Saturday, April 30, 2011

High Water Princess

Three days of rain storms and 70 degree days have caused massive snow melt off of the many mountains here and there is lots of flooding in my little valley.

Saturday mornings are my errand times and today I was trapped and detoured everywhere I tried to go.  I had a truck load of recyclables and drove 40 miles over mountains and backroads due to "scenic" detours and still never reached the recycle center.  I am surrounded on 3 sides by water AND 3 rivers.

Even Mavis was frustrated by the constant turning around on roads.




My neighbors farms and farmlands are flooded and there have been some evacuations.




By the time I gave up and tried to get home, my main road was flooded!




I eventually made a few more detours and made it up my road to the farm.

As I filled the water tub and counted heads, I noticed Gwen was missing.
Her udder was explosive last night at 5 pm in the rainstorm and I knew she would finally have her calf in a few hours.      So I went looking for the new member of the herd.

Gwen was not in any of her usual places, so I went over to the side of the hoop barn and this is what I found;





Gwen was babysitting the other calf and tending to her new one.

Just looking, I knew it was a big heifer.  She was dry, fed and napping in the sun.

Born before midnight.   High and dry on this sandy hill by the collapsed barn.

Away from the deep mud and water in the barnyard.





A beautiful, healthy 94 lb girl.





Right after I snapped this photo she got up and ran 20 mph down the hill and around the barn.   Easily outrunning me and my bucket of "license plates."

She will be Y-3 if I ever catch her.





She needs a "G" name.     Some kids came to visit the cows Sunday for Easter.  All 3 of these young children play baseball and are Red Sox fans.

They eagerly suggested I name Gwen's calf either Grounder or GrandSlam.

And yesterday was a very "Royal" day for a calf to be born in Vermont.

So, I would like to introduce to you



GrandSlam Kate





Our little Dutchess of TailGait.

6 comments:

  1. She's a beauty. Great name. From snow to floods. Is there no rest? Great post today.

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  2. Awwwww what a cutie. Nice to meet GrandSlam Kate. I like the name.

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  3. Beautiful calf and great name! Praying all the water recedes quickly. We are finally starting to believe that dry ground will be the norm again soon.

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  4. Kate is lovely. A 94 pound calf. OUCH. We have had little flooding this year. I think because we had mild weather at the end of winter so much of the snow melt had already happend before the rains came. Hope the water clears soon.

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  5. She'll make a FINE Princess-Cow!!!

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  6. She is a beauty as far as cows are concerned. I love, love, love her name.

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