Why You Don't Want To Be My Neighbor...

Aren't these little guys cute? I just love baby jersey calves. They are precious. If you have ever fed baby calves bottles, you will understand the two terms of slobbering (sliming) and butting. These cute, little, sweet fellows guzzle their bottles with incredible speed. This then puts them into a feeding frenzy, except the bottle is empty. So, they will try to nurse anything and everything that is near by. If it is your shirt or your arm, or as one time happened to me... the side of your face is what is close, you get slimed. They are very slobbery after having their bottles. The butting comes from them thinking you are their mom. You provide the milk, so therefore you are mom. If you go into the pasture, they will come running to you. However, once they get there, they are looking for a nipple. As they nurse their moms, you will see them butt or bump up really hard on their mom's udder. Well, they do that while looking for one as well. They will come up behind you and start butting your rear end. If you are a guy then don't face them without being truly ready. This morning I went out to feed the calves. The milk cow, her calf and 2 of the others were in the stall, but one of ours was missing. I called to see if he would come running, but that did not happen. So, I went into the pen (leaving the bottles sitting on the outside) and started looking. He was no where to be seen. The grass is pretty high, so I started calling and looking. Thankfully the other 2 stayed inside the barn. When I got the far side of the pasture, there he was laying in the tall grass like a little fawn. He saw me (I swear he smiled at me) and just stayed laying down. I went over to pet him to see if he was OK. He got up and I knew he would follow me. In the meantime the milk cow had followed me mooing for a peanut, which I did not have on me. So, we are now in a parade back to the barn. Me out front, a little calf following and a big milk cow following him. Well, we did not get far until Phil A. Mignon (he is small, but will be tasty) realized it was time for breakfast and I was Mom. So, he started butting me in the back side. I would put my hand up to try and keep him from doing it. He would just go to the other side. All the way into the barn, I got butted. I was so hoping the neighbors were not watching. =)


I told my neighbor that I was going to put a post on my blog titled.... "Why you would not want to be my neighbor" Then I said she could fill up the comment box. Today was a phone day. I made and received several calls. I was on the phone and I heard a little voice at my front door. It was the little guy from next door telling me the milk cow and her calf were out. So, the neighbor and 2 of her children and I went to try and get her. I took peanuts with me to entice her. She would come up and eat the peanuts, but if I had my other hand near or moved it, she ran off. We (read the agile children here) finally herded her in with the other cows. Her calf went in with her. I told them to just leave her in there until Michael got home. Two of the steers started chasing the calf and so he ran out of the pasture under the wire. He was hanging close to her and ran off if we tried to get near him, so I said to let him be. Well, I got another phone call when I went in. As I was talking with her, I heard Molasses bellowing, and I went to investigate. Her calf was out in the driveway close to the pasture it was supposed to be in. So, I headed out and turned off the fence. The others from next door had seen her too and were already out there trying to herd her. So, I picked up the fence, but he would not go under it. Then my dog (WHO DOES NOT OBEY WELL!!!... sense some frustration there?) took off after the calf, which made the mother go nuts and the baby ran back over by that pasture. So, he is still out of his pen. I don't know what I would do with out my WONDERFUL neighbors. They help me a lot. Thanks Neighbors!!!!!

Here is my bleeding heart. You can see the blooms in several stages. God is so amazing. He gave us such a variety in colors, shapes, textures. Thank you LORD!!!