Moo has run away from home.

No need for panic, she's back safely on her farm but it was quite an interesting day.

I noticed she stood for an hour with her head through the fence draining the horse water tank -- she's been doing that each day, we believe in an effort to force the horse to vacate her pen. After I finished work I went out to enjoy the beautiful day, refill water tanks, and do a general walk-about. At that point, I noticed her about halfway to the road in the milo pasture eating away. Within a short time I looked for her because she normally follows me around the property as I walk and she wasn't with me. She was not anywhere around. Darren and I searched the property and behind all the trees but couldn't find her anywhere. Right as I headed back to the barn for a bucket of grain and my lawnmower to begin a search of the road I heard our neighbor, Henry, on his 4-wheeler coming up the road from his property to the south. He was herding Moo. Now, you must remember, we have *never* herded her. We *lead* her around with buckets of grain, breadsacks full of day old bread, or the promise of a good long scratching.

So I look out to the road and see Henry just grinning away about a foot behind Moo and she's a trotting up the road. He didn't even have to turn her into the driveway, she was picking up speed to get away from this annoying activity. Soon as she saw me she picked up to a full run and darted safely behind me, confident that I would give him a tongue lashing to the indignant treatment she'd suffered. I didn't. Poor Moo was just mortified and I do believe, highly embarassed.

Henry and I stood in the driveway for nearly an hour discussing all means of farm life -- bulls, fences, pastures, and such. When he heard about Moo's eviction he suggested we just allow her back in the pen with the horse as they would keep each other company. He also mentioned he'd seen Moo running up and down the fence as the farmers harvest the adjoining fields. I'm sure the entire community has heard of our crazy cow. After installing the cable across the drive, which Moo watched me do with a glare, I opened the pen to the pasture. Fizzle came running over (she's been frisky all day and enjoying the weather very much) to the gate and postured to welcome Moo. That spoiled darn cow just glared at me and refused to move. She made it very clear that it's not back in the pen she wants, but that animal out of it. She finally snorted at me and walked away.

I headed to the coop and collected the afternoon eggs (thirteen!) and continued my chores. Eventually, she came after me and we walked together back to the barn.

The sun is shining brightly, the boys are home enjoying the outdoor weather, laundry is nearly caught up, and I'm just having the bestest fantabulous day on our little farm.