Saturday, January 17, 2009

spring WILL come

I saw the first new calves of the year this morning. It wasn't a safe place to stop and take a picture--in the middle of an S curve--but there they were, two black Angus babies about a week old. (I'm not good at calf ages, but I hadn't seen them before, where I drive by an average of twice a day, so probably not yet two weeks.) Still wobbly kneed and big eyed. Every time I see a new calf on the ground, no matter how cold it is, it's a hint of spring.
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5 comments:

  1. DarylJanuary 17, 2009 at 9:44 PM

    Wow. I saw a flock of Robin's this week... spring really WILL come!! Calves... yummy! On so many levels.

    Daryl

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  2. solarityJanuary 18, 2009 at 9:19 AM

    I tried to count the robins feeding in the field south of the house yesterday--they hopped around so much I failed, but I'm sure it was more than twenty. They seemed quite fearless of hawks, so maybe I can get some birds to use the feeder eventually.

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  3. DarylJanuary 18, 2009 at 10:46 AM

    You have hawks? Plant some shrubs near your feeders for the little birds to hide in and you'll have birds galore! (I adore hawks, but love the little guys at the feeder, too!)

    Daryl

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  4. the Bag LadyJanuary 18, 2009 at 11:52 AM

    You have ROBINS??????? Now I know where they go in the winter!

    And it's a little early for calves around this ranch, although I know some of the ranchers around here start in January. Those with big enough barns.
    We were saying yesterday that the guys who are calving right now would be having an easy time of it - it was 55F!!!! And supposed to be that again today.

    Okay, I'll stop now - this comment is going to be longer than your post was.....sorry!

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  5. solarityJanuary 18, 2009 at 9:03 PM

    When I saw all those robins I said what I say to the chickadee that spend the summer: "Aren't you confused???"
    Yes, there are lots of hawks. When the sky is clear I seldom see fewer than two, and often more, circling above the field and the woods. Daryl, I can't plant any shrubs where the feeder is (outside my father's window off his porch) because that's where the deck extension will be built when there's enough money. I'm dreading spring, in fact, because I'll have to move a lot of shrubs and perennials in addition to deer-proofing a garden. I'll try putting a feeder in among those shrubs where we can see it from the living room.
    Bag Lady, I know when I was a child winter calves were not the norm, but the pressure to get to market sooner and sooner has people really pushing the weather (since around here very few beef cattle have barns.) That cow was crazy.

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