Going Back, part II

If there were a new Key West it would be here...

"Far from the madding crowd" (and minus Gabriel, Bathsheba and Boldwood)on the isolated and character filled shores of the west coast.

Here was a chance to sit on an upstairs deck over a glass of wine and watch as the tide went out and the oyster beds became visible, like rocky shoals under the formerly placid water.




To greet the pelicans and egrets that drop by, curious and at home here,



This one especially,


Our hostess confesses that she regularly buys raw shrimp just for him.

Which probably explains why he follows her inside the front door...




The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea.
Isak Dinesen

Going Back....

I got a wonderful opportunity to take a trip to the small fishing village known as Cedar Key.

From the moment you cross the bridge leaving the mainland with pelicans lined along the way as though standing guard, you feel your soul ratchet down.

This beauty is the exact contrast to my normal hay meadow cow filled existance.

Simple things like this sign, which you would never see inland amaze me





Farm raised clams? A different kind of farming for sure.

Part of a road side stand with lots of local jams and jellies and peppers.




But the real draw is of course,



Little tin roof pavillions and grills leading to a white sand beach



Interesting animals - this is called a Horseshoe crab


Covered in barnacles, going through life together. While I appreciate the symbiotic -ness, it looks a little, well....burdensome doesnt it?



The wharf marks the start of a protected swimming area. The bouys are holding a net in place that stops sharks and other large critters from coming in any closer



I wondered what happens if there is a hole in the net but I seemed to be the only one concerned so I didnt say anything.





A person can stand with toes sinking in sand and warm gulf waters swirling around the ankles, smell the salt and fish in the air and think that life could not possibly get any better.

"Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air." -
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

One short month later...

and here we are with our young, skinny and misunderstood steers....

after 4 1/2 weeks of grazing on nutritive grass with a protein block to lick and a mineral bar for supplements and of course fresh water (with gold fish keeping the tank free of algae)

here is what we have...

mind you, that conventional wisdom says they should have been grain feed and vaccinated and wormed within an inch of their lives....

which of course hasn't happened.

Yes, they got wormed and they got their baby vaccines. But that is where we stepped off the mainstream trail of thinking.

Now they are living the life of "Born Free".

They choose what to eat when.

The difference in one short month is enough to make your eyeballs fall out.

They have each gained between 75 -100 pounds. They run. They kick up their heels.

When I watch them, I get the feeling the y are living their authentic cow life.

Here are a few updated shots.

The littliest Princess has named the steer on the right "New Jersey".

our conversation-

her - "What kind of cow is that?"

me - "He is a Jersey"

her - Ok! Lets name him New Jersey then!"

me - Do you know what New Jersey is?

her - "A cow."

alrighty then!

Isnt he getting big? (and so pretty!)

 

A happy, easy, life...

 

and of course none of it would get done without Mr. Blue's help!