A DRAMATIC HAYRIDE

On Saturday, LH and I went on the annual LH's church hayride, provided by a parishioner on their small farm. When we arrived and parked, there were 2 calves ambling in the pasture. We stopped and admired their cuteness. One cow walked away from us and looked like she had swallowed a rain barrel!! Very pregnant.
The hayride started a half hour later and we took the usual ride up to the higher pasture, across it and down to the corner that would lead into a field surrounded by trees. As we were coming down off the ridge, where we admired the lovely rolling countryside, all the cows were near the opening toward which we were driving and they did not seem concerned enough to get out of the way. They clustered together and a couple were butting heads. We got fairly close before they started moving away and the one cow had something sticking out her hind end. OMG! She was ready to give birth. The farmer jumped off the idling tractor and his two sons eventually joined him for it was obvious the cow was having trouble. There we sat, two wagons of church folks of all ages, kids and elders, watching the drama unfold and hoping to see the miracle of life before our eyes. The cow had more trouble and the calf was breech. With rope from a bale of straw, they tried pulling the calf, the rope broke. One fellow offered his leather belt and eventually, they pulled the still born calf free from its mother and got the afterbirth out. It was just so sad.
The blessing was, that we were right there. Had it happened after we had left the field, the cow might have lost her life.
And that's how a city girl nearly witnessed the birthing of a calf!! It was the most dramatic hayride I have ever been on and one which folks will be remembering for a long time as we all reflect on life and death, and the grace of God's timing.