the calves are here!

you never know what surprises a new day has in store for you........

the calves at the ranch down the road are arriving one by one and filling our drive-bys with excitement and happiness. waking to a beautiful, fresh snow, blue sky day, i decided the conditions were just right for the annual 

"the calves are here" post. so i headed on over to the ranch to take photos.

aren't they adorable?!

while i was trudging through the snow to the fence on the frontage road, i saw the ranch truck driving around the fields checking on calving mothers and newborns. i stayed to watch. the truck then drove right up to me. i hoped i wasn't in trouble helping myself to the visual joys of their livestock....

the rancher's wife, sandy said, "hi, are you taking photos?"

i replied, "yes, calving is one of my favorite times of the year and i love to come take photos. i am a friend of your daughter-in-law."

sandy said, "janet, is that you?"

i replied, "yes, hi!"

sandy, "well, why don't you get on out of that snow and hop in the truck. i'll take you right up to the calves. you can help me check on things."

me, "really, really? it would be a wish come true!! thank you!"

my heart leapt inside me....since i was a young girl, i have always wanted to live on a farm and be a part of all of this.

first, i met one of their african ankole-watusi cattle, given to the ranch as a gift. so beautiful.

then we drove around the fields checking on the calves and cows, many still pregnant.

the black cow in the center is in labor. her water had broken and we saw one little calf's foot emerge over and over again but sandy had been watching the cow all morning and was worried about her. she said she would give her until noon to deliver and then she was going to have to "pull". 

i hesitantly checked my watch.......yikes.

we let her be, for now.

as one friend summed up, "it's the sweetest thing going on in boulder this week."

i mean..........can you believe how adorable these babies are? i could hardly take it all in.

i just talked the whole time, had so many questions and was so enthralled. i had to keep reminding myself to take photos.

sometimes the rancher will put down vests on the newborn calves, especially if it is cold and snowy.

this is a clever, little guy. he found a warm, dry spot to rest.

everyone was good in that bunch so we headed back to the cow in labor.

and what did we find?

she had successfully just given birth and all was well. phew!!

welcome to this big, cold world little one.

simply, amazing. a true miracle. we stayed to watch this tiny, beautiful thing try to stand

over and over again......success! my, oh my.

some days were just made to make dreams come true.

have a lovely weekend.