Updates.....

It has been a while since I last posted. Bruno is doing fine. He is starting on calf starter and drinks some water and munches on a little hay. He still calls when he hears me coming. Some of the cats are his friends now as they stay by his pen throughout the day. I guess he needs a little company.

Our cat, 'Blackie', got very sick last week and we had to put him down. It was sad to lose an old friend. He always came to the bed when I was getting dressed and would sit on my leg for a good rub down. I will miss him. With one less cat in the house we decided that Bubbie and Bobbie would stay with us and not go back to the farm. I'm sure they appreciate it, although they didn't even know their time was limited living with us. They are the only cats that will sit on my lap for cuddling. John has his Simon but I never had any. I am thrilled to have them stay even though I was the one so determined to send them back to the farm.

The weather has been rain, rain, rain and more rain to come this week. The trees are beautiful in the yard - not only the yard, but everywhere! Maybe fall is my favorite time of year. I have a few bulbs to plant in the yard. I am waiting for dry weather and some warm sunshine. Things are settled for the fall. I will plan the new bed next spring.

The quilt is nearly finished. I am so happy with the way it turned out. I hope the lady likes it as much as I do. My son said I put so much work into it they should be thrilled. I will have it finished and delivered next week. Then I will start on the next one.

Bruno gave us a scare!

When I open the door for feeding time Bruno gives a little "Maaa" when he hears me come and is standing, ready to get his milk. On Tuesday morning, he was asleep at the far end of his pen and I had to call him to wake him up. He seemed a little bewildered but came and took his full bottle. I hear a sound, was his belly growling or was that the cat beside me. He took all the milk and wanted more so I guessed he was OK. His area was a little dark with all the rainy weather so I left the light on so he would think is was daylight out. That evening I met John at the gate and told him about Bruno's actions in the morning. He said when he looked in he had to wake him up also. When I got to the pen with the bottle, there was Bruno laying on his side with his legs stretched out and just lifting his hid when I called. I yelled loudly for John and he came running. He hopped into the pen and got Bruno up and walked him around a little. Bruno took most of his milk, but would drink a little and stop, then drink some more and stop until most of the bottle was finished. I left and John said Bruno went poo and then flopped on the floor. He added some straw around him and even covered him partially with straw. The next morning we expected to find a dead calf, as things seem to go in that direction usually. Next day, Bruno was up and waiting for his bottle. He has been fine ever since. We are having problems with our water at home and had some bottled in jugs. Some of it may have gotten stale or we mixed the formula too rich. We are ever so careful making his bottle now and he is doing great. Keep my fingers crossed!

Bobbie and Bubbie go back to the farm

Sunday is the day planned for the kitties to return to the farm. I feel happy that they have progressed this far, but sad to see them go. Bubbie is in the crazy kitty stage. He is a little demon, terrorizing everything - other kitties, toys or anything that moves or doesn't move. Bobbie is a quiet little sweetheart unless she is at the feeding dish. Nobody gets food until she is finished. Bobbie can handle herself when roughing it with Bubbie now. Before she would just squeal until he would stop. Bobbie was at the farm when she was little so she should remember, I think. Bubbie has never experienced it. He is tough though so he should do OK. His human mommy may be spending a lot more time over there the next few weeks until she is sure they adjust to things. Both kitties have been more sweet and attentive to John and I recently - as if they know something is going to happen.

Bruno!

Buckeye is the old cow in the herd. We probably should have shipped her last year, but when we weened her calf we figured she was pregnant so we kept her, keeping in mind we would ship her this year. Over the summer Buckeye developed mastitis in her udder. Her udder wasn't very good anyway, and the vet said she would not be able to raise a calf. Last Tuesday, Buckeye delivered a little black and white baby. When we discovered the new arrival we gave it a bottle of the special milk replacement for newborns. We put him in a pen and would need to feed him from then on. Heavy rain was predicted for Thursday so Wednesday night we made a pen in the hayshed for the baby. As I fed the little calf, "Bruno" came to mind, and that is his name. He is a little small so that makes him extra cute.

The cows take a little walk - and a new baby!

On Wednesday evening I went over to the farm. John drives his car to work but wants to put chopped grass on the truck for the calves at the other farm. While John chops grass for the cattle I drive over and switch vehicles. He forgot to leave the keys in the car so I waited around for him. Then I heard the distinct sound of a newborn calf. From the fence I searched the herd and toward the back I saw DeeDee and her new little baby. It is getting dark when John gets back and sometimes he doesn't see everything very clearly. I told him of the new calf and he had to take a look for himself. I keep a loose schedule of calving as the bull is with the cattle and DeeDee is right on time.

On Thursday I headed over to the farm a little early. When I got there John was signaling from the field road so I followed the light. When I got close, he shown the light over to the clover field. There were the cows. We are not sure when they got out, but I'm sure their bellies were full of corn and clover - no grass tonight! I got behind them with the truck and John walked along beside them. They made a bee-line back to the pen. The electric fence gate by the water trough was on the ground and when John tried to hook it up he noticed the loop wire was worn through. A new wire and we were back in business. It is always a little scary when you come up to the pen and realize they are GONE!