oh baby!

Oh baby, it's C O L D out here AND it's time for a momma cow to give birth. It's really an amazing phenomenon when you think about it - momma cow seeking out the perfect spot on a bitterly cold day to bring her baby bovine into the world. She walks herself away from the herd (Is the event a secret? Does she prefer privacy?), finds tall grass for a soft landing, and a tree line, dirt bank, or whatever will provide a wind break; all of her maneuvers will provide safety for a newborn. After the birth she hovers over her calf allowing her body heat to radiate and as soon as the little one is able to stand on its wobbly legs she leads, or nudges, it to another safe area. This morning, with a wind chill in single digits, I'm confident that should any momma cow decide 'now's-the-time' she's got a healthy delivery plan in mind. It happens over-n-over again in the pastures. With each birth I think how mind-blowing it is that livestock have such protective senses and maternal instincts. In this time, and in so many others, I find words fail to adequately describe how blessed we are to experience life on the FARM!