Monday 5 October 2009

B for Z loses her patience with Big Pinkie

"Pinkie's out again!" announced the Sage provocatively. "I'll have to dry my hair first," I responded. Never accuse me of a lack of willingness, but I'm not prepared to get a cold head for the sake of a cow.

She's loosened a stake and keeps pushing her way under the barbed wire. Scarlet has more sense and a less tough hide and stays in the field. Pinkie has no wish to escape, she just wants to eat what she can from the hedgerow. I wished I'd had my camera with me when I fed her a bunch of grapes, her curling tongue was quite something to see. After she was securely in, they obediently followed the Sage back across the field while I went home on my bike. They weren't willing to cross the beck - they go back and forth several times each day, but they had a feeling about it this time. Indeed, we put the gate across afterwards, they won't be allowed on that field again but will have to stay on the Ups and Downs. However, the Sage had already been to the farm for some hay and some straw and they are, right now, tucking into some of it. And here are Pictures, so that Scarlet can see her namesake (this is a brilliant name for her, by the way. It suits her and it doesn't sound at all odd to call out "Here, Pinkie! Come on, Scarlet!).

Scarlet has a very pretty face
I gave Pinkie an apple, but didn't manage to take the photo as she took it from my hand

Scarlet is very appreciative of the hay
She is an exceptionally attractive cow, with a sweet nose and glossy hair.

Pinkie is rather more "about time too. Took you long enough to get the hint." She is older and heavier, with a strong character. Very friendly and good-natured, but independent of spirit. She's past her best milking days but she is much loved and will live her life out here and on the farm. She's in calf, due in December and so still earning her keep.

16 comments:

Dave said...

'She is an exceptionally attractive cow, with a sweet nose and glossy hair.'

One could almost think you'd met young Scatlet-Blue.

Z said...

A pleasure yet to come, Dave.

Ms Scarlet said...

Wonderful!!! This has made my morning!!!
I think Scarlet is rather beautiful!
Sx

Dandelion said...

Scarlett is definitely the looker of the pair. Bit on the thin side though.

Ms Scarlet said...

...I think Scatlet is also a rather good mame.. thank you Dave.
Sx

Ms Scarlet said...

Sorry 'name'!
Sx

Z said...

When you're standing with a ton of cows in front of you, 'thin' is not the word that comes to mind. However. they'll both go back to the farm in a few weeks to be given special feed to build them up before their calves are born.

Sarah said...

How exciting for Scarlet...Blue that is....way better than having a Rose named after you...

Z said...

It is, isn't it? One will be named for you next year.

Roger said...

This is a horror tale to towny me.

Pat said...

Who milks them? Wait a minute - let me guess.

Marion said...

It appears you have quite a farm yourself, with the cows and chickens and fields. I would love to have flat land, as ours is just our house lot and then hillside property.

Z said...

Roger? Is that you, Rog? Then I won't call one after you, but I think that Lily and Oz are good names for cows.

Not us, Pat. They come once they've dried off, just for a few months, then go back to the farm to calve. Big Pinkie has been here all spring and summer, but she didn't have a calf last year.

This is a farming area Marion, around us are areas called 'marshes' which are nothing of the sort really as they are not normally marshy! But they get flooded when the rivers overflow - there's a whole network of waterways with one main river - and so can't be ploughed but are managed by grazing. East Anglia is low-lying and fairly flat, and a lot of crops are grown too.

Dandelion said...

They weigh four tonnes, don't they? But look at picture number 4.

Z said...

I have never weighed a cow, it's a bit awkward on my scales. I can weigh a dog by picking it up and then afterwards weighing me and subtracting, but I can certainly say that I can't pick up a cow. Even a little one.

Those jutting-out hip bones are meant to look like that, like a greyhound's ribs or my stomach. She's quite well-covered really. And I've just given them another half-bale of hay which, considering I haven't had my own lunch yet, I think is a bit over-and-above.

sablonneuse said...

I would love to have a cow or two in our garden (the wild half) to keep the grass down but the family howled me down when i suggested it. I suppose the fact that they would have to come in via the front door and walk through the house, then climb up the steps to reach the garden could present some problems. . . . .