On July 8 I turned older than I care to think about, much less put in writing! Although these photos were taken today out in the Back Pasture, the cattle were still in the Home Pasture on my birthday. Today's photos will just have to do since I didn't have my camera with me that day.
Herb and I went out to feed the cattle before he took me out for dinner, and I decided to catch Macree first since she was lying down in the sun. I clipped a lead rope to her halter before she could get up and move away, but she just kept laying there.
Cash came over to investigate, so Herb tied him to a fence post for me and then went back to the house.
While Macree was laying so still, I took advantage of the moment to change her halter for a bigger one. She still kept laying there . . .
... so I sat down next to her and started petting her. As soon as I stroked under her chin, she stretched her head toward me and lifted her chin, inviting me to rub under her throat. Baring its throat is a pretty trusting gesture from any prey animal, and I knew what the compliment was worth!
If a bovine could purr, Macree would have been purring. I sat beside her for 25 minutes, rubbing and stroking her all over, while she leaned into my caresses and ate them up.
When I rubbed her chin and throat she dropped her head onto my leg and melted against me.
At one point when she raised her nose toward my face, I kissed her nose. She seemed to like that so I kept my lips pressed against her nose while we exchanged each other's breath for several moments.
I kept hoping someone would call out from the back porch to see what was keeping me so I could ask them to bring a camera. But that moment was meant to be for Macree and me alone.
It was like nothing I could ever have imagined. "Bonding" seems too insipid to describe the emotions that passed between Macree and me. It reminded me of the scene in "Fierce Creatures" where Jamie Lee Curtis meets a gorilla "up close and personal." As she walks out of the building in a daze, one of the zoo workers says understandingly, "You made contact."
Macree and I definitely "made contact." The way I described it to Herb and Kara was simply that we had a "love fest."
Breeding fee to get Macree: $400
Calf-sized halter: $20
Birthday love fest with Macree : Priceless!
Cash came over to investigate, so Herb tied him to a fence post for me and then went back to the house.
While Macree was laying so still, I took advantage of the moment to change her halter for a bigger one. She still kept laying there . . .
When I rubbed her chin and throat she dropped her head onto my leg and melted against me.
At one point when she raised her nose toward my face, I kissed her nose. She seemed to like that so I kept my lips pressed against her nose while we exchanged each other's breath for several moments.
It was like nothing I could ever have imagined. "Bonding" seems too insipid to describe the emotions that passed between Macree and me. It reminded me of the scene in "Fierce Creatures" where Jamie Lee Curtis meets a gorilla "up close and personal." As she walks out of the building in a daze, one of the zoo workers says understandingly, "You made contact."
Macree and I definitely "made contact." The way I described it to Herb and Kara was simply that we had a "love fest."
Breeding fee to get Macree: $400
Calf-sized halter: $20
Birthday love fest with Macree : Priceless!
Yes, you've posted a nice description of part of why I LOVE my Dexters. I have some sweeties too. On my contact page, I have a pic of my toddler great-nephew sitting on the back of one of my favorite bulls. Obviously that bull and I also have kind of close and trusting relationship that is just not what I expected when I first got my OWN Dexter cattle. You did a great job of talking about the bond that is possible to feel with them.
ReplyDeleteAnd happy birthday!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! The post practically wrote itself because Macree inspired me. :)
DeleteI just checked out the photo on your website. That's SO cute! You have some really nice-looking bulls! I had previously checked out your website when I was going through all the websites listed on the ADCA member page. You have a really good website, and you have some really informative articles up. Yours is one that I would happily recommend to anyone interested in Dexters. I really appreciate that you talk about more than one Dexter as Dexters--not Dexter's the way so many websites (including the ADCA) incorrectly spell it! (Can you tell one of my early teachers was a stickler for spelling and punctuation?)
Happy Birthday! (I know it's quite belated - sorry about that)
ReplyDeleteNo problem, Mrs. Gillies, thank you! Summer vacation plans always interfered with my birthday as a kid so I learned to enjoy celebrating early, late or on time! :)
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