September Fool’s Day
Yesterday morning started out well. The first order of the day was to get the raccoon out of the trap. I’ve learned to do that before I let the dogs out. The dogs aren’t happy about it, but it makes my life easier. Later in the morning, I was wishing that I had my camera in my pocket.
There were two Sandhill Cranes in the hayfield that wouldn’t have needed a zoom lens to capture. One was dancing, hopping and popping. The link has better photos than I could have taken, and you can listen to them, too.
In the afternoon, I started walking to the mailbox, when I noticed a snake in the driveway. Once again, I lamented that my camera was in the house - for about two seconds. No time for a Kodak moment. . .
This was not the snake in my driveway, I don’t know if they were related (they did meet the same fate).
The adrenaline was pumping. I needed to get the dogs in the house now. For reasons known only to them, all three went in when I told them to. I grabbed my shovel from the Mule.
Then I looked down. Oh no, that won’t do. . .
These lovely feet aren’t mine, the image is from Sue’s Sparkler.
I ran into the house and put my boots on my bare feet and over my jeans. Not as stylish, but safer. I contemplated my pistol, but thought better of it. The snake had moved a bit further in and was not happy to see me. I was happy that it had not gone into the tall grass a few inches away. A few minutes later I let the dogs back out.
In the early evening I went through the heifers with Lucky on the Mule. A few days ago I pointed out a heifer to Lynn. She was very heavy with calf. I put the bulls in on the 20th of May. She apparently was bred before we weaned last November. Uh-oh. . . I left the pasture and dropped Lucky back at the house and called Lynn. Who probably wished that he hadn’t answered the phone.
“Lynn - it’s Karen - the heifer- she’s starting to calve - I’m gonna need help - I had to drop the dog back at the house - I don’t know how long she’s been at it - she doesn’t seem to be trying - I’m on my way back down there - she’s got one foot out - I’ll get her in the corral - or the barn - see you there.”
I was born in NY - not only can I talk fast - I’m pretty good with run-on sentences.
I had the cattle moved when Lynn arrived. I think that the bulls had been bugging her in the pasture. We got her in the barn without any problem. She laid down and looked like she was going to give it a go. We left her alone while we went to irrigate. When we returned to the barn she was a changed heifer. No, she didn’t have her calf - she simply decided that she wanted to beat the snot out of us. After a few hairy moments we got her in the maternity pen. We got straps on the calf’s feet and Lynn started pulling. Then we started pulling. Mama pushed a little. The calf was huge - and very much alive. As soon as we got its head out it let us know that it wasn’t thrilled with any of us. The calf came easily to about its shoulders. That was it. I got the calf puller off the wall and fumbled with it. Lynn pulled, Mama pushed, I pulled, we ratcheted, the feet slipped out of the straps, we started over. Finally - it’s a girl! We brought the calf to a pen and released Mama, who still wanted to run us over. She went in with the calf, and we left them alone. Sitting on the Mule, dirty and tired, I said to Lynn, ” I hope none of the other heifers are that pregnant”.
I filled a bucket with oats and went to the barn. I gave Mama some water and hay. I saw that she hadn’t licked the calf, so I poured oats on it. A couple hours later I went back and saw that the oats were gone and the calf was now lying beside her. I gave her more water and went home to bed. When I checked in the morning the calf was nursing.
September 2nd, 2006 at 4:56 pm
As they say (whoever the hell “they” are), Alls well that ends well. One more calf in the world, and one less snake. (I’m assuming that you did the reptile in — if not, we can add to that herpetilogical book Snakes on the Plains. Feel free to groan.) Perhaps this was this cow’s way of celebrating “Labor” Day. (Feel free to groan again.)
Enjoy the holiday weekend, and take comfort in the fact that you never decided to settle in AZ. For one, you never would’ve met The Baron, and for two, you wouldn’t have had to deal with no swamp cooler for two days when it’s 105 outside (and the low is around 88; I’ve discovered that trailers hold heat very well). After a false start last night (the ball valve allowing water to the cooler was stuck in the “off” position, and without water, the thing blows hot air; the tech got it to run last night, but it went back to blowing hot air — not unlike the owner of the house and/or his dog — soon after he left, so another visit was required this morning) we have cool air, but the house got so hot that it’ll take a few days of the cooler running 24/7 to get the place close to comfortable.
Kirk (If the East Coast hurricane season gets to the letter “K” this year, some poor folks are going to feel the wrath of Hurricane or Tropical Storm Kirk. At “S”, it’ll be Sandra; I’ve already felt the destruction of Hurricane Sheba.)
September 3rd, 2006 at 4:17 am
A “calf puller”?
Oh, my.
There are so many things I know nothing about.
September 3rd, 2006 at 6:28 am
I used to have that problem too with heifers calving just a wee bit early. I give my calves a shot every fall now to prevent the problems you just had with the heifer. It makes life a lot easier for me and the heifers.
September 3rd, 2006 at 3:46 pm
Sam
A shot of what?
I’m tempted to say whisky but I know better.
September 4th, 2006 at 9:56 am
Never a dull moment. Some heifers must breed very young. We had a couple growing in the feedlot last winter who calved about the time the rancher was doing his AI program. bonnie
September 4th, 2006 at 6:33 pm
“I saw that she hadn’t licked the calf, so I poured oats on it.”
Too funny! What a way to come into this world!
September 4th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
Wonderful story! Loved reading this.
September 5th, 2006 at 3:34 am
My goodness me woman! This is a day in your life?! Im tired from READING that!
You did damn good! Lucky little calf to have you at the midwifery helm.
September 5th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
I wonder what I can pour oats on around here…?
September 5th, 2006 at 5:19 pm
Ooopps… That last comment was mine…
Cheers,
Mr. H.K.
Postcards from Hell’s
Kitchen
And I Quote Blog
September 5th, 2006 at 7:51 pm
Congratulations on the new birth . Gives new meaning to the word “labor day” for you and Mom. From another former New Yorker, transplanted to Montana, running a bed and breakfast. Ah .. life is good.
Get some rest from you “labor of love” …sorry about that:)
September 7th, 2006 at 5:54 pm
While on the subject of slithering reptiles, here’s an interesting story from around here in Phoenix last week:
In Scottsdale, there’s an animal rehab center where wild animals who are found injured (hit by a car, for example) are taken for medical care and rehab until they’re well enough to be released back into the wild. The lady who runs the facility has an Aussie Shepherd who has taken it upon himself to be the facility’s guard dog.
It seems this pooch has become good buddies with a coyote who is under care there. Several days ago, a diamondback (the actual reptile, not a member of our seriously slumping baseball team) found its way onto the premises from the desert nearby, and got into the coyote’s enclosure. The dog, seeing this, went to the aid of his pal, and wound up taking the bite the rattler had planned for the coyote.
Fortunately, the dog was taken to the vet quickly enough for the anti-venom that he’s just fine now, and is back to his “job.” (The coyote was unharmed, and the snake got his. One less reptile to worry about.)
Kirk & Her Spoiledness
September 9th, 2006 at 9:53 pm
Dispatching wild snakes and vicious raccoons, coupled with a little out of season bovine obstetrics. Damn I miss my country roots when I read stuff like that.
July 29th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
[…] Since she calved last year in September, we’ll just call it an early calf. It’s a boy! […]
August 1st, 2007 at 3:25 pm
What a long day. Good to see you posting. What a beautiful way to spend your time though, in the hazy crazy days of Montana. Why do you trap the raccoons? I’m thinking because they are rodents, and pests, and they get in the dog feed? We don’t seem to have them here in Helena so I’m unfamiliar with them. Hang in there Woman!