Snippets: The Agony & The Ecstasy
☆ April 5, 2012
I’ve been writing.
Manic stretches where my pen can barely keep up with my brain alternating with staring at a blank page for hours and doodling in the margins.
A calf was born strange, there was something structurally off about her, her legs were weird and she couldn’t hold her chin up to nurse. So I’ve been milking her mother (NOT FUN. CHEATING ON DAISY!) and bottle feeding her, and trying to teach her how to nurse on her mom. She was such a sweet little thing. She died today. I think it was inevitable but I still can see her face so perfectly in my mind.
Another cow had twins last week and, as is customary, only took to one calf and abandoned the other. That motherless calf is also on the bottle (Daisy’s milk) but we are hoping to introduce her to the mother that is now calf-less. It takes a bit of trickery but results in happy pairs.
Fingers crossed.
Off to go feed cows.
And the Farmily (all are well).
And then write more (or doodle).
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40 Responses to “Snippets: The Agony & The Ecstasy”
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April 5th, 2012 @ 6:03 pm
Fingers and toes crossed for you. Sorry the little one didn’t make it :(
April 5th, 2012 @ 6:20 pm
When you live with/care for any animal and then lose them you realize that all the barriers we erect as humans between ourselves and the rest of life don’t fit the reality of life. They are not ‘like’ us, but they are live like us and deserve to be mourned.
You’re a human being who doesn’t try to divorce yourself from being a part of all the other beings’ lives around you. Bless you for that.
April 5th, 2012 @ 7:04 pm
sigh…
April 5th, 2012 @ 7:15 pm
alas. tears.
April 5th, 2012 @ 7:30 pm
Fingers crossed for the little one.
April 5th, 2012 @ 7:47 pm
Bittersweet. I always remind myself , The Lord gives and takes away…but it still is sad, especially with sweet babes. Hope the Motherless calf is received by the Calfless Mother. Yikes. You are amazing…sorry for your loss.
April 5th, 2012 @ 8:39 pm
This is a sad situation but it seems like fate and synergy are working well together. Good luck and much love to you and the farmily.
April 5th, 2012 @ 8:45 pm
In the privilege of being surrounded by life, we must occasionally encounter death. We mourn it, but we know not where those souls go; though animals seek self-preservation, they do not fear death. I take comfort in this: Perhaps they sense something that we’ve lost the ability to feel in our years of “civilization”.
April 5th, 2012 @ 9:06 pm
The circle of life. Death is never a wanted thing but its guaranteed. How your heart must ache after caring for the babe. Hope all goes well with the twin and the mom.
April 5th, 2012 @ 10:09 pm
thanks for trying. hope the new pairing works out.
April 5th, 2012 @ 11:25 pm
so sad for the agony…my heart hurts now that I have read this. but hopefully the abandoned calf and other “mom” can be together.
April 6th, 2012 @ 5:39 am
One day at a time. Best of luck with the cow and calf. And your writing also. Find a wave and ride it.
April 6th, 2012 @ 6:00 am
Sadly, Mother Nature has her plan that does not always fit in where we would like it, or want it. I pray the calf and the other Mother Cow hit if off, and this sad story will have a happy ending. Good Luck Shreve, and a Happy Easter to you and Mike and all of the farmily. Especially Charlie and Eli….
April 6th, 2012 @ 7:20 am
Kate, such a lovely thought. Will always try to remember this. Shreve to introduce the motherless calf to the calfless mum are you using the hide of the fallen calf,I cannot remember what this is called.
April 6th, 2012 @ 7:41 am
Oh, Shreve, how heartbreaking to lose the little calf. But thanks to you, at least she knew lots of loving care before she died. And, also thanks to you, and a sorrowing mom-cow, a healthy twin may be saved. No mean feat, that.
As sad as death is, especialy when it’s a baby, there is no life without it. In this case, with the loss of one calf, another now has a chance to live.
Blessings to you and Mike and all the Farmily! And may the second twin make it!
April 6th, 2012 @ 8:24 am
Didn’t know that cows often accept only one calf. Imagine if cats and dogs, bears and tigers etc. did the same…..we’d have such an empty planet! Daisy would never do that would she?????
April 6th, 2012 @ 8:29 am
S ~ yes, jacketing.
M ~ it’s actually for the sake of life that a cow will only take one calf, as most angus cows only produce enough milk to raise one. if a mother allowed both calves to nurse, both would be weak and runty and both would probably die. Daisy on the other hand has enough milk to raise a calf on each teat :)
April 6th, 2012 @ 8:56 am
It’s stories like this that remind me this seemingly idyllic life of living on a farm has more than just hard physical work to do. This is tough emotional work, too.
I love that you share these pieces, Shreve. Thank you.
April 6th, 2012 @ 9:07 am
Kate, I really like what you said in your entry.
April 6th, 2012 @ 9:31 am
Please write about the trickery. I think I read about it once… Or did you already write about this a long time ago? Either way, I’d really like to know the outcome. I hope it turns out well.
April 6th, 2012 @ 9:38 am
Don’t wait to long….the faster you introduce the new calf the better the chances shell accept it. If she doesnt theres some powder you can get from your vet that might make her accept it. Do you know about using the cape from the dead calf?
April 6th, 2012 @ 9:46 am
Vanessa, here it is.
http://honeyrockdawn.com/2011/03/
Scroll down to “Birth and Death”
April 6th, 2012 @ 10:46 am
Oh Shreve, so sorry for your loss. She passed knowing that your love. That a great reason to be born: confirm there is love in life.
Sometimes I rescue birdies that are fledged out too soon. I try to nurture them but 2 out of 3 pass. I just want them to know that someone cared.
April 6th, 2012 @ 10:57 am
Sometimes, in spite of our efforts and hard work, things don’t go our way or the way we’d like them to go. But what I love about you, Shreve is that you keep trying and don’t give up on the general idea of intervening to try to save the lives of others you encounter, animal or human. I hope your plans for the second calf have a much better outcome for both the calf and the cow! Bless you all and have a Happy Easter!
April 6th, 2012 @ 12:35 pm
Great posts – ditto to all.
Thanks so much for sharing in the midst of many demands, Shreve. So sorry about the loss of the calf; I’m glad she was surrounded by your love and tenderness during her brief life. Here’s to the successful pairing of calf to cow, a soothed heart for you and smooth wordsmithing as you are pulled along in fits and starts by what I assume is your next book. Hang in there!
April 6th, 2012 @ 7:16 pm
And speaking of rescues… Here’s a link to a video of folks on a beach in S America who worked together successfully to save stranded dolphins. Let’s hear it for the humanity of humans!
http://elcomercio.pe/player/1384898
April 6th, 2012 @ 7:34 pm
Amen, Christine. And the rest of these bittersweet posts.
Thank you once again Shreve for sharing with us. I’ve given up trying to think of new ways to say how much you rock. Just keep on keepin’ on… :)
April 6th, 2012 @ 9:30 pm
How intense for the caretaker…that is a lot of physical work and emotional roller coastering to navigate! xoxo My heart goes out to you, although it seems like you have a solid perspective on everything. Best wishes to you and the farmily.
April 8th, 2012 @ 9:37 pm
Post some of your doodles? I’m always fascinated by margin doodles, even the ones people may think are boring…
April 9th, 2012 @ 7:10 pm
Best wishes for everything, Shreve!
April 9th, 2012 @ 10:36 pm
Did you ever post about your tomato garden? Would love to hear about it/see photos of it. I’m getting ready to start my plants.
April 10th, 2012 @ 9:54 am
It has been a few days now, did momma cow take the calf?
April 10th, 2012 @ 6:26 pm
D ~~ yes! they love eachother, hooray.
April 10th, 2012 @ 9:51 pm
So glad the mother cow has a another babe to nurture.
April 11th, 2012 @ 9:41 am
Awesome!!!! I love happy endings!!!
April 11th, 2012 @ 11:18 am
Fantastic! I kept checking back here hoping to hear good news. Thanks Shreve!
April 11th, 2012 @ 3:37 pm
By the way, HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY cause I might not be able to get on tomorrow. Did you sister cow (412) have another calf this year?
April 16th, 2012 @ 6:14 am
So sorry to hear about the death of your “baby”. It is SO hard – hard to read about, and much, much harder to bear. Was this the calf that you had to bring inside and give oxygen? She really seemed to be doing so well the last time you posted.
April 16th, 2012 @ 12:58 pm
Here’s hoping the calf-less mom will accept the mother-less twin. You certainly gave the little calf that passed away a fighting chance that it most likely would not have had, had it been born anywhere else. You did everything you could to save it.
April 17th, 2012 @ 12:20 pm
Hoping for a good outcome – thanks for your kindness.