there). Afterward I gave my mom a tissue paper flower I had made. Thank you for that memory
The gift of a memory. I just couldn’t hope for more! Much love, Gayle
I thought the same thing this morning “a good day to be a cow” as I strolled past a handsome big red bull resting in the shade of a tree down to the pub to buy a carton of their farm eggs. He curiously watched me, up and back. Life is good when you have cows for neighbours 🙂
Going to the pub to buy eggs! Hmm.. c
That last pictures is amazing. The pigs look warm enough to cuddle up next too. A perfect day. I’d have napped in that sun and hay too.
Sometimes I smile all day after reading about the pigs and seeing them through your eyes and camera. Today I’m picturing them as little cars “perfectly spaced as though parked by a valet.” I had not thought of parked pigs before. Nor of their attendant being a nicely dressed polite young man. Miss C., you have such a fresh view of the world. And it’s catching.
I’m a day behind already. Loved the comment about how quiet and tidy it is with your John gone. I so understand that. Now I understand why my day yesterday was all out of sorts. I didn’t get here first. 😦
It’s great to stretch out and have the sunbeams hit you and warm your little body – whether cow or pig. Mom loves your stretched out piggy with the feet behind them. She *always* goes goo-goo when she sees me do that. Snorts – XOXO – Bacon
I thought Our John built you a livestock feeder for the cattle?
Yes he did – , but I have two groups of cows and no more pipe to build another. However when i bring Aunty Del back to the home farm the balance will tip and the feeder will come back with her..