Good Things Come in Threes

It's about time for a post about good things!

Sunday evening we got an email from a Dexter breeder asking if we knew anyone who wanted a 20-month old grass-fed steer for a good price, delivered to Chickamauga on Monday?  Since our next grass-fed beef is at least three years away, we were interested!  By the time we heard back how much the steer was, Herb had gone to bed, and I had to make the decision.  Hey, Herb, that’s what you get for going to bed early—wake up and find your wife has bought a steer . . . while you were sleeping!

Meet Boudin (pronunciation).  Because the breeder has a French name, I named him in honor of the black French "blood sausage."   I don’t find boudin the sausage appetizing, but I’m sure Boudin the steer will be!

The very next day, I made a 4 1/2 hour round trip to pick up the steer we bought last month, who is now weaned.  His former owners called him Ronny, but I renamed him.   Meet Sir Loin, looking adorable in the barnyard.  I think he's trying out his "I'm too cute to eat" look.

On our vet's advice, we decided to keep the newcomers separate from each other and the other cows for a week.  We put the horses in the Lower Pasture, Siobhan and Macree in Kara’s Pasture, Boudin in the Home Pasture with the sheep, and Ronny in the barnyard.

That worked fine for a few days, but more big developments were coming, and we were going to need the barnyard.  First I led Siobhan and Macree into the Lower Pasture with the horses.  Then I opened the lower gate of the Home Pasture--that easy!--and Boudin was in Kara's Pasture.

Finally, Kara fended off the sheep while I moved Sir Loin into the Home Pasture.  Here he is trying out that adorable look again.  I hate to tell him it won't work when he weighs 600 pounds!

Easy-peasy!  It all worked fine until I heard Siobhan bellowing repeatedly Thursday afternoon.  I went down to see why . . .

...and discovered Macree had been up to mischief.  She had decided to end this enforced isolation.  I put her back with Siobhan.  A few hours later, she was back with Boudin.  Despite the vet's advice, Macree had spoken!  But Macree and Boudin had wandered clear to the other end of their pasture, and she was NOT going to follow me on a lead back to mama.

Not to worry--Macree may be stronger than me, but I'm smarter!  And I can drive!  And I can even take photos backwards while driving!  Where the Doodad went, Macree went; and where Macree went, Boudin went.

Macree is happy now that she has found someone to replace Cash as her buddy.

Siobhan's not in The Club, but she's welcome to tag along.

Finally the barnyard was ready for our next arrival, New Hope Ebony Belle!  We were supposed to pick up Ebony Friday until Jet ate something that landed him in the animal hospital.  Herb made the 10-hour trip to Kentucky and back so that I could stay here and be near Jet.

Ebby arrived too late on Friday night for me to take pictures, but she posed for me first thing Saturday morning.

She has a sweet, gentle personality to go with her pretty face!

Saturday evening Kara came out to meet Ebby and get some good photos of us together.  Seeing her food bowl upside down gives me a sneaking suspicion that she has got her grandma Sara's (and her aunt Siobhan's) habit of flinging it when it's empty.  I'll have to watch her and see.  Herb says she does some really cute things with her ears, too.

I just love her soft, curly bangs!

Since Ebony was wearing her nice new fur coat that she got in the mountains of Kentucky, I thought I should dress up, too.  (Actually, company was coming for supper, but don't tell Ebby!)

The chickens noticed that Ebby had food . . .

... and they came over to see if she'd share.  Mmm, maybe not, they decided . . .

... and kept on going.  Ebby seems to be settling in just fine!

And to make it Four Good Things, Jet is home safe without needing surgery!