Maggie Moo!

Well, tonight, I had quite the fun! Daddy picked up Gaga to go see Nana and stayed with him so they could visit. Mommy and I had stayed home tonight getting some much needed things completed. The plan was that Daddy would come home, and Mommy and I would take Gaga back to his place while Daddy milked Maggie, our dairy cow. However, I decided to surprise my Daddy by milking the cow! The last time I had done so was a disastrous adventure! I ended up coming up to the house covered in manure, crying, and very upset. Needless to say, Maggie and I had not gotten along well that time! I had been out to see her, Max, and Halleh day before yesterday and enjoyed spending some time with them, so I purposed to do my best, have fun, and hopefully have a successful milking. :)

I rounded up the house barn and meat chicken hens first. I found all but one, so I went looking for her. She was out by the pallets where Daddy stores the hay, so I shooed her into the barn. We had lost a chicken - she just plain disappeared - yesterday, so I wanted to be sure to find them all today. After that, I came by the house and got the bucket of warm water Momma had ready for me, the milk bucket, and the milking supplies and headed down to the field barn. Max and Halleh greeted me with excitement! Max followed me around like a puppy dog and moo-ed his cute boy moo. I took my supplies in and put them where they needed to be then headed back out for some hay. I couldn't get the hay in fast enough...Max was eating it out of my arms. After adding it to their feeding trough, I headed around to milk Maggie. I began by washing her with warm water and then the iodine. So far so good! She was happily eating her hay plus some grain I had given her. We began milking, and I even sang to her like Daddy always does. She didn't move an inch! I don't even think she shifted her weight while I was milking her. She was a perfect little (well, big!) angel! Halleh came past the gate (into an area she's not supposed to come) to get some extra hay, so I told her "Halleh you are not supposed to be there...you are being mischievous. Go back where you belong." Then I said, "Maggie, please keep your child out of trouble." So Maggie promptly gave her a "look" and Halleh went back on the other side of the gate even closing it behind herself and stayed there.

Meanwhile, Ricky the rooster rounded up all the field barn hens, then he dissappeared. I finished milking Maggie, gave her a bit of extra grain and some petting, and then headed out with the milk and supplies. After dropping them off at the house, I went to look for Ricky. He had come back up to his old cage in the house barn which he had never done before, so I unceremonously picked him up by his feet. He squaked quite loudly his protest but settled down in my arms. I let Momma know I had found him and took him back down to the barn. After settling him in and tying the last gate shut, I headed for the house. The milk was soon strained and in the fridge, and when Daddy heard about the milking being done, he was shocked! So needless to say, I was quite pleased and excited that all went well. :)