The Cows are Coming Home

Bringing the cows home last year

Dear Jo,(a good friend of mine)

This morning I woke Roger up at 6:00 so that he could wake the boys and they could go get the cows gathered and brought home. I had made their lunch last night so I wouldn't have to get up that early. Usually that wouldn't be a problem for me, But we'd been up till almost midnight putting flooring down. I'm not a night person, actually I'm not a person that can function well on less then 7 hours of sleep. Anyway, I lay in bed this morning drifting in and out of sleep as I listened to my boys getting ready to go gather the cows. I had been awake when Roger had quietly called down the stairs for the boys. It only took one call and then the sound I love the best began. a quiet scurrying, mingled with excitement to get out the door.

I finished getting my 7 hours of sleep in, and then woke to the other children whispering as they tried not to wake me. We'll go out a bit later so the little kids can help bring the cows in from the govt. corrals to our corrals and I can take pictures and run errands. As I lay there in bed I couldn't help smiling at the memory of Roger calling to the boy's "Boys" he quietly calls from the top of the stairs, and then the excited scuffle, but there was something in his voice, a tender emotion that, possibly, only I could detect in that one word, "Boys".

I know this poem is very rough but, I thought you still might like to read it. I don't even know what its title is yet.

“Boys” comes Dad’s voice from the dim light of the stairs.
It’s still early in the morning and neither of them cares.

They all are out of bed moving fast in the cool
Air of the morning, they don’t have to go to school.

Cows are coming home and they're aching for their saddle
They’re heading to the mountain, it’s time to gather cattle.

Winter’s in the air though the fall has just begun
And everyone is busy with so much that must be done.

The days are growing shorter, and the cowboys must work fast
To get ready for the winter, summer’s been here then it passed.

The cows are coming home now; calves are ready to be sold
Along with some dry ones and the cows that are too old.

The season is a good one and the boys are helping out
They’re quickly getting bigger, they’re strong; they look so stout.

And their mother has a swelling as she watches while they grow.
She feels it in her heart, but her boys seem to know.

They love to see her joy; they can feel it in her prayers
And also in Dad’s voice from the dim light of the stairs.


I'd better hurry now to get stuff done and little ones ready to go help dad.