Babysitting Calves at Naptime

☆ April 23, 2019

Can you even stand the cuteness? Babysitting is really common with bovines – one mother or Grandmother will hang out with up to a dozen calves while their mothers go off to graze or get manicures. This is Leila babysitting five calves at naptime – they found a very comfy spot on a pile of fresh straw. I really wanted to join them.

The following is a bit of a technical note, but maybe not completely boring? Starting tomorrow, on the anniversary of the day Charlie came into my life, my @dailycoyote Instagram account will become an extension of The Daily Coyote blog: photos of Charlie, posted daily, beginning at the beginning with his baby pics from April 2007.

I’ve been pondering this change for several weeks and reached conviction after the incredible flood of emails and messages I received around Charlie’s birthday earlier this month. Your notes affected me deeply – thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and love. Charlie has impacted so many people in such magnificent ways, and I think bringing Charlie’s photo archive to Instagram is the best way to keep sharing the wonder he inspires.

I’ll still be updating Charlie’s blog as I always have, and sending out new pictures to subscribers via email as I have always done and absolutely love doing – none of that is changing. But things have changed drastically, here on The Internet, since I started blogging in 2007. I’ve noticed so much more engagement on Instagram than on my blogs in recent years, and *I* engage more with others on Instagram, too, rather than going to dozens of blogs the way I used to in the ’00s. This shift makes sense – on Instagram, everyone is in one place and it’s so convenient. It’s the Walmart of the internet. And since things have changed in this way, the @dailycoyote Instagram account will be a way for newbies, who might never find Charlie’s blog otherwise, to learn about his magic. Today’s 20-year-olds were 8 when Charlie was born!

Pictures of the rest of the Farmily will now be @farmily.love so if you’re on Instagram, go follow that account for pictures of Daisy, Chloe, Sage, the horses, and the rest of the Farmily. With the book deadline and so much else going on, posting little snapshots over there may occur more regularly than big blog posts here. Even if you’re not on Instagram, you can bookmark this page and this page to see everything I post.

Comments

9 Responses to “Babysitting Calves at Naptime”

  1. Kay Bryan
    April 23rd, 2019 @ 7:43 am

    I think that the story of Charlie would make a wonderful movie. He was a very very lucky coyote when he ended up in your care. I am grateful that there are people in the world like you who genuinely care about our friends in the animal kingdom. Carry on!

  2. Carolyne McCoy
    April 23rd, 2019 @ 10:18 am

    Stop it!!!! I demand a time recount!!! Seriously though , it’s been my honor & privilege !

  3. mlaiuppa
    April 23rd, 2019 @ 12:49 pm

    I hope you’ll still blog here. I don’t do Instagram. Or Facebook or Twitter. I’ve really enjoyed this blog for a decade and would hate for it to stop.

    I love the babysitting cows. I think so many have no idea of the life of cows because cows aren’t allowed to live naturally to their nature. How lucky your cows are to have the freedom to just be.

  4. Jane Rose
    April 23rd, 2019 @ 1:07 pm

    Love this picture. Never knew that Grandma bovines babysit!

  5. Barbara Sanchez
    April 23rd, 2019 @ 3:37 pm

    I agree with Kay on the movie idea! When I run into people who either love wildlife or are not well versed in the ‘Coyote way’ I love directing them to Shreve’s book! Can’t wait for Charlie’s baby pics on Instagram which I currently follow. Thank you for the link to the rest of the farmily which I will now add on to my Instagram! Thank you for always sharing with us, Shreve! Your pictures really are one of my Monday-Friday highlights!

  6. Laura
    April 23rd, 2019 @ 8:16 pm

    Love this <3 will try to get used to going to instagram….

  7. Theresa Szpila
    April 23rd, 2019 @ 9:30 pm

    Ooohh, Shreve, I love the photo of Leila babysitting her napping charges. Total melt-down of my heart!

    Please keep The Daily Coyote going ~ I don’t do Instagram or Twitter or Facebook or any other modern media.

    For those looking for a movie, Shreve shot that idea down years ago as being too stressful for Charlie. I, too, would love to see his story on film, but I agree with Shreve about it being stressful, so I’ve given up on the idea.

  8. mj
    May 21st, 2019 @ 6:48 am

    I’m not on Instagram, but used your link to get there. What an incredible journey down memory lane. Thank you for your lovely photo journalism and the stories that go with the pictures. You’ve not only brought Charlie into our homes and hearts but the entire farmily. Bless you and all who you share your life with.

  9. Deborah Hoffer
    May 22nd, 2019 @ 8:22 pm

    Loved your book Daily Coyote, that is how I subscribed to your postings. I did not know that gramma bovines babysat – special image. It would be really cool to hear Charlie’s call. Hope that the birthday is extra special for everyone.
    Have an awesome summer.

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