When the kids were in elementary and middle school, our view out of the front window of the car on the drive to school looked like this.
Yeah, I know. Lucky beyond words. We live in a community surrounded by city and county-owned open space – almost 150,000 acres of land that forms a buffer around the city, helping to establish the city’s own separate identity from neighboring communities. It protects our mountain views, gives us miles and miles of hiking and biking trails, and preserves land for agricultural use.
The drive (between the three kids, I did it for eight years) also took us past what we called the “baby calf field”. Every January cows would magically appear in the same county-owned field.
Such a cold day. The cows were barely moving.
And in early February, the baby calves would begin to be born. We would slow down and strain our eyes every morning, trying to count and see if new ones had been born overnight.
There’s one!
The mamas would keep the calves toward the back of the field, so usually we’d only see the tops of little heads. We worried about “our babies” during snowstorms and single digit temperatures.
Where’s her mama?
Over the course of a few months, all of the calves would be born. We’d watch them grow up – we could almost see them getting bigger each day. We’d love it when the farmer was in the field, feeding the cows, taking care of them.
There’s something wonderful about a barely-standing barn.
And then, one day, the field would be empty. In all those years we never saw the cows being relocated. They simply disappeared as magically as they had appeared.
I knew where “our babies” were eventually headed. We talked about it. It made me very happy we were all vegetarians.
I prefer my beef when it’s hangin’ out in a field.
I still drive this road almost daily. A few weeks ago, the cows appeared again. And I saw the first calf soon after. I thought of the kids, who are not kids anymore.
I don’t wish they were still babies – they’re growing into the most wonderful adults. But I’m so humbled I live in a place where, like magic, the cows return every year.
I’ll be counting every time I drive by.
(Shared at Clever Chicks Blog Hop, Homestead Barn Hop, Backyard Farming Connection Hop, Down Home Blog Hop, The Homeacre Hop, Farm Girl Blog Fest, Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop, The Ole’ Saturday Homesteading Trading Post and TALU Tuesday!)
Isn’t it amazing how one thing can trigger a stream of memories and how much things change over time yet stay the same. I agree with you and prefer my beef in a field :). Have a great day!
Jen
A View From A Brown Dog recently posted…Love…
That’s a perfect way to put it – it’s the way things change and yet stay the same that makes life interesting! Thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for making me stop for a moment and appreciate wonderful things in life! I drive that road and always enjoy the view. Most of the time I want to stop off at your house!
Why don’t you stop by? Please do – be good to see you more often!
There were two more babies today 🙂
we had the first filly foaled 36 hours ago… every year it is like the very first time. i’m filled with awe and gratitude. thank you for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by!
I love baby calves. I always squeal with delight when I see one! I have been spotting quite a few around our house lately and I love it. There is a field right across the street from us and every once in a while I’ll see some cute babies 🙂
Tammy/Our Neck of the Woods recently posted…Happy Birthday Cake Pops
I agree Tammy!
So nice to see cows/calves in my neighborhood!
Love your blog and am now following. Visiting from Down Home Blog Hop. Have a wonderful weekend!
Nancy recently posted…A Rural Journal: {So That’s Where Cats Come From!}
Welcome, and thanks for stopping by! Headed over to visit you now. 🙂
I love old barns! They are so beautiful in their barrenness somehow….;) Thanks so much for linking up to “The Ole’ Saturday Homesteading Trading Post” blog hop this week. So glad we connected 🙂
What a great perspective. I love thinking of the calves as the turning of the season. We lived next to a cow farm growing up too – maybe why I’m a vegetarian!
Gretchen recently posted…Preparing Your Backyard Farm for Weather Extremes
I’m loving the vegetarian connection I’m seeing here! I saw a VERY skinny coyote out in that field as I was driving past yesterday. It took all my control not to stop on the side of the road, throw myself over the fence and start chasing him. I’m quite protective of those baby calves!
Wonderful images and memories! Thanks for sharing this on The HomeAcre Hop!!! Can’t wait to see what you share this coming Thursday 🙂 Here’s the super easy link to the next hop!
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/02/the-homeacre-hop-8.html
If you haven’t checked out Wildcrafing Wednesday yet, please do! 🙂 It’s a hop I co-host for herbal remedies, natural living, real food recipes, and self sufficient living. Here’s the link for tomorrow’s hop:
http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/02/wildcrafting-wednesday-10.html
Lisa Lynn recently posted…Let’s Say Goodbye to Winter
Awww, I got goosebumps at the end of your post. That was very sweet, and yes that view is awesome!! ~TALU
Kenya G. Johnson recently posted…Tuesday Archive Link Up #34