Welcome, Irene!

"Welcome, Irene!" was probably not the message we had in mind on Saturday! However, it seems totally apt that Bessie's new heifer calf should be named Triskelion's Irene. She was born today, September 1st, 2011, to Tanglewood Cookie Dough (Bessie). Mother and daughter are doing well. The sire is Riverview's Baby LP, making Irene a Foundation Pure Miniature Jersey, small and cute. After a long and anxious night, we were assured that Bessie had decided to wait another day. We let her out with the other cows, and within an hour, we were greeting our newest arrival. It was a very warming experience to be able to watch, and remarkable how quickly they stand and take their first wobbling footsteps. A great day.

Welcome (at last) Mona Lisa

Triskelion's Mona Lisa

Not sure if she is going to have an inscrutable smile but she sure is purty! Triskelion's Mona Lisa duly arrived, well within my 48 hour guestimate, and totally at Bessie's whim. With our past remembrance of the inability of Bessie's Annie to find the teat, I spent a happy hour last night covered in colostrum trying to convince Mona that Bessie's teat was under the udder not under her armpit (equivalent) . Having got her to nurse on two teats, although she still insisted that my thumb was more enjoytable, I called it a night and will, if necessary, resume this morning. Bessie was a real star and did everything in her power to push Mona in the right direction. She even held back on kicking my lights out as I manhandled her teat to get streams of colostrum in the direction of Mona's mouth. These mini Jerseys are such gentle cows, and the frustrations of mud and never ending poop quickly disappear in their company.

We have been lucky with our calving, and from zero experience last year to at least some semblance of knowledge, has been an interesting learning curve. Wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Two lovely Christmas gifts - Leonardo and Mona.