Spring

Yesterday we all went for a 4-wheeler ride around the pastures and saw a brand-new baby calf. His mama was, ahem, cleaning him off and I was struck again by how amazing the whole process is. (And disgusting.) Heifers, which we are calving out right now, are young female cows who haven't had a calf yet. Can you imagine how surprised they must be when they give birth? No weekly doctor visits, no Lamaze classes, no one to talk them off the ledge during those first horrible weeks of breastfeeding. And yet somehow they know what to do when contractions start, and they know to get the baby cleaned up and nudge him into standing and feeding. They have this soft, tender moo that they use to call their calf when he's running around with the other calvies. It's actually much sweeter than the "Eeethan" I screech when he dashes out of sight.

Sometimes I get tired and discouraged by this ranch life. Too many chores, not enough time, definitely not enough money... but on days like this it all feels right. This is where we belong.