Have you recovered from my last post yet. Sorry ’bout that. Keeping it a bit more, stomach-friendly today… seeing as how the seasons are a’changing here at Granite Glen.
…
Spring is … well, springing.
The very first buds are coming out on the peach tree…
The blessed snakes are out sunning themselves already (didn’t they just go into hibernation last week?) and the frosts have begun to recede. Dash has packed away his heavy duty school coat and trackie daks, the creepy crawly is frantically trying to bring the pool back from deep green to clear blue, and the t-shirts have been retrieved from the back of the cupboard.
…
So in essence, the weather is warming up again but the real test of spring has only just arrived… in the cutest possible way…
baby calves!!
Wanna meet one??
Here’s one I chanced upon whilst driving through the paddocks this week…
I’d like you to meet… um…
Well, he doesn’t
have a name yet. Or a number. I’m sure his Mum has one for him (
Yoooooouuuuu! or something to that effect.)
His Mum is keeping a close watch on these human who keep lurking around her early arrival.
Brangus mums are very good at their job – and they have to be.
Wild dogs (Australian dingoes that have bred with ex-domesticated dogs) lurk around the timbered country here at Granite Glen, and mama cows need to be watchful and (when necessary) fierce if their offspring are to make it to weaning.
As we pulled up closer to this shiny black bundle of knees and ears, our little bull decided to take matters into his own hands (hooves?) and clamber to his feet. He is only about 24 hours old, so this is all still new to him. You can tell he is just a day or so old as his umbilical cord is still intact. It will dry completely and fall off in a couple more days time. This little guy is in a hurry to get stuck into his brand new life!
…
Hey Ma – what’s happening?
Everything is moving and wobbling and…
Whhhooaaa….
He’s got himself into second gear, and is not sure how to stop…
it’s downhill… ohhh…. oh. It’s OK.
He’s managed to find the brakes…
Hmmmm…
Grass. Lots of dry grass.
Mum! Where’d you go?Hey, what do I do now??
Where do I find reverse in this thing?
Oh… I turn around…
right…
Hey! I’m back. It’s OK. I’m alright.
But there was lots and lots of grass over there!
I got lost for a sec, but it’s OK now.
…
Hey! What’s that?
That strange creature with a black box stuck to her face?
Mum… I’m just going over here… now where’s first gear again?
I think this creature likes me Ma!
She keeps clicking and saying “Look this way darlin’!”
I think I’m gonna be a movie star.
Do you like this angle lady?
I’m ready for my close-up now!
…
So clearly this little black duch has gone crazy, hearing wee black bovines actually speak! She’s blaming it on the weather!! And not on her over-active imagination…
…
What does the change of seasons mean to you at the moment?
His Mum is keeping a close watch on these human who keep lurking around her early arrival.
As we pulled up closer to this shiny black bundle of knees and ears, our little bull decided to take matters into his own hands (hooves?) and clamber to his feet. He is only about 24 hours old, so this is all still new to him. You can tell he is just a day or so old as his umbilical cord is still intact. It will dry completely and fall off in a couple more days time. This little guy is in a hurry to get stuck into his brand new life!
Mum! Where’d you go?
Hey! I’m back. 
7 Comments
Debby
Well. It means that we are mooooooving into autumn here. Some of the leaves are beginning to change, and blessedly, it has stopped raining. Still hot as hades though.
Gosh, but those calves are cute. I want one. Since that little fellow does not have a name, can I name him? I will call him ‘Mine’.
:^D
Pencil Writer
Dang the ole dingos! Sorry about Dash’s collection . . . you were so right…eeeeeewwwwwwww. It does make you wonder, doesn’t it. Good job and keep an eye on things, Mom!
And the new calf–precious and adorable. Glad he has a Mum that is protective/caring and not leaving the little man alone for you to have to bottle feed, like PW (Ree) and her recent acquisition.
Love the peach blossoms–promise of lucious fruit in due season! I wonder when my peach tree will plan to bloom next? It’s always earlier than the previous year. Last year I believe it began in December and I collected most of the peaches on 1 May 08. I’ll let you know. ;-P
Lavinia
“shiny black bundle of knees and ears”
What a perfect description! Such a sweet, darling face…oh so cute…
Kate
What a sweet little baby! I really like Brangus cattle. Very pretty and sturdy looking. That’s too bad about the Dingos but hey, maybe Dash will get more scalps for his collection 🙂 Are dingos really just wild dogs? Or are they considered a different critter now? Did that question make sense? I usually don’t. Great post, thanks!
Bush Babe (of Granite Glen)
Hey guys… working backwards today:
Kate – glad you like our stock… what we often call “dingoes” round here are hybrids of the original dingo and wild dogs – many look like the dingo (red hide, alert ears) but I believe most of the only purebred dingoes are on the islands off the coast here. (Am sure someone will corret me if I am wrong).
Lavinia – they are so gorgeous and awkward and nobby0kneed initially that the description seemed apt. And those eyelashes…
PW – thanks. And I doubt we’ll see much of our fruit as we have lots of insects that will sting the fruit as they ripen. It’s such an ugly tree til it blooms each year, then I remember why it’s still there. My spring reminder!
Deb – mooooving. Ha!!! Do you know that cows (ours anyway) say “Maaaaahhh” and not “Mooooo”?? Another language issue apparently!! Heh. And the name… you know I like it … but I just get the strange feeling I’ve heard it somewhere before!!!
🙂
BB
Debby
That’s so funny BB. While I was waiting for the comments to come up (I have a slow computer) I wondered it you would get the moo joke or if your cows said something else.
What do you chickens say?
dykewife
is that a cow lick in the middle of his forehead?
sorry, i couldn’t resist (ok, i could’ve but didn’t want to) 🙂