New kid on the block!

Last Saturday morning started off quite dismal with cold drizzle in the air and Isabel complaining of a sore throat and stuffy nose...things turned a little more chaotic when a strange dog decided to visit and cause a slight commotion in the hen house! Feathers were flying, chickens squawking, Isabel screaming and me in the middle of a wood shavings tornado trying to grab the dog before he decreased our chicken population...things started to look up though up when our neighbour pulled into the driveway to tell us that he had a brand new calf for Isabel to see!

We headed down to the barn to see that this sweet girl (covered in mud from the yard), had made her debut just an hour before this photo was taken...a star is born!

She sure put a smile on my girl's face as she stood on her wobbly little legs and nuzzled Isabel's hand.

When our neighbour came out of the house after lunch and found the new Simmental calf (2 weeks earlier than he suspected), he quickly transferred the mother and baby out of the muddy barnyard and into a stall with fresh, dry bedding...because there seemed to be a delay in the new mom producing milk for her little one, Josh ran into the house and mixed up a warm bottle of colostrum supplement so the little gaffer could get the necessary vitamins, minerals and antibodies that it requires to fight off illness and disease.

When I got to feed her, it made me think two things, 1) that I miss having a baby around and 2) that I had the urge to put a bonnet on her and take her home, but I had a sneaking suspicion that Josh isn't really a "bonnet" guy!

The local residents were all eyes and ears watching the event unfold...

...or maybe they were just hoping that I had treats in my camera bag?!

...and some have seen this go down before and weren't really all that impressed!

...but for some, like Isabel and me...it was something! Speaking of "something", have you ever seen a prettier heifer?? An Ava Gardener chin cleft, Betty Grable tousled, blonde curls and Marilyn Monroe lashes with a smoldering stare...I'm serious, she is glamorous!!

Little "W-33" (that's what her ear tag will say), started to get a bit weary, so Josh led her back to the pen, where her Mom would clean her up and hopefully settle in to nurse...it was a big morning for this wee girl and we were happy to meet our newest little neighbour!