The Vexatious Nature of Cattle
The longest day of the year has come and gone, yet these days the daylight lingers, seemingly loath to leave, silently protesting Autumn’s encroachment yet again.
These days, the nights come slowly, inching their way over the land until suddenly dusk is here and you’re distracted by the lightning bugs as the shadows deepen, and after tripping up the porch stairs you realize you need your phone flashlight to see where you’re going (true story).
These days, the cattle seem extra content, basking in the sunlight during the day and enjoying the freedom of wandering around the countryside at night.
Yes, you read that right. Vintage Meadows cattle seem to be of an especially curious breed, nosy but not rude, strong-willed but not unruly. They have a sixth sense for finding our mistakes in fencing or gate-closing. They’re not disrespectful enough to actually break anything (that would be downright unkind), but they’ll happily nose their way through a loose wire or a gate left slightly ajar.
Hints of their wanderings show up around the farm. Hoofprints up and down the lane, a snapped fence wire, cow pies in the yard, or a stray calf looking for its mama. Ideally the cattle themselves accompany these visual cues, although sometimes they like to keep us guessing as to their whereabouts.
I’m beginning to think the cattle coordinate their shenanigans to impact our lives the most, probably to show us how much they love us. They choose the worst times to mosey on their adventures, like Sunday mornings before church or after a late night out, meaning any plans of being on time or heading to bed in a timely manner immediately disintegrate. Some nights the cattle decide to bother the neighbors. When the phone rings after 10 pm, we can’t help but exchange glances, fearing what news is on the other end.
When we find them, they always seem surprised at our consternation.
“You left the gate open, didn’t you?” one Hereford’s dopey eyes say. A Lowline’s long moo intones, “You’d have tightened that fence if you didn’t want me walking through it.” And you just can’t argue with that logic.
Getting the cattle back where they belong can be difficult, as our cows so value their peace they refuse to be disturbed. They prefer to find their own way (we’re cultivating independent beef over here!) rather than be herded. After all, it’s so low-class.
However, sometimes immediate return to their pasture is necessary. Years of experience have made us aware of the best angle to approach these gentle beasts to coax them in the right direction. Eyeing us carefully, the cattle gauge our distance before snorting anxiously and taking a few steps back.
“Come, Bessie,” Farmer Ryan croons in a low voice, extending a non-threatening hand. “Come on, girl.” Bessie sniffs as she stretches out her nose to investigate. She decides to make an exception this once and deign to allow herself and her herd to be guided home.
Please believe me when I say our cattle truly do spend the majority of their time in lush pastures specially grown for their benefit, but who are we to deny them the simple joy of exploration every now and then? (We really do try, but gates can be confusing.) I wonder if my life would change if I began to take advantage of all the low-commitment opportunities that happen to cross my path. Things like saying yes to the weekend trip with an old friend, stopping in at the new store you’ve wanted to check out for months, or planning a date night for your unsuspecting partner. Adventures pop up everywhere, but in the midst of our busy schedules we get in the habit of saying, “No,” or “Maybe later.” Soon we become blind to these chances at fun or exploration, and life’s dullness intensifies. But think of what we’re missing when we don’t give life the opportunity to surprise us or delight us! How many blessings do we miss because we’re too focused on productivity? Begin to look for adventure opportunities this week. What fun things have you been missing out on?