Monday, March 2, 2009

Day on the Farm



You are looking at two of the three deer that love to graze in the pasture behind the cabin...actually, the field that Dean planted for them...on any given day, you can spot the deer AND the resident turkey that feeds nearby...however, this past weekend when Margaret was gone and Dean was in St. Pete, Daddy and I had the place to ourselves. We spotted some animals that were not where they belonged....the COWS!!

You see, they normally frolic and play in the fenced pastures to the east of the house....well, I glanced out my window, and noticed a couple of cows and babies who were contentedly grazing on the clover in the back yard, near the pool. I was on the phone with Dean who had just arrived safely in St. Pete, and I asked him to call Gary Tuten, the cows' daddy, and I would try to herd them back in through the gate that they had appeared to "crash" through, until Gary could get there.

It was warm that day, and I jumped into the "mule" ready to gather in a few cows.....when I backed out of the garage, I was shocked to see that it wasn't just a few cows, but most of the herd that were grazing all over the front, back, and side yards..stretching up to and around the barn. For a fleeting moment....I pictured myself saddling up Salty and corralling the group...driving them back through the gate...Thankfully, that was all that was....a fleeting moment..

I did spend about 15 minutes racing foolishly around small groups of cows and babies...waving my hands and shouting "YeeHaw", but they were not even mildly interested in my display of cowgirl skills!! In that time, I actually managed to drive 6 of them back into their pasture, with only about 80 more to go...At this rate, well, sundown was coming!!

At last, I spotted Gary near the other gate, where he had parked, and was now out of his truck, on foot, displaying his cowboy skills of waving his hat and shouting "Hoop...Hoop" or some such cow lingo!! Seems they appreciated his skills much better...and the whole herd at ONCE came down the fence line and back into the pasture! I leaped out of the parked mule and closed the gate behind them...this is when I learned the most valuable lesson of the day.....never, I repeat, NEVER go cow herding barefooted. Those of you have been around cows KNOW why!!

Gary fixed the gate, reprimanded his "children", and the day ended without any more incidents!!! I returned my cow herding "mule", to the garage and spent the next 15 minutes sterilizing and cleaning my "stinking" feet!!

Adam, I just wanted to ask you...when I stepped in it, I said "CRUD"!! Is that OK to say...kind of like "Oh Jimminy?"

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Don't let Gary know about "barefoot cow herding"...he'll take your hat away. This was TOOOO funny!!!
Margaret