Our Weekend

Let me preface this post with two notes:

1) When I asked Farmer John what he wanted to do this weekend on Thursday night this is what he said "Oh, let's just try to have a relaxing weekend at home. We can do a few farm things, and just hang out." I think he jinxed us!

2) This will not be the most well-written post ever. All we could do was keep a list. Pictures are at the end. Read on!

Friday
work
found new calf (from Butterscotch)
watched as the calf couldn’t stand, and wouldn’t nurse, seemed blind.
cried at the heartbreaking scene of mom and calf, with nothing we could do.
left calf for dead in the woods.
picked up farm truck in Ohio with a rebuilt transmission
mourned for calf

Saturday
errands in town
sent check to buy our bridge!
Farmer John went to “take care” of the calf
came back to house with news the calf was still alive!
Butterscotch wasn’t around it, so Farmer John brought calf into the house
made frantic calls to the vet
mixed up some colostrum and tried to bottle feed the calf - no luck.
Farmer John left to pick up stock trailer
Mollie got the calf to take the bottle
John got back….went to Tractor Supply after milk replacer
John got back….Vet called….Said we needed more colostrum and penicillin
John went back to Tractor Supply after needed supplies
Mollie thought calf was headed towards the light while John was in town
Got home clumsily injected calf with penicillin got it to eat one more time
Took calf to pen in barn
Ate Dominos and tried to relax
Enjoyed the cool air on the back porch as a midnight thunderstorm rolled in

Sunday
Got up early
Gave calf the last of the colostrum and another penicillin shot
went back to bed
Breakfast, coffee, checked on calf
Visited with John – who keeps a garden at our place
Tried to get the calf to take another bottle with milk replacer – wouldn’t eat
Washed her eyes with saline solution
Laundry, housecleaning, made Naan
Farmer John worked in garden: weeding, set up drip irrigation, mulched with straw
Lunch
Discovered Badger had slipped his collar in backyard and was gone
Half-hour of panicked searching – until he came trotting up the hill from the creek.
Farmer John finished mulching garden, Mollie went to town for groceries.
Watered plants, sprayed poison ivy on bridge.
Farmer John mowed lawn and around gardens.
Tried to get the calf to take another bottle with milk replacer – wouldn’t eat
Fretted about the calf not eating while doing other chores
Cut, washed, sorted and bagged lettuce for sale
Weeded and mulched asparagus
Farmer John picked up several cattle panels from our neighbor.
Got clothes off the line
Farmer John took care of cats and chickens
Baked naan, grilled eggplant
Prepared another bottle and penicillin shot
Calf took the bottle! Drank 3 pints, and the shot was the smoothest one yet.
Farmer John made Indian eggplant dip to go with naan and samosas
Showered, did dishes
Ate dinner @ 10:30
Collapsed into bed at 11:00

Here she is! This is where she stayed when she first came in the house.

Close-up of an eye. It doesn't open much at all. We don't yet know what's wrong with her eyes. This was taken shortly after Farmer John left me with a calf in the house! Notice the phone next to her - I was making frantic phone calls. After her first bottle she has some energy and got up to explore the house. I thought it would be a good idea to corral her in Badger's cage. It wasn't.

This is where she took a nap. Then I thought I was losing her! But, I got part of a bottle in her, and then she was up again to explore. She can't see, so spent some time in corners, until I could get her turned around. Back in the kitchen. Bottle before we took her to the barn on Saturday night. In the barn on Sunday - that's a full bottle that she wouldn't drink. Successful feeding on Sunday night!
We fed her again at 5am this morning. She was resting in her stall when I left for work. We'll keep you posted on this new farming adventure!