With a blog title like "Patience," you'll probably all think this is just a typical philosophy of life nugget. But it is really so much more exciting. I've always had a difficult time being patient with some things even though I "delay gratification," to the point of having an obsession, with other things. To illustrate the latter, here's an example from my very, very early childhood: when my Great Grandma Nellie Hall was still alive, she once sent me brownies. I was so excited about them and wanted very badly to relish every last bite, so I hid them in my closet and saved them knowing that they would taste even better following the anticipation that comes with waiting. The problem? I waited too long and when I finally went to eat them, they had molded.
However, all-too-often, I want things NOW. I want to know now, to see now, to get now. The critters have taught me that I can be as impatient as I want, but that no matter how much emotional energy I put forth, I have no control over their biological clocks. I've been waiting for months for our hens to lay eggs, for example, and I check every day with the hope that they will have started. I knew it would be at least 16 weeks if not closer to 20. However, it's been over 20 and still nothing.
When Daisy went to "summer camp," I knew that it would be weeks before we'd know that she'd been there long enough to get bred and we could bring her home. And then if she was pregnant, it would be months (as many as 9!) before she would calve. 9 months! And I kept asking John, "How long will it be until we KNOW if she's even bred so that I KNOW that I have more months to wait?!"
One of those "waits" is over. On Saturday I got to take Daisy back to where she attended "summer camp" because the Lewises had hired the vet to come ultrasound their cows. Dana, John's employee, and I loaded up Daisy and Maddie in a trailer and led them through the chutes so that they, too, could have an ultrasound performed. While I was too busy watching when it was Daisy's turn, I did get a few photos when the vet was examining another cow. While the photos really aren't at all graphic, I will forewarn you that the details of the descriptions that accompany them might surprise you a bit.
The cows walked down a shoot, and just as they poked their head through this last one, Hal Lewis would pull on the rope that closes it down on them. It's not at all painful, and they don't even really react. I do feel a little badly, however, because they're in such a catch-22 situation; to get out, they have to move forward, but as soon as they move forward, they can't get out.
The vet is wearing a full rubber/plastic outfit and a shoulder-length glove. She keeps a very large bottle of lubricant handy because she has to insert her arm along with the ultrasound "wand" (my word) into the cows' rectums. I'm sure it's not comfortable, but the cattle don't seem to be in any sort of pain.
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You can see the ultrasound machine in the bottom, right corner of this photo, and the vet is looking at the screen while she works.
And here's a series of ultrasound images that I found online to show you the various forms of bovine fetal development:
I'll be honest, with the exception of the "50 Day Pregnancy" photo, I see very little that resembles anything bovine or otherwise.
When I looked at the screen while Daisy was being examined, the vet said, "See, right there. It's still small, but there it is. She's pregnant."
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Were you thinking I'd forget to say one way or the other?
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Now that I know, I'll be able to wait a little bit more easily. 6 months and counting. 180 days.
When the time comes, we'll be well into spring, and the anticipation is glorious!
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