Keeping up with the other Godsiffs

In keeping with all the photos of my grandchildren that are floating around out there, I thought I'd better add some to the collection.


 We recently enjoyed a sweet visit from Logan and Alyssa and their happy pair.

Katie is only too happy to help Goddy hone those washboard abs.

It was Goddy's first view of Logan since he'd returned from deployment, so that's always cause for celebration. They did some bonding over the cribbage board and a bottle of beer and took Rowan down to the farm a few times.  He's getting to the age where being a helper is fun and the wheelbarrow was a big hit.

I was in charge of the nature hike. Always one of my favorite things to do with the boys when they were younger, I'm tickled that Rowan is approaching that curious age where a spot of lichen on a stick is fascinating. To my mind, there aren't many things better than a treasure hunt on a weekend morning.

Unless its climbing a tree...

Becky, Logan and I trekked up to the snow on Monday morning. Its awfully handy having a man with the strength of a mule and the agility of a whippet to get a kiddo and gear up to the top of the hill in knee-deep snow. My main job was the cheering section. I think I did rather well.

Start em young...

Show em how it's done...

Then let them go!!

Katelyn's first birthday was this month, so in the spirit of celebrating even though it wasn't the actual day, we had a little party.

Ahh, life is full.

And The Winner Is...

It's calving time again. That time of year when anxiety tickles as we watch for switching tails, aimless wandering,  and a cow lying down, then standing up, then lying down again, then standing up, wandering around...you get the picture. The anxiety turns to guarded relief when we see the calf on the ground and the cow earnestly licking it. A few minutes later a small smile appears when ol' wobble-legs find his way to the milk bar. And then, in several days when the calf is running with gawky abandon, the smiles turn to LOL moments.

Every year Goddy and I play "spot the first calver." This year, a nice breakfast was on the line so we chose carefully. Now, Goddy sees the cows every day when he feeds; me, not so often. But I was willing to pick my cow on the basis of one objective look rather than the gradual changes Goddy sees happening.

We named all the cows this year, just for fun. The numbers were starting to seem a bit institutional. (FYI, we don't name any that are going into the beef program.)

So, on the basis of proven scientific observation - udder development and floppiness of vulva, if you must know - we chose. I picked Betty because, as Goddy said later, "You could drive a truck through her vulva." He selected Echo because her udder looked, well, I don't know just what the term is. Springy? Fullish?

Echo and her really full udder

Betty had a lovely heifer that will likely stay in the herd

Echo and Betty were put into the calving paddock, and they hung on for a few more days through a late snowfall, unseasonable cold and then a muddy melt. Finally, the happy event occurred. And it was...a tie. They both calved on the same night. Bonny, healthy calves that are up and running around and causing smiley moments.

Now we just have to decide where to have breakfast, Dutch treat.