I witnessed something remarkable two days ago. I was out in one of our pastures in the late afternoon to treat a horse with an ulcerated eye (his eye is healing nicely). I heard an elk calf calling to its mother over and over.
I have heard this high pitched, rhythmic succession of calls often in the winter when the elk come to eat thrown down hay with our horses. These numbers can be between fifty to one hundred and consist of bulls (young and old), cows and calves. But, two days ago, something was different. The calf I heard and quickly located in the pasture was intent on finding only mama. At first I thought he might be in distress, but no, he (or she) was simply hungry. Hungry for milk. With awe and wonder I watched this calf get on its knees and bump his mother’s udder until the liquid gold flowed.
As I type this, I am still fluttery inside knowing that I was witness to something that is innate among mammals and yet so remarkable. Life giving life.
Even amongst the colder days of winter here at McGinnis, there are still gifts that God drops in our lap to help us carry on and wait patiently for spring.
-Brenda