I ALMOST Lost It....

Stupid cow....

Every morning and night, I bring the cows onto the stanchion (one at a time, of course....), for the morning and evening fondle. Since I separate Stew (Daisy's calf) from mom at night, I get more milk in the morning, than in the afternoon.

Mabel never has been a real HUGE producer, but I've noticed that lately, she's really dropped in production in the afternoons. Since we had her palpitated - and found out she IS pregnant - the drop wasn't REAL shocking. Odd, none the less, but not SHOCKING.

Well - a couple of days ago, Mabel and her accomplice (Daisy), got out into the yard over night. I had left the pasture gate to the drive way open so they could go out there and chow down when they felt like it.

They felt like chowing down on the lawn....

I can leave the driveway gate open and those two will walk right up to it and LOOK down the drive, but won't take a step onto it. When they are on the drive, they stand by the gate and peer longingly out into the yard. When they DO eat on the driveway, they choose to munch on the places I can GET WITH THE LAWN MOWER!

Do they mow where I CAN'T mow? NOOOOOOO....Even if I have just run over it with the mower, they clip it even lower - totally ignoring the nice, tall grass 2 feet away. If I open the gate, they're gone into the yard.

That's what happened the other day. They went through their gate, onto the drive and leaned on the horse panel across the drive until they could stick their pointy little heads in, then shoved on through to the front yard.

All this would be fine - except I still had to MILK them that morning. Daisy was easy because she was sticking close to the barn until I let Stew out of his nightly prison stay.

THAT'S where I made my mistake....

Daisy came on it, Mabel headed for greener pastures, and I let Stew OUT....

The first thing Stew did, was to find Aunt Mabel and snitch breakfast - and Mabel LET HIM!



No WONDER Mabel was drained at night!

Mabel wasn't worth much that morning, but I got enough from her to feed the cats. Daisy, on the other hand, made up for it. I overflowed the bucket before I was done.

Every time I milk the cows, they get "cookies" (alfalfa cubes) when we're done. Normally, I give a couple on the stand, then stick some more in front of their face as they head out the door. This morning was no diffe...ok, it WAS a LITTLE different.

I was just about done with Mabel, when my cell phone rang. It was the neighbor who wanted some help. I talked to him as I gave Mabel some cookies, and unlocked the head stall. Mabel backed up, turned around and waited patiently by the door for he second batch of handouts.

It was at this point when I said my goodbyes on the phone, flipped it shut and started to put it back into it's pouch on my belt....

THAT'S when I almost lost it - the PHONE, I mean!

Mabel ASSUMED that since it was in my hand, and passing in front of her nose, that it was a goody. She deftly slid over and SNATCHED IT FROM MY HAND! Luckily, I was quick enough to save it before it went "crunch", but it did get slimed pretty good.

Mabel stepped back, looked at me with those big "puppy dog" eyes, and snorted. I suppose she was wondering why I snatched her treat right out of her mouth. Hey - it might be a cheap phone, but the carrier might balk at a replacement if I told them my cow ate it.

Anyhoo - she got her cookies, then huffed out the door and out of the barn.

Stew was already out their, waiting for her.