Got Milk? Elsie & LuLu's answer is "Yes!"

He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.  Luke 3:11 KJV

It is good to share.  Our Lord encourages us to be generous and to love one another.  In fact, He makes a point to tell us to love our neighbor as ourselves. That begs the question, "Who is our neighbor?"  The Parable of the Good Samaritan answers that question.  Our neighbor is anyone we cross on our path.

I noticed a good example of that this weekend in the Animal Kingdom.  We share the milk with the calves.  I've mentioned it many times before.  During the day, Elsie and LuLu have full access to their mommas' milk.  All day long they can drink it at will.  However, at night we separate the calves from their mommas.  The milk the mommas make at night from that miracle they do of converting grass to milk is ours!  Why here is Elsie and LuLu cordoned off from their moms in the barn.  They watch us, expectantly, impatiently even.  When I finish milking Clarabelle, I open the gate.

With much flourish and fervor, Elsie runs through the gate and latches on to Clarabelle's teats.  By this time I've milked most of the milk out of her, but cows are uncanny about 'holding some milk back' for their babies.  Elsie sucks, slurping noisily, banging on Clarabelle's bag to make more milk fall.

LuLu does likewise, rushing out to suck on Rosie's teats, well three of them, at least.  We're hoping that changes soon.

Both Rosie and Clarabelle stand dutifully while their babies are nursing.  Everyone is getting their fill.  You will note that Elsie is growing.  Won't be long before she'll be as big as Clarabelle.  She's a big galoot.

Elsie is finished with her breakfast much sooner than LuLu.  Watch what happens.  Elsie moves over to Rosie and says, "LuLu, you gonna eat all of that?"  Then she proceeds to take a seat at the table.

LuLu is sharing with her neighbor, Elsie.  Side by side in harmony.  Dwelling together in unity.  Loving one another.

If only humans could take note and follow this example.  They might live in a land flowing with milk and honey.

Giving and Living

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.  Luke 6:38

I want to tell a quick story, a testimony, really, of people God has put into our lives that live out the verse I have in red-letter just above.  We sing a hymn at church, "Count your Blessings, Name Them One by One," and to tell you the truth, God has showered us with so many blessings, I can't count that high!

First, my Mom & Dad and my Mother-in-law.  They are constantly so generous and thoughtful - not only to us, but to others as well.  They give until it hurts.  Sacrificially.  Gifts, money, advice, labor.  Always there.  What great role models and examples of Christian generosity!  It would be more than enough if it stopped there, but it doesn't.

The other day, I was in the kitchen after working outside.  I was filthy.  Hot, sweaty and dirty.  There was a knock at the door.  I opened the door and was surprised by someone from our church that makes delicious sweet dough fruit pies and had driven out to deliver an assortment of little tarts for us.  On another day, a lady from our church dropped off a tray of homemade cinnamon rolls.  

Later that week, another knock.  Our next door neighbor sets hoop nets on the bayou.  He had run his nets and caught 487 pounds (you read that right!) of catfish and wanted to share some with us.  He gave us a bag with 10 pounds of cleaned, skinned catfish, ready for frying or making a courtboullion!

 Later I was in the back yard checking on the potatoes and a gentleman came walking into the backyard with a bowl of fresh-picked blackberries.  Juicy and sweet!  He just wanted to share his bounty with us.  Just take a look at these bad boys:

These are some of the biggest blackberries I've ever seen in my life!

A couple days later a gentleman from our church drove up the driveway in his pickup truck.  He got out with a bag of fresh picked yellow squash and zucchini!

His "garden" is really a field.  He grows for his family, his church family, and really for the whole community.  He didn't just stop at our house.  He was making his rounds, sharing his crop with others.  And so it goes.   

Both my family and I have been beneficiaries of the goodness of people that God placed in our lives - people that have mastered the art of holding onto things loosely, with open hands, and sharing with others.  We are truly blessed, and I aspire to learn to be more giving to others by following the example they have set.  God is so good!  

“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  Acts 20:35

Reunited and it Feels So Good

Here is an updated photo of little Aussie.  Aussie was born on January 11th.  He's only a few days older than two months and he is growing by leaps and bounds.  Although he may look like he's smiling, he's not happy.  I'll tell you why.

Aussie spends the day on the pasture with his momma, Rosie. They are together all day long.  Whenever he wants to drink some fresh milk, all he has to do is find Rosie and drink.  She has not one, not two, not three, but four teats upon which to nurse.  He will suck on each one until he has completely dried her up.  In a few hours, she will have produced more and he can nurse to his heart's content. 

On an unrelated note, you can see below one little horn that is beginning to grow.  Although we used de-horning paste, we missed this horn.  That is one of the drawbacks about using de-horning paste.  Sometimes you miss it.

So picking back up on Aussie's story, all day long Aussie can drink Rosie's milk.  But in the late afternoon (around 5 pm), we bring all the cows (and bull) into the barn.  We milk Luna and feed Rosie and Clarabelle.  We then open up one of the corrals in the barn.  Little Aussie is pushed into the corral and is locked up for the night.  When Rosie is finished eating, we release her to the pasture for the evening. 

Aussie, however, stays in the barn.  He will be separated from Rosie from 5 pm to the next morning.  All this time Rosie will be producing milk - just not for Aussie.  It is for us!  Rosie actually makes more milk than Aussie can drink.  It is because of this rich milk that Aussie has continued to grow.  Many times Rosie will stand by the barn door and bellow for her calf.  Other times, I think she forgets about him and enjoys time away from him.  Sometimes Aussie will moo for his momma.  Never fear.  Rosie produces plenty milk to keep both Aussie and us stocked with the dairy best stuff. 

In the morning when we walk out to milk, we milk out both Luna and Rosie.  Then we open the corral and allow Aussie access to his momma.  He is a hungry fellow and empties Rosie's udder in quick order.  I can't tell you how happy he is to be reunited with his Mom!  He rushes out of the stall and makes a beeline for his mom.  He is then with her all day long where her milk is always available to him.

Then in the afternoon the separation policy is put into effect again.  Aussie is separated from Rosie in the afternoon and won't have access to Rosie (and her milk) for about 12 hours.  Rinse. Wash. Repeat.  This milk sharing proposition works out for both us and Aussie. 

Sharing the Milk

Since Rosie calved and has freshened, we have milk once again.  Rosie makes more milk than her little bull calf can drink, but we have to have a plan to efficiently to share the milk so that we both get enough.  Over the years we've worked out a process that seems to work for us.  There are probably better ways, but this arrangement has worked, so we stick with it..

In the late afternoons at about 6 pm, we separate the little bull calf from Rosie.  They are on opposite sides of the fence, so he can't drink any of Rosie's milk.  From 6 pm until the next morning (5:30 am on weekdays and 7:30 am on weekends) all the milk Rosie makes is for us.

In the morning Rosie is waiting close to the fence.  She wants the dairy ration mixed with alfalfa and the molasses we give her.  She also wants to be milked to release the pressure of her milk-filled udder.

Rosie's little bull is on the other side of the gate and he is wanting one thing - MILK.  It has been 12 hours and he is thirsty.  He will be mooing and so will his mother.

Before we get them together, we bring Rosie quickly into the barn, brush her down, wash her udder and teats, put vaseline on her teats, pour her feed in the trough and milk her.  Then, and only then, we put Rosie and her little bull calf together.  She doesn't have any milk since we just got it all, but that doesn't stop the little bull from trying.  He'll bang on Rosie's bag with his head trying to get milk to drop.  He may get a little - but not much.

However, he'll be with her all day.  Rosie will make more milk throughout the day and he'll get it.  At around 6 pm, we'll separate them again and start the whole process all over again.