Much of the mantle of being grown-up is trying to establish some kind of order into a fluid and unpredictable, chaotic world. The world is full of streams we thoughtlessly and quite naturally push against. Wind, cold, water, weeds, muddle, mess, dirt, hunger, aging, spiders webs, illness, even death itself – without even conscious thought we scurry about under this enormous sky trying to instil some kind of order, some kind of logic into the completely natural turmoil that we call life.
As though we have the right. 
Creating a semblance of order from the natural chaos is pretty satisfying though.
Aunty Del and her big tall calves have been separated. They did a bit of crying in the night but not as much as some. Weaning is a hard time for the animals but these two are old enough. I will give them heaps of good hay to eat and they will settle quickly. They have the uniball steer with them now (the vet could still only find one testicle which he banded anyway. The steer (who has always had the nickname Lonely because he hangs out by himself) will grow to behave like a bull but will not be fertiile. However his nature is very recessive so he can stay and grow here and be a part of this herd of young’uns.
Lady Astor is having trouble with her udder. She is well but as she dries up and the udder shrinks inwards it is getting longer and drooping further downwards. She stood on it the day before yesterday and has a nasty graze down the side of one quarter. The udder is drying up healthily but the risk of this happening again and doing worse damage is very real.
Remember this is a farm and I must make sensible decisions. Decisions that are best for the animal and the running of the farm. I am not sure I can leave this outcome to luck. Relying on good luck is to invite chaos. Luck is random and seldom lands where it is earned.
Chaos is begun by the smallest of changes in our landscape. So being aware of the environment and adjusting or hitching ourselves to head off or accept each small change (and sometimes that adjustment in the fabric is a big one) is the only real way to live with our natural order of chaos. And some of those adjustments are unkind.
For the meantime Lady is happily hanging out in her field with Aunty Del eating everything she sees and putting on some weight. All I can do for the moment is watch and hope the udder will begin to shrink upwards before she struggles up from a sleep and stands on it again.
Cows are not graceful.
We can expect sun today which will be lovely for all involved.
I hope you find loveliness today.
Love celi
WEATHER: 20F/ -6C as I write, and morning sunlight is streaming through the windows. We still have the Nor’Wester which is holding the cold here.
The Kitchen's Garden 
50 responses to “ORDER”
Farming & animal husbandry are hard tough jobs beset with chaos all around. It takes a special kind of organized & creative mind to cope with it & even be masterful at it. I admire your intelligent clear headedness combined with so much love & compassion & I’m sure your decisions made from close observation & quick attendance are almost always the right ones. Your land & creatures are in good hands.
Thank you – Clear Headidness is a constant struggle – especially on a farm with animals who we cosset and care for. Thank you for your support. I am working through a number of issues at the moment and your confidence in me makes everything easier. c
Morning Miss C – Would this help Lady Astor?
http://www.uddersupports.com/
Vesta – thank you – and like you I have researched these things too – but this is a physiological change in a DRYING up cow. She cannot wear a contraption like this for the rest of her life. Imagine the filth and heat under there. It is not sustainable. You are going to have to trust me on this. I am doing the best I can in the interests of the cow and the farm. c
I guess a cow bra is not really a proper long term solution, and I know you have to decide for Lady A’s health and for the Farmy’s health. Sometimes the randomness and wildness is more than we can impose control on. You do it well.
Thank you Kate – and thank you for trusting me.
Lady needs an udder bra! I thought you had a contraption for Daisy? Am I dreaming? Our friend google gave me “Tamm Net Udder Support”…..
Uddersupports.com by Franksville Specialty Company
These are for milking cows – Lady has a chronic long term problem developing here – please don’t make me feel worse than i already feel. Maybe it will dry upwards and all will be well.
Oh I never intended that. I’m so sorry. I was only suggesting as a temporary until she is dried up. I understand you may have to make a difficult decision. We have been there too several times with our animals. Please accept my apology.
Thank you darling – yes – I know you have the good heart – I think I am feeling worried for her and it is making me jumpy. The problem is that she is drying up in the wrong direction – she is drying DOWN. c
The bra does sound good, if it’s practical.
They are held in place by many buckles and straps. And the upkeep long term would be crazy. My hope that she would wander the fields and fatten up is drifting away. The reason I am retiring her is this stretched out udder. Her udder has always been uneven. So this problem is not a surprise. Lets hope she gets into better condition on her own.
I did think that might be the case. I remember Daisy having similar problems.
Yes – Daisy had a terribly big udder too – poor girls – Lucky Aunty is such a petite girl
Can cows have mastectomies? I suppose that would be a ridiculous expense, but…
Yes – I am a farm not a zoo. This might be one of those hard decisions that I could hide from you all but I promised to be honest. And it is possible that her udder will start to dry upwards soon. There are still lots of options. c
That cow nose close-up brought back a flood of memories from my childhood years of working on the family dairy farm.
Yes. Steamy hay-breath: )
They love to have a good old sniff!
Jmcheney said it best.
I am so lucky to have you all
I just love that first paragraph you wrote. You are a very talented writer. I wish I could ask my father for help with Lady Astor.
He would probably say something very sensible..
awww poor LADY- I know you will do the best for her. Take care and I adore that photo at the top- your animals are so well cared for and it shows..
Those porch cats are a pretty happy bunch. c
I’m sure whatever you decide to do about Lady Astor will be the right decision for her and for you. Fingers crossed that she will dry upwards, and all is well.
Yes – I really wish she would – she stood on it again today – but it is bruised and a little grazed – i really wish she would not do that. c
My sentiments exactly jmcheney! Miss C. will make the right decision..which are always in the best interest of the animal and the farm, no matter how hard that decision may be!
Well we have all been together a long time going through all kinds of decisions – that is for sure.. c
OH! We had a “uniball” … Brent missed one when he did the band. We called him Eric The Half-a-Bull … 🙂 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlrsqGal64w
Hi Jean darling girl. That is too funny!
I must admit my first thought was a cow bra, however, you’re quite right, it’s not a long term solution and would become a daily problem. I think you’re right about letting things work themselves out with Lady A’s pendulous udder and you’ll make the best decision for Lady A and yourself. It might take awhile for the drying to finish so wait and see makes all kinds of sense.
Aunty Del is such a handsome girl. I love the close-up portrait.
It also looks like you’ll be having several days in a row of mostly sunny days.
Aunty Del is rather beautiful and the complete opposite of Lady – Aunty has a tiny udder.
Hard as it is, you’ll do what needs to be done. Sometimes life just sucks. Hugs C.
Also it is the natural order of things on a farm – so we make sense of a crap deal -if that makes sense..
Indeed it does… https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W4ga_M5Zdn4#
True