#2020calves, heifer

Ringing in the New Year on the Ranch means looking for little ones, and this week did not disappoint. I was all prepared for Bossy (Momma of Tex and Valentina fame) to have the next calf, so imagine my surprise when I came upon this little calf with a curl cuddled up next to my fav girl Muley. Her last calf was Pinky in 2018; she was most definitely due for another one!

Post-afternoon cuddles, this little one was at the troughs like a big kid - purely for observational purposes, watching and trying to figure out what all the fuss was about. With a full view of this gorgeous face, I immediately had a Kindergarten flashback to having a brown curl taped to my forehead for our end-of-year celebration, taking center stage as the class recited:

There was a little girl,

Who had a little curl,

Right in the middle of her forehead.

When she was good,

She was very good indeed,

But when she was bad she was horrid.

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

And with that, we officially welcome Henry(etta) to the family.

#2020calves, heifer

Ah, the beauty of being a spreadsheet-kinda gal and looking for the trends. We've been watching Bossy for the last week, since despite her overwhelming lovely and patient personality, she's a predictable gal. Actually, she's probably the most predictable, with three calves now coming in right at 11 1/2 months apart each.

We first spotted the little cutie on Friday night, but this little one was curled up in the hay pile and Bossy is not one to let you just stroll on up and do a health check. This one has cute-as-a-button brown markings on the right eye. Not as light brown as Henry(etta), but definitely lighter than Mom and Big Daddy Fritz.

Since Thursday was also Colton's surgery (2020 was the year of medical expenses!), we have immortalized the name of his ever-present suction machine. His favorite nurse Katy made him name it to improve those hospital-machine relationships. "Andrew" is active - at least for one more day - in Round Rock; "Andie" is frolicking on the Ranch.

As the oldest teenager in the Winter 2020 weaning group, they bear his name - #MooniesGang. However, he is not in charge. The leadership definitely falls to the alpha heifers - Berry Peach, aka Peachy, and Miss Independence, aka Indy. Moonshine wants nothing to do with being in charge, unless it means guarding the hay.

#2020calves, heifer

What better way to start May than with a few days of vacation, a good drink... and a second chance. First, the drink (it's important later). Still on my vodka kick, still mixing it with flavored water. Yesterday was the Double (Berry) White, and today was all Peach. Can't go wrong with either. #vodka #alwaysvodka

Now for the second chance. Last year brought a string of heartache, including my first experience with the loss of a calf when Hollywood's Maybel died. We've kept a close eye on Hollywood ever since, making sure that she stays with the rest of the Sister Wives and is able to babysit as needed. We've watched her growing belling with anticipation, and when she was by the pond by herself tonight, we followed her into a clearing.

And there was the little one, all tawny brown with a large patch on the right eye, just like Momma. This one is nearly identical to Maybel, except Maybel had the patch on the left eye. Hollywood kept a close eye on me while I tried to sneak in a few picks. Berry Peach, aka Peachy, continues to be one of the alpha heifers of #MooniesGang along with Miss Independence, aka Indy.

#2020calves, bull calf

He’s quiet, a bit shy, likes to nap in the private seclusion of a cluster of shady oak and cedar trees, and gets a little spooked by the deer. But he’ll gladly follow his momma (Pet) around like a flashlight in the dark. Welcome to this crazy world, Junebug!

#2020calves, heifer

Miss Maybelline was next on my list (gotta love spreadsheets!) and she didn’t disappoint. Wednesday evening Keith came across a fresh-faced little one with “bangs” for days and, in my opinion, eyebrows only her and Brooke Shields could pull off.

She’s been up and about, strutting her stuff and then enjoying Auntie Time with Strayhorn. Of course, she’s also spending quality time with Momma.

Keith named her before I got to meet her, and I can’t argue with his choice. Welcome to the ranch, MaryKay.

Tonight, we *finally* separated calves for weaning. The good part about waiting is now I’ve got 6 in there, which is the perfect size group for me. We were worried Moonshine would be difficult - nope. Keith put out hay and he claimed his spot. God, I love this little bull! Barney Fife walked right in, complete with a “Gosh, darn!” expression when he saw the extra feed. Berry Peach, aka Peachy, and Indy (Miss Independence) took a little coaxing, but as the true alphas in the group, they coerced Junebug to come, too. And then there was MaryKay. She will be the problem child. I had to walk to the pasture to find her little, snuggled alongside a secluded clump of hay. She’s a little thing, and I’m certain she was just excited to not have to fight for her feed. Tomorrow morning starts the fun... feeding in my flannels while keeping the mommas at bay! Opie and Pet are already complaining, and Hollywood and I have a history. Let the games begin! #ranchlife #princessinthecountry #MooniesGang

UPDATE: The problem child is Moonshine :-) MaryKay is just a shy little heifer, which I can understand when you've got such a cast of characters for siblings!

#2020calves, bull calf

Horned Hollywood (also momma to morning socialite Just Bob), continues to remain productive and predictable, delivering another bundle of joy in the middle of a Texas heatwave. It was most likely a Tuesday arrival, but when you’re a pro like this gal, you just walk it off and keep going, leaving the big reveal for a Friday night.

Keith has appropriately christened this one Caliente. This one looks a lot like our other firecracker Indy.

As 2020 continues to be the year of surprises, we soon realized Cal was a bit different. The first clue? Any calf that lets me walk right up and stroke his head isn't your usual Crossbar Ranch kind of calf. Turns out this little dude is blind in one eye, and sadly, Horned Hollywood is not attentive enough to keep him close.

Despite that, we should have named him Hope or Blessing, because friends answered our prayers and were up to the task of bottle feeding him and doing all that is required to raise him with love. He may be the most spoiled calf of all with his new family!

#2020calves, bull calf

In my ever-dependable spreadsheet of Moo Moments, Frosty was on my September radar... although her waddling had me convinced she'd prove me wrong with an August surprise. But.. #DontQuestionTheSpreadsheets She crossed her hooves and kept this bundle tucked away until the Labor Day weekend, and we celebrated the arrival of Puddin', aka Puddin' Pop. There's a story behind the name, as always, but for now we'll just focus on the cuteness of this little dude. I swear he's a Hereford and Frosty's been faithful to Fritz... he's just the most unique one around and like none I've ever seen before! He stands out even when Frosty puts him safely in the shade, and when Momma is on the mooove, Puddin' is jumping and bucking right beside her.

Moonshine is enamored by his little brother, making sure he's safe when the rest of the herd is at the trough (and when he's not in the shadows of his daddy Fritz, ensuring the rest of the daycare calves know he is most definitely his daddy's mini-me).

#2020calves, heifer

Dominga arrived quietly on a warm Sunday afternoon, then promptly found herself on the wrong side of the fence from her momma, Jane Moo. We gave mom and baby time to figure out that the gate was less than 15 feet away, but since neither seemed to realize that, Keith came to the rescue, carrying Dominga around the mesquites.

Lucky little heifer.

#2020calves, heifer

Each calf arrival brings a touch of joy and a sign of hope. These are joys I choose to memorialize for my own smiles as well as yours. So holding off on the Official Birth Announcement of Muley’s calf was not easy, but needed.

This one needed a special name to pay homage to one incredible woman. My previous gender-neutral-names-while-we-wait-to-confirm-bull-or-heifer suggestions were shot down for several days.

But then I saw this one jumping around, and it reminded me of the shooting star that blazed in front of me just hours after we said our goodbyes. And so, Shooter it is.

Shooter does more than sleep now, and I hope to get better pictures because Shooter has some awfully large house slippers to fill.

#2020calves, bull calf

This should be the last calf of 2020, and the last Irish Twin, too, courtesy of Bossy. Mistletoe has the unique eyebrow previously only sported by Genie, so maybe this is a new trend?

In other news, this one is all about family time. Pictured is grandma Eight, momma Bossy and baby boy Mistletoe. It looks like holiday gatherings won't be so awkward this year after all!