FARMER ISAAC.

Yesterday I simply couldn't contain myself any longer!  I called my bestest friend, Amber, and demanded her eldest child from her!  I just had to share my new found calf obsession with somebody and I had a feeling, Mr. Almost Four-Year Old Isaac's enthusiasm about the new barnyard creatures would most closely resemble mine!  I was certainly not disappointed!  Isaac and I had terrific fun out at the ranch!  Unfortunately the sun sets all too soon these days and we simply ran out of daylight.  Although we had a pretty limited amount of time we were able to quickly tour a good portion of the ranch.  We saw, we touched, we petted, we explored and we SMILED and GIGGLED about it the entire time!  Isaac is at such a fun age--I swear he simply vibrates from all the energy and enthusiasm coursing through that little body of his!  He wasn't the least bit afraid of any of the animals and bravely petted (or rode) every creature we put in front of him!  Brave, brimming with curiosity, and willing to try anything--he's certainly my kind of adventurer!  

ISAAC, BELLA AND I

(BELLA WASN'T SO SURE SHE WANTED TO POSE FOR A PICTURE WITH US!)

  

MEETING GATOR.  GATOR LIKES TO SUCK YOUR FINGERS!

  

AND THIS IS THE NEWEST CALF!

SHE HAD JUST ARRIVED AT THE RANCH SO IT WAS MY FIRST TIME MEETING HER TOO!

SHE LOOKS SO MUCH LIKE BELLA!

PETTING LILY . . .

  

AND NOW, PLAYING WITH HER TAIL!

RIDING ROSIE!

THIS WAS ISAAC'S VERY FIRST HORSE RIDE!

  

I HAVE A FEELING "PONY" MIGHT BE ON HIS CHRISTMAS LIST!

YEP, I'M GONNA BE A COWGIRL YET!

EVEN THOUGH YOU CAN'T SEE THEM IN THIS PICTURE, I'VE EVEN STARTED WEARING MY COWBOY BOOTS TO THE RANCH--SINCE I'M OUT THERE LIKE EVERY DAY NOW!

  

GATOR IS SO FRIENDLY, WE HAD TO VISIT HER AGAIN!

ISAAC AND MISS GATOR.

  

AND THEN WE STOPPED BY THE CHICKEN COOP!

THIS IS MEEKER.

    

AND NOW ONE OF THE GIRLS.

(SHE WAS TOO HEAVY FOR ISAAC SO KIPPER HAD TO HELP HIM HOLD HER!)

KIPPER, AUNT DEE, ISAAC AND SPIKE.

  

AND THEN WE WERE OFF TO THE STRAWBERRY PATCH!

YUMMY!

AND WE RODE THE TRACTOR . . .

AND ACTED SUPER SILLY IN THE PUMPKIN PATCH!

  

ISAAC.

SEPTEMBER 2008.

ALL BEFORE CRASHING THE INSTANT WE LEFT.

RANCHING IS HARD WORK!

OH LOOK!  HERE'S A PICTURE OF MY BOOTS!

AND SOMETHING I STEPPED IN!

BAAACK AT THE RANCH.

I have been spending SO much time out at my aunt and uncle's ranch!  Even when I don't intentionally drive over there to see my calf, I end up NEEDING to go over!  I told them I was just going to move in--I'd save a ton on gas money!  This particular night, my silly lawnmower, which has started a new tradition of breaking down EVERY fall, needed another Uncle Jim adjustment.  He fixed it right up for me again but before running off to cut my grass, I had to run back to the corrals to see the babies!

  

WHILE UNCLE JIM WORKS ON MY MOWER, I'LL TELL YOU A BIT ABOUT GATOR!

GATOR IS A HOLSTEIN CALF THAT ARRIVED AT THE RANCH A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE BELLA WAS BORN.  WHILE LILY WAS IN LABOR, GATOR, WHO WAS IN A DIFFERENT CORRAL, KEPT MAKING THIS SAME SILLY NOISE ALL NIGHT.  IT SOUNDED NOTHING LIKE A "MOO" AND EVERYTHING LIKE THE NOISE ALLIGATORS MAKE!  SO I STARTED CALLING HER GATOR--AND THE NAME STUCK (DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T NORMALLY NAME HOLSTEINS).

SO HERE'S SOME GATOR FUN!

MISS GATOR EATS HER MEALS OUT OF A BUCKET,

BUT SHE SURE DOES KNOW SHE'S MISSING OUT ON SOMETHING!

    

    

I'M HER PACIFIER!

IT DEFINITELY HAS ITS DOWNFALLS!

  

LOVE YOU GATOR!

BELLA LUNA.

So I finally picked a name for my baby.  Please meet . . .

BELLA LUNA.

Miss Bella was born by the light of a beautiful full moon, hence Bella Luna -- meaning "beautiful moon" in Italian.  I finally decided on a name this afternoon after they threatened to name her after ME if I didn't come up with something else!  Not wanting to add confusion to our family gatherings --"Have you heard?  Tess has these really strange, thick white hairs growing right out of the top of her nose!  I hear she has a real problem with flies this year too.  Could be because she walks around smelling like that."-- I finally stepped up to my awesome naming responsibility.  It felt even more overwhelming because she isn't even really my cow--though you probably wouldn't know if from the way I carry on about her!  I certainly didn't want to give her a name her real owners hate!  So, I guess Bella Luna it is!  And if her real owners hate it, well they haven't said so yet!  And while we are speaking of my sweet Bella, she taught me something today I have waiting my whole childhood to learn!  My mom, who grew up on a ranch herself, has always had a name for a particularly ugly brownish color.  She describes it as Calf Shit Brown.  Apparently calves are notorious for getting Scours which, from what I understand, is basically a serious case of the runny-runny-poo-poos!  I learned, first hand, today that there is definitely a distinctive "color" that comes from a calf with Scours!  So Dad, I am sorry to have to tell you this, but you ABSOLUTELY painted your shed, calf shit brown!  

  

  

Bella runs from me until she has the patience to take a good whiff of me.  Then she is pretty willing to stand there and let me love on her--as long as Mama isn't too far away!

  

Sweet Bella!