The Cows are back!

The clocks have changed, the birds are singing loudly in the hedgerows, everyone is awake a little bit earlier, the sun is shining more and there is heat in it, the grass is growing and the sound of lawnmowers are evident.

But where are the cows?

On the 1st April every year for the past few years at our permanent moorings, the cows have been let out from their barns, back into the fields, the large fields that are right next to the access track to our narrowboat.  They are normally out until around November, depending on the weather and the saturation of the fields.  This means that, for those precious months, puddles and ponds form on the clay based fields, the ducks move in to wander between the pools and this year we had a flock of redwings make their home there too.  It also means that Leelu has the whole area, more or less to himself, as long as we keep an eye out for others pesky, noisy, playful dogs - or anything else with 4 legs that might scare him!

The cows appeared on Monday - the 3rd of April - maybe they were having a relaxing final weekend indoors.  They are quite dirty from living in a confined area, the rain will soon clean them up.  This year they are a slightly older herd of heifers (young female cows) with a young bull amongst them too.  They are much braver than the first set of cows last year.  This herd have joyfully skipped and cantered their way around the 3 fields, exploring all of the edges of their new freedom.  They have wandered around after the ducks, gently blowing down their nostrils, trying to work out what the strange creatures are.  They are happily munching on the fresh lawn clippings some boat owners have tipped into the field for them...and they don't know what to make of Leelu yet: you see he is also black and white and can move more quickly than them - but wait, he chases around after an orange ball - what a strange calf he is!

Yes, the magical orange ball from 'chuck it' has been brought out again.  Whilst the grass has been short, tennis balls have been easy to see.  Now that the grass has grown, we can no longer see the tennis balls so the orange ball has come out again.  It is a much better ball - no fluffy bits, strong, easy to see - but expensive if you lose one (over £5 each!).  Look after it Leelu!

So back to walking in the bits of field that the cows aren't in and down the towpaths, now that they have dried up a bit.