This Is What We Do

 

 

 

When I got up this morning I had my day all planned out…do some cleaning, some paperwork, make a nice lunch…BUT, it didn’t quite happen that way.  Nope, my morning didn’t go at all like I had planned.

I had just stepped out of the shower and had gotten dressed when Jonesy called me and there was urgency in his voice.  He had taken Leo (one of the horses) and rode over to check on the spring heifers that are calving and found one that needed help.  It was a pretty bad situation as the heifer had been trying to have the calf for some time.  She had gotten the head and front shoulders out,  but it was a big calf and she couldn’t seem to make any more progress.  Unfortunately the calf was already dead.

So after Jonesy told me what was happening and gave me a list of supplies to bring I quickly gathered up what was needed to pull the calf  and headed over to the pasture as fast as I could (wet head and all).  By the time I got there, our hired hand Kate (who I call Girl Friday) was there doing what she could to help.

Actually it’s kind of a helpless situation.  This poor heifer was clearly tired and in pain and I felt so bad for her.  All we could really do is get the calf out as quickly as possible so she could have some relief.  She was kind of in a tricky spot too with briar bushes and thorn trees on three sides of her.  Jonesy and Girl Friday worked together while I did what I could by “hold this, and hand me that”.   Finally, the calf was free and as the heifer breathed a sigh of relief.

Jonesy and Girl Friday were worn out.  I stood there with some long angry red scratches on my arm and a chunk out of the end of a finger and felt helpless.  All the things I wasn’t getting done, not being able to save the calf, seeing the poor mama in misery just got to me in that moment.  I felt tears trying to form and Jonesy gently reminded me that this is what we do.  When you ranch, there is life, there is death, and a whole lot of other stuff in between.  You have to do the best you can, when you can and then move on to what comes next.  (Or for me in this case, go back to what I was doing).

My mother-in-law always used to say “It’ll Be There”, and guess what…all my paperwork, dishes and dirty floors were waiting for me when I got back.

Some days are harder than others.  Trees fall on fences, cows get out, horses get hurt.

But…This is what we do.

Some days are easier than others.  Trees are in full bloom, cows have healthy calves, we can enjoy the view between the ears of a horse.

This is what we do.

Thanks for reading,

Be blessed

-Lori