Walkin' My Baby Back Home

There is no rhyme or reason for the random music playlist that swirls in my head.

I probably haven't thought of the song "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" since my sisters and I placed my parents' old 45 single on the record player, carefully placed the needle in a groove and gave it a spin. So why did it become "No. 1 with a bullet" on my cattle moving soundtrack hit parade? Who knows ...

Gee, it's great after staying out late
Walking my baby back home
Arm in arm over meadow and farm
Walking my baby back home

We go along harmonizing a song
While I'm reciting a poem
The hours go by and they gave me the eye
Walking my baby back home.

 

The lyrics fall apart as cattle moving music after those initial words of the song popularized by Johnnie Ray back in 1952. 

Thankfully, other 45s in my parents' repertoire were not evident as cattle walking music during the move of cows from stalks to corrals. It was a calm, unseasonably mild winter's day, so no need for "They Call the Wind Mariah." Another of Johnnie Ray's songs, "The Little White Cloud That Cried" was also not evident in a clear blue sky with nary any clouds - or cattle workers - "crying."

 

The "babies" being walked back home are still in utero. The mamas are currently in the maternity ward, which should be gearing up in late January/early February.  

 

 

I really wanted to dig out my camera long before I did as Randy, a neighbor helper and I drove them from stalks and along the blacktop for a few hundred yards. I snuck in a quick shot as they turned off the paved road and onto the dusty county line (top photo).

 

That particular group moved fairly easily once we urged them past the barrier. Actually, Randy had taken down the electric fence and was trying to entice them with a bit of hay. 

 

But old habits are hard to break and it always takes the cattle a little bit to figure out that the fence will no longer give them a little jolt.

The neighbor and Randy wisely kept their mouths shut as we approached the Peace Creek bridge. Three years ago, I was fortunate to escape serious injury from a 4-wheeler accident while moving cattle.

As I've said before, clicking the camera shutter is a right-handed job, as is running the accelerator on the 4-wheeler. So taking photos is not a priority during cattle-moving jobs. I only got a total of 19 photos - most of them fairly similar - during our morning jaunts. Attention to detail: That's why I get paid the big bucks. OK, I don't get paid at all, but you know what I mean. And I realize 19 photos are a lot to some people - just not to me.

After the first group was safely ensconced at Peace Creek, it was time to move the heifers from stalks about a half mile from the farmstead. I guess they needed some exercise because it took several attempts to get them rounded up and headed in the right direction toward the corrals. Again, you'll have to take my word for it. I was much too busy accelerating all over the field to document the round-up with photos.

After we got them to the farmstead, the heifers then got a chauffeured ride to the corrals east of our house. The maternity ward is now operational. We are awaiting the Class of 2021 crop of calves - but not too soon.

And bonus: We got it accomplished before a round of winter weather. 

***

True confessions: This cattle move happened before Christmas, but seasonal blogs were more timely, so they were posted first. On this day when another winter storm is supposed to blow through, I'm glad this job is done. Feeding is still on the agenda today though.