Wandering cows

Today I came down with the flu.  I am pretty miserable.  I pride myself on never getting sick, but this cannot be denied.  I'm  hoping it isn't the swine flu, that it will come and go quickly.

I let the cows into the makeshift pasture down by Crone Creek.  A few hours later, when I got up off the couch to check out all of the critters, they were nowhere to be found.  They have escaped from that pasture two other times.  I should have known better than to put them there, but it actually had a little grass.   It is just that they now know where to go to get a LOT of grass!  They have to follow the creek, oh, probably about a half mile, then take this rutted track through the woods, only about fifty feet or so, and then they are in a magnificent meadow.  I don't know whose it is.  I wish my pastures looked like these three meadows.  So do the cows!

Of course, I found them there.  They hadn't been there long, and the reason I know that is because they were not ready to quit eating.  Usually I can get Rosie herded where I want the whole herd, and then the others follow.  But she was NOT leaving that meadow!  After chasing her around a circular path a couple of times, I gave up.  I was sweating profusely and figured I needed to get back to the couch and take care of myself.  The cows weren't anywhere that they could hurt themselves, so I left them to their illicit meal.

I called Brad, who is milking tonight, and Kathy and asked them if they could be here a little before milking time.  They arrived at 3:30 and we went out to get them.  When we found them, they were all lying down, which meant they had had their fill.  I knew it would be easy.  I probably could have gotten them myself.  But it was good to have help.  I got Rosie headed in the right direction and sent Brad with her.  He walked her to where Kathy stood to help get them through the woods and back onto the homeward bound path.  I got the other nine of them up and on their way.

They were back on my property in short order.  They will milk well for a couple of days.  That is really beautiful grass.  Wish ours looked like that.  And I know that someday it will.  Each year, the cows put their precious manure and urine on this land to fertilize it, they cultivate it with their hooves, and they eat away the weeds that vie with the grasses for nutrients and sun.  

I am heading back for the couch.  I hope this doesn't go on too much longer.  My throat is raw, sinuses are stuffy, body aches.  It is not good.  I am not used to being sick, and I don't like it!