Sir Loin it is!

It was fun watching the poll as you folks voted for your favorite names for my calf; for a few days there, I was confident it was going to be "Clyde". I think perhaps my son-in-law did some campaigning to get his name on top. Now I can start calling the calf something besides "Hey You".

We had a genuine light show early this morning. First the electricity kept going off and coming back on repeatedly, which always makes me concerned that some appliances might be harmed. Then I realized that every time it went off, a transformer down by the road was shooting sparks and buzzing horribly.

Meanwhile, poor Sadie is still traumatized: Our smoke alarm is electric, and every time the electricity goes off or comes back on, it lets out a horrifying beep that almost hurts my own ears. Sadie was beside herself. The electricity has been back on for an hour or so, but she is hiding behind my recliner.

Since Sir Loin insists on going under the electric fence and enduring the shock it gives him in order to lie in the corn, I'm keeping him in the small lot until we can put up another strand of electric fence. When his mom comes up bawling, I let her in with him. When she bawls to be out, I let her out. Works for me, at least temporarily. Nursemaid to a cow; that's me.

I hadn't milked her for a couple of days, but this morning while the electricity was off and she was with the baby, there appeared to be plenty of milk in her back quarters, even after Sir Loin had his fill and was running around playing. So I went out to relieve her; I wouldn't want her udder to ruin.

As usual, she stood there unrestrained, chewing her cud, and allowed me to milk. I was able to get a half-gallon of milk from those two quarters. I'd say it won't be long until the calf can handle all her milk; at that point, if I want some milk once or twice a week, I'll have to keep him away from her overnight and milk the next morning.