New Babies at the Blalock's - October 27, 2014

A Pretty Calf I Watch Playing Out My Window 

This Calf Has a Nose that is Half White

So far, Gail says all of the new calves this season are solid black, except for these two ~ the grey one and the black with the white pigment on his nose.

Photographs on this Post

All photographs taken by and belonging to Gail Shubert Blalock October 25, 2014; digital format used.

Copyright 2014: Judith Richards Shubert

Counting Cows in October

When my daughter told me this morning that she was on her way out the door to take Shelby to work in the Corn Maze down the road ~ yes, it is already October ~ and then she had to come back and check the cows, I thought to myself, "I can't miss this!"

It is a beautiful Fall day in Caldwell ~ one of those Saturday mornings when you have already gotten a lot of light housework done and the outdoors is calling you! I quickly messaged Gail that I should ride with her to check the cows. Of course, she thought I was crazy. Her 70-year old mother surely didn't want to ride behind her on the 4-wheeler????? I told her to ask Shelby. She told her I have ridden with her before! So, in less time than I could get my jeans and tennis shoes on, Gail was in my driveway, texting me that she was ready ~ where was I?

I grabbed my camera and we were off. Gail doesn't have to check the cows often. Only when she is the only one around. Charles and Brenda have been away for a few days with friends enjoying the scenery of the Amish country and Troy is on duty at the Fire Station in Roxboro. Someone is always here though. That's the way it has to be when you have animals to care for.

It really felt good to be able to get close enough to the cows to photograph them. Gail pointed out things about them that singled them out, such as markings they have, or how they acted. Number 24 is still with us ~ I took several pictures of her last year when I called her my favorite. We still have the two white or grey cows, too. There are two new calves so far. One of them has a mom with pigment markings on her bag that make it half white. She is nursing in the picture I took.

All of them were gathered in the woods behind the pasture below Gail's house. I was hoping they were closer to my house, so we would have further to ride! Maybe next time.



Content and Images:
Copyright 2014:Judith Richards Shubert, digital format used.

Where's My Momma?

The little grey calf was bawling this afternoon when I looked out the window. He isn't a new-born calf, but fairly young. The Blalocks now have 9 or 10 baby calves on the place. I slipped out back with my camera to see if I could find them at play, but all of the others were in another pasture and Baby Grey was the only one there looking for her momma. She quickly found her among the black heifers who have not delivered and the two greys in the fenced area behind the house.

Baby Grey and her Momma #5

Question 23 and Her Calf

You remember the photo of my favorite Blalock heifer,

"Question #23"? 

Well, she had her calf last evening, and spent this morning in distress because the little thing decided to make a run for the woods! Brenda called me this morning to tell me that she and Charles were out behind our house looking for the calf. Bob and I heard 23 bawling and we could see her and knew something was wrong. We put on our shoes and went out to help look. The four of searched the woods, going through to each of the highways. Finally, Brenda saw the poor thing come out onto the private road that circles the place, but she and Bob couldn't catch up with it. Charles went back to get on the 4-wheeler and I stayed put, knowing if I tried to corner the calf, I would probably scare it into the woods in another direction. It ended up going across the busy highway, and I think it came back across and ended up at the other end of Gail's and Troy's place before Charles and Brenda finally caught it. They all were pretty tired. I didn't do that much. But mama 23 and baby were scared to death, and I don't blame them. 

They are now safely penned up together for a while in the corral until momma and baby get used to one another.

Guess it's all pretty normal on a fall day during calving season in Caldwell.