Saturday, March 8, 2014

"the gloom shall become for you like midday..." Isaiah 58

The weather is taking an upturn today!  Ruth and the kids came over for lunch as Paul is over here helping, and as is evident we took a trip out with the kids to see the newest calves.  I have spent the morning in the car going to Minneota and then to Tracy for some meds for the cows and calves.  I have a companion - my rosary fills me with such peace and happiness and hopefulness as I go down the at times icy road.  Any worries or cares have gone and "the gloom has become like midday."  On the way home from the Vet - I thought that a family lunch would be fun since Paul was here and John was due to be home at lunch time.   It turned into a wonderful excited bunch that walked in the door - the bigger boys excited to go out and help grandpa and dad, and Mary very excited to see Snowflake and her newly adopted calf, Chilly!
Luke was so nice and warm and snuggly in his snowsuit that he fell asleep while we were out looking at the calves.  He thought that this warm soft animal was nice to sit and relax with for a while.
Paul paused from his work long enough to share a photo with all but Simon.  Luke and Rose both seem to be getting more comfortable with the barn.  It makes it so much more fun to be out in nicer temps and no winds and all the joy and excitement of the little ones sharing the farm life!
The two little ones found a nice cozy place to rest together - feeling that furry animal breathing behind you must be kind of a special connection with new life!  This heifer could be around in the herd for maybe 10 years or more...
Rose has been very afraid of the cows even on the other side of the fence, but today she really did well.  She even reached out and petted this calf!  Big girl Rose!  She then was very excited to get to ride in grandpa in his special new loader with a little seat with a seatbelt right beside him.  Grandpa loves to see her smile when she gets to sit by him as he works!
Rose learning to gently touch the calves - she made strides today in getting to know them and to get over her fear.  Luke was so relaxed that he fell asleep in his snuggly red snowsuit!
Mary really wanted to see Snowflake and her adopted calf, so we went out to that yard she is in.  It was so fun to see Snowflake look at Mary as if she recognized her.  Snowflake looked at her so hard and slowly walked over to where Mary was standing by the fence.  Mary put her hand out and even was able to touch Snowflake before she backed away.  Mary and I told Snowflake that we were really sad about her calf not making it, and what a good mother she is to take another calf - she adopted a calf, whose mother is going due to age.  Then...
We found Snowflake with her calf nursing on her!  Such a good mother you are for a new first time mom, Snowflake!  Our sadness is now turned to JOY - much like the gloom that became like midday!  We decided that in the tradition of the snow and cold of this winter that we would call her calf - a heifer/girl - Chilly. 
Mary with her Snowflake and Chilly after a kind of hard start to motherhood - Snowflake is doing well!
Farm family time is exciting and special time shared with the hope of spring in the air - we are close to 30 calves now, and Ruth reminded me - only 90 to go!  Warmer weather will help for sure.
"Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth."  Psalm 86 from mass today. 
Lord, we are so grateful that the miserable cold grip of winter is loosening a bit.  We can begin to go out and enjoy our life here on the farm with the little ones both animal and human.  So much fills us with a knowledge that we will really enjoy the warmth after the brutal cold of winter arctic temps and the winds of the prairie that make it that much worse!  Just as our sufferings in LIFE make the good times so wonderful and more enjoyable.  If life was just all warm springtime we would become bored with it - but after all On the way to the house with the little ones in tow after our adventure outside  - we were talking about the possibility of almost 50 degrees in a couple days- "Oh!  That will feel so good!"  said Ruth voicing what we all feel at the thought of warm sunshine and snow melting and turning into steams of mud! Oh well, I guess the mud comes with the warm weather at first, but we are ready for that sticky stuff too!  Jesus, after the winter gloom of the spring it is like the midday!  Jesus, we trust in YOU, and we see the reason for winter and for suffering - we turn to YOU.  Amen and Hallelujah
The breath of warm love - a cow can recognize her calf by smell!
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
"Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do.  I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners."  Jesus to us in the Gospel today - Luke 5:27-32  I always need you Lord - I am far from righteous! 
That's a future farm boy - smiling and blowing bubbles as he shares the barn with a calf just born yesterday! 
Peter Mayer - Holy Now - warmer weather can make it start to feel like this...

No comments:

Post a Comment