Raine's Story

This is baby Raine, she is a tiny little heifer born in the pouring rain.  Her mama's first calf.  She was born around noon, and when we checked her later after the rain she was tucked in to a little hollow on the ridge.  She was laying so still I thought she was sick so I went to her, slowly, quietly talking.  I gently touched her little wet head...and...

...she jumped up and RAN!  Right through one barbed wire fence, then through another, fell through the snow and sank into a soft, wet drift (the only one left I'm sure for miles!).  I dash to the fence, curse and fret at the gate (bless me that man of mine makes gates tight to open and close sometimes!)...and got cut...then I ran.  

Finally caught up to her and thought, "Phew now I can carry her back!"...or NOT!

She ran, AGAIN!, back through the fences (all three) but not before taking a nice swampy detour through the mud, muck and melted poop from the winter.  She slipped through the rails on the corral and lay down. So very tired.  I wanted to lay down too!  I knelt down and softly called her name, and mooed a little.   And I PRAYED!  Prayed that she wouldn't dash away again. Prayed that she wouldn't get hurt. Prayed that her Mama would finally come get her...and Praise the Lord if that calf didn't just get up and walk to me.

She stood there and let me carry her out to her Mama and aunties.  Aunty Brindle thought she should take charge of the baby and she moved her to where her mama was waiting.

My first barbed wire cut of the year! I guess you could say I got that out of the way! Now we can keep on calving and I'll remember to have my hands on the babies more firmly when they are playing possum!  No more muddy dashes for me to catch calves if I can help it!  Luke was a super helper and we were wise enough to have left the dogs in the house - they would have NOT helped.

Raine and her cousins Hank and Monica are playing in the sunshine.  They run, they sleep and they are growing fast.  Their Mama's are happy for the snow going away and I am too.

Calving is never boring around here...