How now, Lone Cow?

The noises out here on the prairie are very different than the noises of SW Fort Worth. I haven't heard a train or a police siren the entire time we have been here. The most oft heard sound is the sound of the wind howling. Since we enjoyed a day with nearly no wind yesterday, we heard some new sounds. There were beautiful bird chirps and whistles, some sort of frog croak noise, and the occasional low and loud "moooooo".

Our property is cross-fenced with the front 40 acres having a fence around it, and the back 40 acres with a fence around it. I now understand the phrase "back 40". We have no idea what to do with our land, but the land across the street and behind and to the north of us has cows on it. We noticed the other day that we have one of those cows in our back 40. We were worried and called our plumber. Yep- our plumber is one of our closest relationships here so far. We have spent more time with him than anyone else! He had mentioned he knows the guy who owns the ranch behind us over the hill. He called his friend and that particular group of cows is not his. These cows have an owner who lives a couple of hours away and comes to check on them every few weeks.

The cow is clever. She seems to know how to get back and forth because sometimes she isn't there. She is alone and loving the old grass and hay that none of her compadres has munched over. About three days ago we noticed she had a friend with her- two cows in the back 40. Then they both went home I guess. Since then she has been a loner again. Maybe the other cow was an uninvited guest or maybe the other cow doesn't like to be removed from the rest of the herd.

We drove out into the fields last night to check out the fence line (and for fun). She has bent one little portion of the fence just enough to get over. Harland tried to fix it but couldn't even get it to move. All the while she watched us. "MOOOOOOOOO."

In the other fields we have seen the cows line up and all move one direction or another seeming to follow a leader cow. Sometimes there will be 30 cows in a single file line following the master cow. I just wonder how this cow decided to try out hopping our fence and getting to the high grass? How did she decide to go alone? Was it an accident? Is she an outcast? Do they all think she is crazy? She must like it because she comes back every day. She must not be seen as a leader or you would think more cows would follow her.

I think it mirrors people in so many ways. Trying something new sometimes looks like solitude or insanity, but can lead to some of the best food and the most peaceful times. Not everyone understands why you would ever leave the herd and not be content following someone else's wagging tail.

I kind of like her. She looks content. She takes a risk and doesn't mind doing it alone. She is removed from the madness and the peer pressure to follow. I know we have to fix our fence at some point, but for now I am going to enjoy watching our guest.

Psalm 50:10-11 "For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine."