RUG HOOKING BLOG

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I'm a mother of four grandmother of seven and great grandmother of three. I live with my husband in the house that we built with the help of my brothers and will have been married for 57 years this February.

Friday, December 16, 2011

IS SANTA FOR REAL?

A couple of days ago I was answering one of the questions posted by Patrice  of  Everyday Ruralty blog. She was asking "Did you believe in Santa as a kid?"My answer was yes  until I discovered quite by accident  that my father was buying the toys and hiding them in the compartment under the sofa bed. I was so disappointed of course at loosing the magic of Santa.

My newest grandson is checking it for himself, unlike me when I was young many, many years ago, I had to go on blind faith that Santa was real. James is quite taken by Santa and feels safe in his arms. A nice looking Santa, I must say...


IS THIS REALLY SANTA, HE LOOKS REAL TO ME. HE HAS A CURLY WHITE BEARD AND A RED SUIT AND FUNNY GLASSES


I'VE BEEN SUCH A GOOD BOY, EVEN MAMA AND PAPA SAYS SO... GEE, I CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS. I WONDER WHAT TOYS HE'LL BRING ME...


 HMMM, I WONDER...  I'LL GIVE JUST IT A LITTLE TUG, HMMM... I WONDER IF IT'S REAL...



YEAH, I'M SURE  THAT HE'S REAL. I'M HOPING FOR A LOTS OF TOYS THIS CHRISTMAS. I CAN HARDLY WAIT. ( Santa wanted to keep him)
                                     *******************************************
And now my dorky story for this week:

This past Sunday after my husband and I were finished work for the day in the evening I came home to start cooking supper while  my husband went to bring the expectant heifer in the calving pen for the night but he discovered that she was in the process of calving. He call my cell.

I went back to the barn to help and it was a huge bull calf that we had to pull out. The chain was hooked to the calf feet but he was too big and we couldn't pull him by ourselves.

 A winch was attached to the chain  and my husband was telling me to crank the ratchet on the  winch and to push on the chain at the same time. Well, I was cranking the ratchet and I was putting some weight on the chain  and it was getting more and more difficult  to crank. It was quite dark in that part of the barn as the light had been broken and not replaced. I was huffing and puffing and when I took my eyes of the calf and looked down I saw that my jacket was getting caught in the cogs of the winch.

Now what. I couldn't get myself out and I couldn't crank anymore. My husband had to let go of the calf, hell, ( he wasn't going anywhere anyway,)  and get me unstuck. One lesson I learned, I can't push and crank at the same time, ha ha ha.

I was telling my husband, stop pulling, let him hang upside down for a minute to clear his lungs.  I never saw so much amnionic fluid coming out of the calf's nostril. It must have been a good quart of fluid. If it's not cleared up quick, they can drown in the amnionic fluid.

The calf was then pulled out and his mouth cleared with clean paper towels and his nostrils wiped and he slowly started to breath on its own.

Then the heifer has to be brought all the way to the other end of the barn to be milked for the first time but she just didn't want to go in. It took us about 15 minutes  of chasing and going back and forth to get her in the milking parlor.

The calf drank 2 full bottles and the cow was returned to the pen with her calf. Equipment had to be cleaned, new bedding put in her pen and we both got home at 9:00pm.

I'm expecting two new  calves tomorrow.

This week I received my give away  book from Nezzy's blog at Cow Patty Surprise. What a hoot she is.
I'll show and tell about the book on my next post  I hope as I wasn't organized enough to take a picture of it for this post.

Thanks for stopping in and leaving a comment. Keep warm and safe and have a joyous weekend.  JB

24 comments:

  1. Julia, You crack me up. I love your cow stories. I once got my pony tail caught in a fishing line as I was reeling in the fish. Lol
    I love your grandbabys pics with Santa Priceless! Hugs Cheri

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  2. Jeeeeez he's sooo cute! love this! .... Beautiful pictures... what a little guy! gush

    Can't read about the calves... I'm really a sissy wimp...

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  3. Julia, those pictures of James and Santa are priceless. I am so proud of him - very brave. Most kids scream (I mean me.......my mother said she was mortified at the fit I threw) lol

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  4. that baby is soooo cute. Oh how wonderful it is to believe.
    you never have a dull moment on that farm.
    Cathy

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  5. Your grandson looks so adorable and is not crying!! Takes after his grandma as it looks like it takes a lot to rattle her too!! LOL! Julia...... I love reading your adventures and how you hold up under so much pressure out in that barn!!! You deserve a nice warm bath and a hot toddy!!!!
    Peace and blessings!
    Cathy G

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  6. The expressions on James's face are priceless...and your captions make it all the cuter! He really seems to be thinking just that! Wonderful calf story...I never tire of these. But you guys must just drop into bed each night!! Have a good weekend!!
    Hugs!

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  7. Oh my gosh, I always hated when we had a calf too big and had to use that winch thing. It worked always but I thought just using the chains was easier on the cow. You bring back so many memories about it being cold and being in the dark pulling cows. We also had sheep and and pigs.
    We would just finish calving and then the sheep would start, I like cows better sheep just give up.
    Pigs though, I hated with a passion. My brother had a hog business with 1000 sows. They were nothing but work.
    Your grandson is so cute. Those pictures turned out awesome.
    You can tell that he has been such a good boy this year, just by his great smile.
    I can't wait to see the book you one from Nezzy. She is wonderful.

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  8. He looks like he'll always be a curious guy...so cute!

    I'm sure I'd never survive farm life. You make it sound funny but I'm sure it was all too serious at the time. Glad that birth had a happy ending.

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  9. What an adorable little boy and these pictures are just wonderful. Hugs

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  10. Oh, my word, Julia!! That would not be something this old girl could do!! What a woman!! I'm guessing your husband appreciates you a lot!!! And two more today? I'd head for town!!

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  11. I almost forgot ~ cute baby and Santa pix!!! He looks like the real Santa to me!!

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  12. Wow! I remember those days of standing in a freezing, wet corral pulling calves. I got cold just reading your story.

    Glad the "little" guy is doing good!

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  13. Your life is a busy and a hard one. I don't know how you do it. Yes, you need a vacation.
    Your little grandson is so cute and quite smitten with Santa. What adorable pictures.
    Happy Holidays.

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  14. Those pics with James and Santa are absolutely adorable!!!

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  15. Oh my goodness~how beautiful is that picture of James and Santa!!!! he has the greatest little smile! I cannot get over what you do"all in a day" Julia! Your stories are fascinating to me~such hard work~keep them coming! Have a wonderful holiday with your family!♥E

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  16. I do believe that the James and Julia team are very special, his wonderful expressions and your ability to turn a phrase you two could go into business.(not that you don't have enough on your plate now) Oh my been there and done that pulling calves with the husband,but when it is all said and done nothing quite as rewarding. Have a wonderful Christmas!!!

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  17. Julia ~
    The pics of James and Santa are priceless. He is just the cutest thing!
    I don't know how you keep up with farm life! I guess that's what keeps you young.
    Merry Christmas!
    Hugs :)
    Lauren

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  18. Julia honey your grand baby is so darling sitting there on Santa's lap. Not a tear in his eye like a lot of children his age. These pictures are priceless.
    So happy your calving turned out good. For a minute I was afraid to keep reading.
    Congrats on your win from Nezzy. I love her and her site.
    Try to rest sometime.
    Love ya
    Maggie

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  19. first of all those pictures with Santa are SO so cute, they could be total AD pictures in a magazine!! both santa and baby are so cute!!! and I just love your cow stories, real life, and really interesting! and some are so sad, and always a hard 'life' story!

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  20. that is a fascinating story; what an interesting life you have! Sounds so very James Herriot:)
    Love it.
    Hope your calves come at considerate times
    and that your rest is extra sweet
    when it comes:)
    Merry, merry Christmas to you and yours,
    Jen

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  21. Those are THE cutest dang Santa pics I have ever seen!!! The facial expressions are priceless! Thanks for sharing!

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  22. That baby is adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I understand your story all too well. I have pulled many a calf. One even when I was 8 or 9 months pregnant. I could barely get close enough to reach in. You must have been exhausted when you finished. Good thing the calf lived. It's a bummer when you work that hard and they don't make it. Have a blessed Christmas!

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  23. The pictures of James on his first Santa visit are wonderful! He looks like such a happy little boy! I hope he can keep his belief in Santa for a nice long time.
    When our son Brad was getting to the age when he was starting to be a bit skeptical about the reality of Santa, we were in town one day and saw him coming out of the local post office.
    Brad shrieked, Mom! Look! He's really real!!!
    I just smiled. It was nice that he could believe just a little while longer.

    Oh, my gosh! What a calf story!!!
    Glad you didn't get hurt getting stuck in the winch. Never a dull moment on the farm!

    Have a wonderful Christmas with your family.
    Blessings to all of you!!!

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  24. OUCH! It makes me hurt just thinking about having a delivery such as that. They had all sorts of things ready to assist during my first delivery and, thank goodness, they didn't have to use any of them. I'm pretty sure a winch and ratchet weren't among them, though. :)

    I'm glad that you didn't get hurt during this. I know it could have turned out pretty badly. I hope that all goes well with the babies being born on your farm and for the mommies, too.

    Have a very Merry Christmas!

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