This Way To My Blog

This Way To My Blog

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

With A Spring In Our Step


A warm sunny day and all the animals were happy. The white turkeys were gobbling and the guinias were hollering, red birds twittering but John had a sad job to do. Now I know Mosie and some country people will understand there are things that have to be done on a farm or ranch that are not always pleasant. Today was one of those days. The blind cow who stays on the east part of the property has cancer in her eye. I won't go into detail, its not pretty. Her eye is bothering her so John was going to do what needed to be done to get her out of her misery. He left me with the turtles but he was soon back and I didn't ask anything. He said I couldn't do it so I don't know if he will just let her live her life out there or find someone to do the job. While I was feeding the turtles I realized one of the turtles was making a noise. Now I don't know if it was the same turtle all time or if it was a different one but I would only hear one. As it came near the water it was making a little sound like it was fussing at the others or maybe purring kind of. At first I thought it was a little bug or bee buzzing in one of the cow track which are deep right now but no I couldn't find anything. On the site several sent me I didn't read anything about them making a noise but I'm almost sure it was a turtle making that noise. While I'm bending over toward the water I feel a breath close by. Good thing I turned when I did it was Butter. Remember her she is the one who came up behind me and butted me in the butt and I was running in the air trying to get my balance and not fall on my face. Hence her name Butter. She was hearing the rattle of the puppy food and she wanted some and was going to get some If she had to butt me right into that muddy water. I didn't take my eyes off her after that.

10 comments:

Dar said...

First let me say, I LOVE the boots with the flowers hanging out on the fence...and I understand the need to 'do the right thing' sometimes on the ranch...very familiar with that.
As for Butt-er...she is a sneaky one. You are so lucky she didn't butt you in the 'drink'...
Have a wonderful Wed. and so sorry about your cow.
Her calf will miss her too for awhile but will adjust soon enough.
Bless Your Heart

~mel said...

Hi Paula... I'm back in Wisconsin from visiting your wonderful BIG state of Texas. We were in the Ft Worth area. When we came down we came through the north from Oklahoma; but went home to the east through Dallas and on to Texarkana into Arkansas.
I'm curious ... how big of ranch do you and John have ~ and how many head of cattle? I LOVE your cow photos. Two years ago we stayed at a cabin over by Gorman on a cattle ranch. I LOVED it! The cabin was smack dab in the middle of this huge HUGE field by a little watering hole. It had woven fencing all around it to keep the cattle out. Very unique and very fun place to watch cows. LOL. We even got in some wild pig hunting; which was something we had never done before.

Lucy said...

Paula you almost make me want to live on a farm, not ranch, cause I probably would get lost on it. That was me talking to you Paula. A turtle can not talk very loud and I tried to tell you I was Lucy and I hoped I was not to muddy or slimey but I was thanking you for the dog food. Do you think John would have a vet do it or someone to put her out of her misery. Tell John he has a big heart. I could not have done it either.

Toon said...

I know all too well that sometimes we have to put the animals' quality of life before our own emotions. I grew up on a farm and learned this very early.

Anonymous said...

SMART TO KEEP AN EYE ON BUTTER, PAULA.
sam

Kath said...

Sometimes we have to be cruel to be kind Paula,but I can relate to John.I think maybe he should get someone else to do the job he couldn't.Sorry to read this part of your post.As for Butter I would be sure to keep well away from Butter if it were my ranch,guess she was just being nosey like all women LOL !!As iv'e said before I'm afraid of cows he-he.Have a great day.Happy to read your weather is picking up nicely.Take Care God Bless Kath xx

garnett109 said...

sorry to hear about the blind cow

jack69 said...

Butter ah ha! and I was thinking, milk and butter, Butter.
Well it was good for the cow today, John's decision.
Some things you just don't like in every job, just some hurt more than others.
From NC
jack & Sherry

Jimmy's Journal said...

I was thinking the same thing as Jack, hehe. Sorry to hear about the blind cow. I'm not good at putting an animal dwon either. Maybe some divine intervention will help out with that decision.

Jimmy

Gerry said...

This is a funny story. I would never have guessed her name was Butter because she butted you! Grandpa King used to have a black milk cow with crooked horn who hated kids. If she saw a kid crossing the pasture she would let out an evil beller and start after us and we would run for our lives. We speculated a kid might have tormented her in her past life somewhere else. No kids were allowed to torture Grandpa's cows! I know all about cancer-eyed cows. There were a lot of downwinder cows with cancer in their eyes after the Nevada nuclear tests in southern Utah, but guess it could not have caused it there. John must be tenderhearted! I like a tender hearted man.