So…why the cranial burst and sensory overload ? We had both sets of grandkids at once yesterday… and respective parents for a big family Christmas celebration and Gentle Giant Meadows Ranch was rocking !! Forget the speed limit on the farm road when Jaden broke the current land speed record on the four wheeler, one or other of his cousins balanced apparently precariously on the back. Bran, always intolerant of children and an expert on looking persecuted managed to appear even more miserable than usual as the decibel level rose. Tail tightly between his legs he apparently considered safer curled up in a tight ball between Quest the Shire horse’s legs than anywhere within twenty feet of the children. Bran doesn’t “do” noise……and noise was inescapable on the farm yesterday.
Out came the bow and arrows and the hay bales in the barn became a target. Arrows flew…and, unsurprisingly, arrows got lost. The cats disappeared, the afternoon siesta broken they headed off to a more peaceful location…Highway 16 ???? smile. Some day far into the Spring we will find arrows with brightly coloured tips and flights and we will smile as we remember our day with the family.
Mojo the chunky little Dexter calf played football ( soccer) with the children, playmates little bigger than herself, the big red ball pushed around the pasture. There were huge smiles as, her bottle tightly grasped in tiny fingers she inhaled the milk from her bottle. Mojo made some little friends today.
A full clutch of grandchildren excitedly gathered to go and bring an unsuspecting draught horses, Lady and Quest in from the pasture. Little Jordin, already a horse lover and totally without fear grasped my hand “I walk with you Granny” she stated as we headed down the gravel farm road. Jaden who had spent a happy week here at the ranch in the Summer confidently took gentle Lady’s lead rope and with tiny Jordin trailing at the end of the rope we headed back to the barn. The boys collectively helped feed our equally noisy little flock of sheep and after bringing the Molly Daisy Mae and Misty, the cows in for the night, supervised an amazingly calm ( under the circumstances !) Daisy Mae as Greg completed the evening milking. Little Jordin, pretty in pink took control of Charm, the golden palomino ( beauty with attitude) and my heart stayed permanently in my mouth as the little tot with the grooming rush zipped under Charms tummy “to do the other side” …gulp !!
It was a day we wont ever forget and hopefully it will be a memory treasured by the children forever. Thanks Matt Amanda Jason and Jodi……It may take a little while to recover sanity….BUT IT WAS AMAZING !! Thanks also to Andrew and Michael our fantastic WWOOFER team, you just kept it all going and never lost your smiles....thank you boys !!
Got to go...today will be back to normal. Take care, keep safe, M