interesting day at the farm.....

I was sitting today at my computer...where I practically live lol and out the window I noticed our one month old calf studying something by the fence. I watched her as she moved closer and closer to the strands of barb wire.  She was staring at it as if to say what is that? There was a large paint horse standing there looking down at her, quite a giant in her eyes I'm sure. I sit and ponder thinking to myself..."she may not have seen the horses yet". I sat there watching her stare intensely at that horse as it moved its muzzle along the ground in front of her. I don't think the horse noticed her for it was quite engrossed in what it was doing. Then I noticed a shadow on the ground next to her.....
I stared at it from several different angles trying to see what it was to no avail. Most things are quite a distance out here with many acres.  So I got up and got the binoculars we keep for such an occasion so I could see better. I put them up to my eyes adjusting them until I could focus better on the the horse and what it was focused on.  Low and behold it, once I looked on the ground next to the paint I saw it was a baby colt! Evidently hers and not even up yet. She cleaned the colt little by little as you would a fine piece of china. The calf and I were watching intently now...studying every move she made. I saw her nuzzle it just a bit, gentle; yet a push at the same time. then I saw him begin to get up. First with 2 legs...then one more and plop...down he fell. She nuzzled him again. Up he went with 2 legs....then third and finally, very unsteady the fourth got into place. He kinda swayed a bit and I considered the wind might take him down as it had already blown patio furniture around today. She stood there looking at him, as if to encourage him to keep it up. Step by shaky step the colt began to learn how to use his new legs until soon he had the hang of it. I was sitting there thinking about when my kids started walking how many times they fell and how long it took and they only had two legs to learn to use!
The calf eventually wandered away from the fence with a jump, back legs kicking up into the air as if to say "he did it"!! Then did a few romps in the pasture until he was close to his mom again watching her graze as if to say "what are you doing?" She paid him no mind as she silently grazed the land. Then I watched him put his head down to the ground, sniff for a second...then he too took a bite.
There's a lot to be said about quiet observation. Some people talk until your head wants to explode....other's sit in silence taking things in and learning. The older I get the more I appreciate silent observation....and the wealth of knowledge that can come with it. Slowly filling previously established files in your mind and on occasion making a new one as the calf did today.
In an "immediate gratification microwave society" sometimes you have to tell yourself to slow down and try to remember what it was like as a child just sitting by the window staring out at what ever your eyes were drawn to. To remember the wonder of it all as you learned new things and observed others movements. One never stops learning unless they choose to. No one ever seems to relax anymore. Always rushing, usually with a cell phone next to their ear multitasking.
That is one of the things I love about the farm. There are so many things that are new every year. The new calves in calving season. The new colts that come on the spring. All the new fresh green growth that envelopes the pastures along with rows and rows of tilled land that has been sowed. Life is a bit like this if only you slow down a second to see it. And the slow pace of it all. Think I'll go sit on the porch for a minute and watch the new calves jump and play. See you tomorrow!