My Cows

I pass the remnants of a still working farm every time I head into  town.  I leave my sub division and drive down East River Road which still has a small farm/ranch that has not been swallowed up by new homes and white fences.  In the few acres left untouched, the farmer still raises cattle.  There is a colorful mixture of cows: black, brown and white, and solid brown.   
I always give them a casual glance as I pass by checking out where they are pastured and how close they are to the road.  The farmer moves them through the fences dividing the pastures throughout the summer months so they can graze on the grass.  Sometimes they are close to the road and stand under the trees to escape the heat.

The special treat comes in the late winter when the calves suddenly appear.  Like magic there they are.  When did they arrive?  How did I miss seeing them yesterday or the day before?  Never the less the tough little babes are scattered across the field.  I never find this repetitive event boring or casual.  It is still a wonder and a fascination every year.  Life can be so frail, yet these small creatures endure wind, cold blizzards, lack of shelter and still manage to thrive.  I am the lucky participant in this struggle, for I see the ones that are healthy and strong.

I know how hard it is to be a rancher this time of year.  Wendy and Jean share their trials and stories with me.  They are not a watcher like me, but working ranchers along with their husbands.  They regret  the loss of a new born and rejoice in the survival of another.  Because of my friendship with them I understand and appreciate the winter miracle of birth even more.  As in all things of life, nothing should be taken for granted.  Perhaps those closer to the earth understand this in a deeper sense

I see the calves in my little corner of the world as a gift and a reminder to take time to appreciate what is around me and how easy it is to get caught up in the trappings of a busy and hectic world.   

  

It Is Here to Stay

Believe it or not I can remember living without TV.  My family did not jump onto the band wagon immediately.  My mom and I would walk to town to pay the light bill and phone bill at the respective offices.  We had one car which my dad took to work.  The walk was not done with dread, but with a spirit of freedom and expectation.  On hot days the pedestrian tunnel cutting through the underpass was a welcome break from the summer heat.  It was cool, dark, and had a tremendous echo when you screamed.  After the bills were paid we mad a detour.  

On Main Street,  Ford Music was the only store that sold TVs.  To draw customers in they placed a TV in the window and keep it on the entire day.  People jocked for a position on the sidewalk where they could view the new and exciting thing called television.  We were right there with the best of them.  Very few people had TVs yet and it was still far away from being a fixture in every home.  I don't remember being bored, or lacking for entertainment before this new invention invaded the American family.

Many, many, many years later the TV is the center of the home.  It occupies the most prominent space.  Not only does it command attention, but homes are decorated around the black rectangle.  This once fascinating piece of new technology which was so fresh and exciting has become rather boring.  Or perhaps, I have become boring and fail to connect with what I am seeing.  My entertainment level still identifies with Father Knows Best, Leave It To Beaver, Happy Days and Bill Cosby.

Little did I know standing on the sidewalk watching the fuzzy, black and white picture coming through the small box, that it would become such an important part of our world society.  Wars are now played out in our homes, world figures are brought to their knees before our eyes, and we see presidential candidates up close and personal.  There is very little in the world that takes place without everyone knowing about it.  Good or bad it is part of us now.  Television connects the planet and makes it smaller and more personal. There are days when I think this is good and feel empowered by the knowledge it brings and other days I wish I didn't know so much beyond my own front door.