Joy and Sadness Starts the New Year.

The first weeks of the New Year have tested us, both physically and mentally. Gentle Giant Meadows Ranch has just gone through some of the darkest days since our arrival here as idealistic city slickers over ten years ago. Inside just a few hours we welcomed the arrival of our beautiful new grandson Hudson Dean in England (a bright point!).....we had to say a tearful goodbye to our beautiful Jersey Cow Misty Moo and then, as if fate hadn't already dealt us a full hand of bad luck, little baby Hudson had to return to hospital with a mystery blood condition. Thankfully Hudson has been able to go home and we want to thank my sons....the Earnshaw boys for keeping me informed throughout. Mom returned to Albuquerque after a cold damp month on the ranch, it was a melancholy farewell as we watched her being whisked away by an irritable airport aide but we have precious memories of our Christmas with her. Sadly Moms 94th birthday will always be remembered as the day we lost the fight to save Misty Moo. It will also reaffirm my belief that we have THE most amazing group of friends and neighbors in the whole wide world without whom we would have been unable to free her from the cloying mud in which she was engulfed. Misty had apparently paused to have a scratch on what turned out to be an aged old cedar post that crumbled against her weight. With an opening into the "grass on the other side" Misty took her last fateful walk along the edge of the ravine, apparently lost her footing and tumbled down into the fast running creek.  Eric ( for whom it would appear nothing is ever too much trouble) found her on her back, unable to move. Greg assisted Eric in getting her out of the creek and before the full impact of the situation hit me, our other wonderful neighbors, Robin, Paul and Pat were fighting to save our beautiful Misty. Greg and I spent a somber night huddled on a log, daring the coyotes to appear, listening to the rushing creek water and watching the shadows dance in the trees. Misty repeatedly tried unsuccessfully to stand and as dawn broke we came to the sad realization that she was fatally injured. Her back had been broken in the fall and Misty wouldn't be coming home to the barn. We tried to save her unborn calf but the lungs of the seven month fetus were unable to sustain life,  her little heart continued to beat for thirty minutes before she too passed away. Although losing Misty was one of our saddest moments, we will never forget those farm friends who rallied to our support and struggled in the water and the mud until we could no longer hope. Thank you also to Erin and James our wonderful horse boarders who whisked through my chores when I was too tired to see straight and also to the friends and family who have been there for us...through the good, the bad and the "baddest". Thank you, without you all, this journey would have been so much harder. We love you.

I'm sorry this diary has been uncharacteristically dismal...hopefully life will return to our lighthearted normal (whatever normal is around here !!) soon

Take care, keep safe, M