How quickly things change...

    I know that back to back posts are a little rare for me, but I promised. The interview went very well. Melissa made me feel "right at home". I was a little worried when she broke out the recorder, but it wasn't bad at all. After she left, of course I thought of 50,000 things I should have said. Things about why I actually started this here blog, to tell the ranching life story. Or I should have told her that everyone needs to get the word out about agriculture. Maybe I did say those things. I guess if I did, they're "on tape". My only concern was that I was a good enough voice for the ranching community.

    So after the interview, I was still sitting on my high horse a little bit. After all, it's not everyday that someone wants interviews you, right? Well, I was brought back down to earth by a bellowing cow. How quickly things change.

   Later that afternoon we could tell that a storm was rolling over the mountains, so we went to tag calves. The coming storm had dropped 7 new calves throughout the day. The Cowboy said, "Better tag them now before it gets too cold." If a calf's ear gets too cold, the ear will swell. If you tag them with a swollen ear, it can cause damage to the ear, they usually bleed a bunch, and after all that, the tag usually falls out. So it's no good all around.

    Usually the Cowboy does the tagging by himself, but when there's a few of them, then I help. The first one wasn't that bad, momma was a little up tight, but nothing major. Then as we were walking away, I heard feet. Fast, heavy, big running cow feet. Luckily for us, she stopped to smell the calf (that wasn't hers, because she hasn't even popped yet). The Cowboy insisted she was just playing, I insisted she was psycho. 

    A couple pairs later, there was a mean momma. Lucky for me, this whole time I'd been packing a base ball bat. I couldn't find a sorting stick, it was left in the other truck. The cowboy has learned that I don't step foot around mommas when they have babies on the ground without an equalizer of some sorts. If I can't find anything around, you can expect my pockets are full of rocks. 

    So anyway, the point is this....there's nothing like a snot-blowing, bellowing momma in your face. If that won't jerk you back to reality, I don't know what will. How quickly things change. Momma got a little close to my Cowboy, so I tapped her on the head. She took a step back and the Cowboy finished. I've learned not to swing unless a cow is literally stomping on someone. She's just being a good momma, can't fault her for that. 

    Speaking of mommas and babies.... 

    My munchkin recently hit a milestone. Yesterday I laid her down for a nap, only to have her come running down the hall 5 minutes later. I knew this was coming, she is almost 3, but I still was hoping that she'd never find a way out of her crib. I just wasn't ready for her to be in a big girl bed yet. I'm sure all the mommas out there know what I'm talking about. If she was still in her crib, she was still my little baby. Well, not anymore. After she finally went to sleep, and then woke up, here she came again. It was hard to not laugh as she came running down the hall, so proud, squealing and laughing and shouting, "See Momma?". How quickly things change....

 

Comments

[sam]

Hmmm, time for a toddler bed! I am one of those strange moms- as soon as my girls could toddle they got a big girl bed- now they both sleep in twin beds. only the 10m old gets a crib. But you are right, they change WAY to fast!

[Dotty]

I so enjoy your writings! Please keep them coming!
Thanks a bunch!!!! And, good luck with your ranch life!
Dotty

[Nancy @The Wife of a Dairyman]

Congrats on the interview! It's wonderful to see the agriculture story being told across the nation. It's so important! Keep up the good work!

[mandie]

I am sure you did great for the interview and you did all the ranch wives proud I am sure:) I love reading your blog so keep em coming, I could relate to so many of the posts!!

[Jennifer Tales from a Ranchers Wife]

I really like the term "equalizer" will have to remember that and use it the next time the hubby looks at me and tell me she is not that big you can keep the gate closed.

[Jan Carbone]

I am sure YOU gave a up front honest interview...Just be sure you let us know where we can read it...OUT of her CRIB---Well you were lucky it lasted this long...She is a big girl but mine is 34 and still our little girl--and having her own little one in July..Actually their second son--big brother is 13 years old.....So see there is always time--when you least expect it...<3 :)

[Memory]

Aw, I just love that picture! So cute! =)
*MeMoRy