this never happens in the city...

[HouseofWool]

The weather was BEAUTIFUL today. A little breezy, but we almost hit 70 and the sun was actually shining! After C got home and S was up for her nap, we went outside for a bit. I was working on pulling weeds in the garden while the kids played in the drive way.

While I was working, I heard the cows mooing at the farm next to my parent's house (yes we live in the sticks. BFE is closer to civilization.) I noticed it, but didn't pay much attention. About 10 minutes later S ran up to me shrieking in terror, completely hysterical, unable to use any words at all. I scooped her up and turned around to see what could be causing such monumental distress, figuring that C had snagged a favorite toy.

Nope.

Not even close.

Five of the neighbor's cows were standing about 15 feet from us grazing in the hay field. They were right were the field meets the grass of our lawn. No wonder she was so scared.

I took her into the house, got her settled down and handed her off to grandma. Caleb and I then herded the cows back home only to discover that they had broken through the electric fence in several places. I patched it together the best I could, given it isn't my property and we headed home.

Not 20 minutes later, they were back out, apparently having decided that fresh hay beats whatever they are currently grazing on. I obviously will not get hired on as a farm hand because baling twine just doesn't work to repair an electric fence.

Thankfully this time the farmer was home and he was able to round them up, but C and I still trekked over to let him know that the fence had broken in a couple of places.

[Momo]

I LOVE IT! I grew up on a farm and really really miss the atmosphere...life was so beautiful and serene.

[v-girl]

I've lived near cow pastures.* Ahh...the smell of hot manure in the 110 summer temps.


*One of those cow pastures happened to be next to the mobile home park we lived in. It was the nicest trailer park you ever saw with ponds, jogging trails, a nice pool and a clubhouse that looked like the mansion from the TV show Dallas. Oh, did I mention I lived on Ewing Way? As in J.R. Ewing? And the whole neighborhood was across the street from a corn field -- 5 miles to the nearest store. I miss living in the country!

[ladymoreta]

Hehe reminds me of home! Mom and Dad and most of their neighbors have cattle, and it seems like they're always getting into each others' pastures.

[Vanquisher]

Poor baby girl! I must say that I can't see having to herd cows at my house, alligators maybe.

I hope your neighbor got his fence fixed well!

[GreyhoundsRUs]

Poor S! I can only imagine how huge a cow would look to her!

And birds, Heidi! Don't forget about all those birds

[SuzySunshine]

I hope S isn't traumatized. I loved helping herd cows when I was a kid.

My kids love to look at the cows at my parents as long as it is from a safe distance or there is a fence in between them. Molly on the other hand won't go within 20 feet of them and just goes ballistic, its actually pretty funny.

[DCJenn]

I'd likely just laugh hysterically and then freeze because I certainly wouldn't know what to do. My neighborhood is "Lavaca" though (The Cow- La Vaca) because it's on the former pastures of the missions (of which the Alamo is one) No cows down here now, but there are lots of neighbors w/ chickens!

So, no, it likely wouldn't happen in the city!

Jenn

[HouseofWool]

Cheri - S isn't traumatized. She says "cows not scare me." Then in the next breath, its "cow really scary." In her defense, it was a big black mean looking cow, not a docile looking one... And C thinks he is all that because he chased the cows home.

[diggitydot]

It could TOTALLY happen in this city. We're smack in the middle of farm country (and the edge of Amish country) and you can't drive more than a mile or so in any direction without hitting a sizable farm.

[Thirteen]

I'm smiling right now. I miss stuff like this. But then again, on one side of my childhood home, the neighbors have cows, guineas, bantams, and... MALE PEACOCKS. I never realized how exotic my mornings were until I grew up ("Yeah, the peacocks used to wake us up and sometimes, they'd hang out on our porch.") The other neighbors have two donkeys (both are jennys). Every time we visit my parents, DH wants to go pet them... He's a city boy.
I want my children to know about such things.

[Cinderella]

Peacocks are so beautiful, especially albino ones.

In Cairo you can find all things. Cairo is a city of about 10 million people, according to the CIA world factbook, but with the suburbs it's around 16 million. I recall on my first trip there being amazed that there was a cow tied up in the middle of modern skyrises in the city. Another time we were riding along in the taxi and passing a guy in a cart being pulled by a donkey. Then of course there are horses and camels for the pyramid tours or general riding in the desert around Giza. All of Egypt is like an open air museum mixing ancient culture, the countryside and modern civilization.

[SuzySunshine]

Good for S! I'm glad she's a tough one

[HouseofWool]

A - that is really neat about the peacocks!

Cheri - it is hysterical because she tells everyone she see that she saw cows last night.