Coming up roses

Yesterday it was primroses...

Today wild prairie roses.

Most prairie roses, which are quite common shrubs out in the prairie, have pink blossoms.

This one has buttery yellow blossoms.

The lore is that my great-grandmother Maude

No slouch of a gardener

Transplanted this one, which started out pink-blossomed but became yellow-blossomed.

Whether this sis true or not I have no idea. It's always a pretty plant though, and it reliably produces abundant flowers at or around Memorial Day.

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This morning the calf who couldn't get up was bright and perky. When I appeared with her bottle she began to lick her lips, and as I stood close to her she tried to suckle my pants leg. It's always such an endearing feeling to see that spark of recognition. You know the calf is only interested in milk but you can't help but feel that it "likes" you.

I put her in her sling and fed her the bottle, which she took with great enthusiasm. She also seemed to be stronger in her legs, and seemed to be trying to figure out how to walk. Furthermore, as she looked around she seemed to recognize her mama and seemed to be trying to figure out how to walk over and nurse.

Of course those are just my impressions, flavored with anthropomorphization and wishes.



I left her in the sling and went to check cows. When I returned the rope holding the left front of the sling had come untied, leaving the calf unsupported up front.

Nevertheless, she was standing up.



That was a very good sign. I was quite sure that the only thing holding her up was the back of the sling, but I decided to see if my certainty would be supported by evidence. If I loosened the back of the sling and she tumbled to the ground, my hypothesis would be proved. If, on the other hand, she was able to stand, my hypothesis would be falsified.

Ever so slowly and quietly I loosened the remaining ropes and let the sling fall to the ground.

And little 768 remained standing.



Hard to describe how good that felt.

She still can't walk without falling down, and I don't think she can get up by herself yet. But I'm starting to think she'll be able to do those things on her own, and perhaps sooner than I'd like to hope.

I think her "fan club" and their thoughts and prayers have been an important factor.