Cows are starting to be let out of their winter lodgings and we’ve been hearing cow bells in the distance for a couple of weeks now, it’s such a pleasant and summery sound. The pasture next to mine was still empty, but the owner came to check the fence and the water trough a few days ago, so I was expecting new neighbours imminently.
This morning I went on a walk with Pandolf and when we came home we could hear cow bells, but a lot more distinctly than before. I immediately went to check our neighbouring pasture, and
!!!!!
People who were around last year will probably remember how Pandolf feels about cows. They are his love and light. Cows give meaning to his life.
He was vibrating with excitement but he still very obediently went around the pasture with me (so as not to startle the cows from behind) and waited until I said “vas-y !” to walk up to them.
The cow leader came to meet him halfway. It was all very civil and the rest of the herd looked completely chill so I let Pandolf run free, and
—he ran 3 enthusiastic circles around them to let them know he is a herding dog and he loves them and will protect them with his life, then started running full-speed all over the pasture in all directions just to exteriorise his IMMENSE DELIGHT. I was ready to call him if he freaked the cows out, but instead they looked at him curiously, then one cow started chasing him with equal zest and the entire herd followed.
This is the best day of Pandolf’s life.
The baby llamas on the other side of the fence looked cautiously intrigued, having never met a cow before. (You can maybe glimpse the cows in the middle-right of the below pic if you follow the babies’ eye line—they just kept staring and staring)
Pampelune: “Don’t spy on the neighbours, children, it’s rude.”
(She has to teach both kids manners because Pampe does not care to do that at all.)
I called Pandolf back so the neighbours could go back to ruminating in peace, and I was like “How do we feel about cows” and he looked at me like this
