It's always raining here, but doing OK
Neighborly Visit
I woke up this morning to the sound of "moo" outside my bedroom window. I live across the road from a field of cows who like to take strolls every once in a while. There are about 20 or so in the herd and ordinarily I cannot see them because their pasture is hidden behind a woodsy area. However, I have had some up-close and personal meet and greets with these sociable animals. On occasions, they have gotten out of their fenced-in areas; sometimes the wind has blown down the gates or some naughty (mean) boys have cut the wires and let them out to roam.
One night while we were driving home late on our dark, winding road, we were confronted by a group of these cows just hanging out along the roadside. We had to put on the brakes fast to keep from hitting one. The circumstance of this possible accident would be difficult to explain to our insurance agent as hitting a deer is one thing, hitting a cow, not so common. The owner of the farm was not at home so we called 911 and police were sent out to round them up. I am sure it was not a part of their job description, but what were we to do, there aren't any local cowboys. We retreated to our home and from our deck we watched as cars drove down the road, horns went off, cows mooed loudly and chaos ensued - all this at about 11 PM.
A few years ago our family was relaxing in the backyard while our young grandchildren were playing in a blow-up pool. All of a sudden, out of the woods came four or five bovine who were quickly heading our way, possibly to have a drink out of the pool. The brave men-folk shooed them away, but we all decided to sit up on our high deck for the rest of the day. Over the years they have come by to nibble on our decorative cabbages in the front gardens, taken down our Christmas lights, or just strolled around our neighborhood leaving some good size piles of fertilizer behind.
Last year a group of them stampeded through our backyard pulling up much of hubby's prized lawn, leaving it look like a war zone. It had been raining and the ground was soft and mushy and every step they made brought with it deep crevices. My husband was devastated at the sight of his perfect grass torn up and went out to do a CSI investigation. By their footprints, he determined it was 6 adult cows with a smaller calf accompanying them. I did question his observation, but he was happy with his masterful analysis and what did it matter anyway. Next day, he raked and reseeded the area and a few weeks later the grass came back to it former splendor.
Today, when I heard the mooing, I jumped out of bed and ran outside like a mad woman in my nightclothes looking for the errant cows. I was a Mary Poppins look-alike, armed with an umbrella hoping to cut the vandals off at the pass and scoot them away from my house. With the deluge of rain we have been having the past months, the yard is like a marshland and even if it was just one cow, quite a bit of damage could be done. I'd like to say that I saved the day, but they were not in my yard, but rather up the road by their farmhouse. It would have been nice to have been the hero, especially since I made such a spectacle of myself. However, I live in a neighborhood where no one is ever home and if they are, most never stick their heads out the door. I think I still have some of my dignity, my yard is intact and the cows found their way home. All is good.
Neighborly Visit
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| Taken 2 years ago, he later became steak. |
One night while we were driving home late on our dark, winding road, we were confronted by a group of these cows just hanging out along the roadside. We had to put on the brakes fast to keep from hitting one. The circumstance of this possible accident would be difficult to explain to our insurance agent as hitting a deer is one thing, hitting a cow, not so common. The owner of the farm was not at home so we called 911 and police were sent out to round them up. I am sure it was not a part of their job description, but what were we to do, there aren't any local cowboys. We retreated to our home and from our deck we watched as cars drove down the road, horns went off, cows mooed loudly and chaos ensued - all this at about 11 PM.
A few years ago our family was relaxing in the backyard while our young grandchildren were playing in a blow-up pool. All of a sudden, out of the woods came four or five bovine who were quickly heading our way, possibly to have a drink out of the pool. The brave men-folk shooed them away, but we all decided to sit up on our high deck for the rest of the day. Over the years they have come by to nibble on our decorative cabbages in the front gardens, taken down our Christmas lights, or just strolled around our neighborhood leaving some good size piles of fertilizer behind.
Last year a group of them stampeded through our backyard pulling up much of hubby's prized lawn, leaving it look like a war zone. It had been raining and the ground was soft and mushy and every step they made brought with it deep crevices. My husband was devastated at the sight of his perfect grass torn up and went out to do a CSI investigation. By their footprints, he determined it was 6 adult cows with a smaller calf accompanying them. I did question his observation, but he was happy with his masterful analysis and what did it matter anyway. Next day, he raked and reseeded the area and a few weeks later the grass came back to it former splendor.
Today, when I heard the mooing, I jumped out of bed and ran outside like a mad woman in my nightclothes looking for the errant cows. I was a Mary Poppins look-alike, armed with an umbrella hoping to cut the vandals off at the pass and scoot them away from my house. With the deluge of rain we have been having the past months, the yard is like a marshland and even if it was just one cow, quite a bit of damage could be done. I'd like to say that I saved the day, but they were not in my yard, but rather up the road by their farmhouse. It would have been nice to have been the hero, especially since I made such a spectacle of myself. However, I live in a neighborhood where no one is ever home and if they are, most never stick their heads out the door. I think I still have some of my dignity, my yard is intact and the cows found their way home. All is good.
Hello:
ReplyDeleteWhat tales! You are so right, animals, in the shape of cows, and deer, and sheep, do not a good garden make. And whilst it may be amusing to wake up to a cow on the lawn, in practice it is anything but funny and the damage which can ensue is certainly no laughing matter.
We do hope that you will have a 'cowless' and happy weekend!
Heavenly. I would happily trade you locations.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, you made me miss my cattle. We sold the last of them a few years ago, but every once in a while I get that major twinge of nostalgia.
ReplyDeleteYes every once in a while they would visit off our property too, usually when I was at work, and my poor wife and neighbours would be left to do the cowboy act.
I wish I had cows that close to our present property. On our daily walks we can glimpse a few, but none close enough to go up and have a good bovine to human chat.
They are beautiful creatures, aren't they.
ReplyDeleteI remember the "day of the cows" well! It still gives me a good laugh.
ReplyDeleteI remember when Andy and I were young and would go fishing at the creek and he would always make me cross over the cow fence because the fish were somehow better on the "other side." I had a hard time getting past my fear that the cows would come and eat us. I guess I should just feel lucky that he let me go with him.
Hmmm, after reading your story, I don't believe I'll complain about our moles...
ReplyDeleteNice way to put it about your hubby doing a CSI investigation. Cute.
I remember being at your house when I believe the cow in the picture came by....I just have the boring stories of those lovely other 4 legged critters....DEER....the other night we were coming home from Pizza and everything is so green around here...due to the constant state of rain...I saw a deer standing in a winter wheat field and she was bent around kind of odd...I yelled stop....we backed up and she had just had a baby....she was licking it off...she saw us and gently walked into the woods and that little thing stood up for the first time and hobbled in after her....it was cute...I will try to remember that the next time they eat their way thru my yard!!!
ReplyDelete