6.12.22
I love to milk. There is something very rewarding to the soul to get up in the morning bright and early, knowing a milk cow is standing down at the paddock gate, just waiting for you to come and be milkmaid to her full udder. Not only does it give one the incentive to get out of bed but pouring a few gallons of creamy milk from the milker into the cooling pan is so satisfying. That simple act of walking to the barn, milker and wash bucket in hand, before climbing on the four-wheeler and heading down to the milk house, is such a time of reflection for me. Once in the milk parlour, the routine begins. Hooking up the milker, tossing a couple tins of grain in the manger of the milking stanchion then heading out to open the gate so Lass or Heidi can come trotting in, all have their special significance to me of a morning.
Once the cow’s udder is washed and dried, the milker’s teat cups in place, the rhythmic click, click, click of the pulsator begins the flow of milk down the tubes from the cow’s full udder to the belly of the milker. As I stand and scratch my milk cow’s back or squat and massage her udder, I automatically glance out the open door and let the feeling of thankfulness to be enjoying a new day wash over me. That peaceful start to the day is a special thing and I am grateful to be able to experience it.
Yet now and again, it is nice to forego the milking chore. This is why I “milk-share” as they say, with my milk cow’s calf. If I want a day off from milking, I simply let the calf stay with mum all day long instead of separating the pair of them in the evening, so that I have a full udder to myself the following morning! It is a system I have been using for the near 30 years I have had a milk cow and for me, it works perfectly. Heidi, who I had sincerely hoped had taken after being A.I bred a few weeks ago, has turned out to be open, as in not pregnant. So right now, we have our bull Henry and the rest of our beef cows and calves, grazing relatively close by the milk cow’s paddock. This way, I can let Heidi go and visit Henry and the rest of the herd when she comes into season and Henry can do what bulls do best! I am still able to easily bring Heidi and her calf in of an evening, penning up the calf in his usual place while Heidi is in her own paddock, so as to harvest milk when I need to. However, last night I decided this morning I would have a bit of a lie in.
We have had rain, lots and lots of rain over the past few weeks. More rain than we can remember in a very, very long time. It has been grand for the grass, but we were a tad concerned about Darrell’s garden, particularly the potatoes he planted, would they think it was too much and thus rot in the ground? Thankfully, along with the rain, we have had warm temperatures and so much to our delight, the potatoes are poking their green leaves above the soil and the corn shoots are almost doubling in height daily with the rest of the veggies seemingly quite happy!
So, this morning, it was wonderful to wake up, knowing I could just snuggle closer to my dearest Darrell for as long as I wanted, laying there as the sky lightened and the birds started their morning chorus of song. Thankfulness filled me as I smelled the damp earth and heard the occasional drip of moisture falling from the eaves to the wet ground below. The cool breeze coming in through the door just made me nestle deeper under the covers. Pure contentment with my life stole over me. As Darrell lay sleeping, I finally slipped out of bed and made my way to the kitchen to put the kettle on. Now, as I sit here in my easy chair with a cup of tea by my side, the quiet of the morning surrounds me. We are supposed to get more rain today, but that is okay. Maybe I will have a lazy day or maybe head to the shop and give Darrell a hand on his old car.
That is the wonderful thing about a quiet Sunday morning, it gives one time to sit and think. To spend a few moments of contemplative cogitation. To reflect on what has passed and look forward with anticipation to what will come. Inside me, as I sit here letting my thoughts run free, I am glad today was not a milking day…
