Sunday, September 25, 2005
Field Of Miracles
My stomach still felt dodgy for most of the morning but one shower followed by an empty omelette cooked by my Dad and it started to feel a bit better. Yes - I said empty omelette; I never knew there was such a thing either!
I went out with Gail and Laura to show them the River Gryffe where I used to fish and explore. Seeing as I was on another nostalgic trip I used it as an excuse to show them round the village I was brought up in.
We started off down at the Torr Weir, but we were just too early in the season to see the salmon leaping the falls. I got some nice photo's of the this section of the river and the weir, but I won't post these until tomorrow as this post already has enough images in it later on as you will see.
We messed around by the river for a while, having stick races and skimming stones then went up onto the old railway bridge overlooking the whole valley. It evoked so many great memories but there were more to come.
We went back to the car, stopping in a couple of shops on the way before following a road leading out into the country. It passed my old Primary School, which was the first time I have seen it in over fifteen years. Memories of when I was Laura's age came flooding back and it's a tie you feel you never want to let go of. I'd love to be able to go inside the building some day and look around.
We kept driving deeper into the country along the single track road passing several farms until we were totally surrounded by patches of forest and vast fields with grazing cattle and horses. We passed one field; small with only one cow in it and as we drove passed we realised it was about to give birth. We parked the car and got out to watch a tiny miracle happen before our very eyes.
This is a story best told in pictures, so if you are squeamish or eating your lunch while reading this then look away now. I'm not too much of a macho-man to admit that when the wee thing was born, I felt quite moved.
(Click any picture to see it enlarged.)
Pushing hard
She's too tired to stand upright now
After a while, the Farmer ties a rope around the protuding hind legs of the calf
Here she comes
The calf arrives lifeless, into the world
The Farmer checks mother and calf are fine and leaves them to it
The baby calf starts to look around for it's mother
Mother cautiously approaches it's newborn; instinct kicking in
The baby calf reveals itself to us for the first time
With gathering strength, the calf tries to get to it's feet for the first time...
...and flops back to the ground!
One more try...
...and another spectacular flop!
Eventually the calf gets up and stays up...
...and makes it to it's mother to have its first meal of milk
Back home my Mum had cooked a roast chicken for dinner followed by lemon meringue pie and coffee. Delicious! Nothing like a home cooked meal, but before long we had to get moving back through to Edinburgh. It was already getting dark and with work and school tomorrow we had to get moving.
On the way back through, Laura entertained herself by getting me to lie back in the seat so she could massage my head. She's getting quite good at massaging my temple now but so long as it keeps her amused!
I checked my email when I got home and my Robert Louis Stevenson article has been accepted by Circadian Poems and will be published on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2005. Also, the three poems I submitted are going to be published; Perfect Apple on November 4, Empty on November 16 and Brunette on November 30. I'll post the links when they appear, but the link to the organ can be found over on the left of this page.
I saw a game on Turning 30 and a Half so I'm going to do it as well because I like the idea. It's called 23:5 and the rules are:
1. Go into your archive.
2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to it).
3. Find the 5th sentence (or closest to it).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
So here goes: "I noticed a coolness in the air walking to work this morning."
Hmmm - not as exciting as I was expecting, but given that I live in Edinburgh, one can only assume it to be another accurate weather report.
I went out with Gail and Laura to show them the River Gryffe where I used to fish and explore. Seeing as I was on another nostalgic trip I used it as an excuse to show them round the village I was brought up in.
We started off down at the Torr Weir, but we were just too early in the season to see the salmon leaping the falls. I got some nice photo's of the this section of the river and the weir, but I won't post these until tomorrow as this post already has enough images in it later on as you will see.
We messed around by the river for a while, having stick races and skimming stones then went up onto the old railway bridge overlooking the whole valley. It evoked so many great memories but there were more to come.
We went back to the car, stopping in a couple of shops on the way before following a road leading out into the country. It passed my old Primary School, which was the first time I have seen it in over fifteen years. Memories of when I was Laura's age came flooding back and it's a tie you feel you never want to let go of. I'd love to be able to go inside the building some day and look around.
We kept driving deeper into the country along the single track road passing several farms until we were totally surrounded by patches of forest and vast fields with grazing cattle and horses. We passed one field; small with only one cow in it and as we drove passed we realised it was about to give birth. We parked the car and got out to watch a tiny miracle happen before our very eyes.
This is a story best told in pictures, so if you are squeamish or eating your lunch while reading this then look away now. I'm not too much of a macho-man to admit that when the wee thing was born, I felt quite moved.
(Click any picture to see it enlarged.)
The Farmer starts to pull
Back home my Mum had cooked a roast chicken for dinner followed by lemon meringue pie and coffee. Delicious! Nothing like a home cooked meal, but before long we had to get moving back through to Edinburgh. It was already getting dark and with work and school tomorrow we had to get moving.
On the way back through, Laura entertained herself by getting me to lie back in the seat so she could massage my head. She's getting quite good at massaging my temple now but so long as it keeps her amused!
I checked my email when I got home and my Robert Louis Stevenson article has been accepted by Circadian Poems and will be published on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2005. Also, the three poems I submitted are going to be published; Perfect Apple on November 4, Empty on November 16 and Brunette on November 30. I'll post the links when they appear, but the link to the organ can be found over on the left of this page.
I saw a game on Turning 30 and a Half so I'm going to do it as well because I like the idea. It's called 23:5 and the rules are:
1. Go into your archive.
2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to it).
3. Find the 5th sentence (or closest to it).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
So here goes: "I noticed a coolness in the air walking to work this morning."
Hmmm - not as exciting as I was expecting, but given that I live in Edinburgh, one can only assume it to be another accurate weather report.
Colin 11:43 am
2 Comments:
Those pictures are fantastic! There is something so incredibly moving in the birth of another living thing. Glad you got a chance to witness it. I saw a calf born at a fair once, and even in those chaotic circumstances, I found it absolutely beautiful!
Thanks for playing the 23:5. It's a fun little game.
Thanks for playing the 23:5. It's a fun little game.
At least you're Mum never made Roast Beef for dinner!