Wes go make Bert wok!

When we stopped by Sue's house yesterday and crossed the cattle guard into the yard, David exclaimed "Oh man, they have cattle out.  There's one in the yard!"  DJ and I just kind of laughed and said "Oh, that's just Bert.  They probably let him in there on purpose."    Sweet puppy-faced Bert, a huge ton of gray Brahman bull muscle, was happily munching the green grass alongside Sue's flower beds in their big shady yard.

Bert

Even out in the country, most people would think it strange to see this big guy ambling through the yard amid preschool toys, swimming pool, and carefully tended plants.  You would just have to know Sue.  And Bert.  Bert is quite a story actually. 

In addition to their own ranching and hay operations, Sue and her husband Charles run a full spectrum cattle service business.   Charles does everything from AI and palpation, flushing and embryo transfers, recips and calving, breaking and handling show cattle strings, and a myriad of other cattle related services.  Yes, I realize I may have just lost some of you there with the last sentence... just take my word for it, Charles is a local go-to-guy for all things related to cattle management and breeding.   He also boards cattle (cares for them at his ranch for a reasonable fee).   Bert came to their place as a boarder and led a pampered life well fed and cared for with his barn stall and small paddock all to himself per his owners specific instructions.    After a while living this pampered life, Bert became withdrawn and quit eating.  He just wasn't himself.  He went back and forth to the Vet without finding anything really wrong until finally he became so sick and weak all the opinions led to putting him down.  Everyone's opinion except Sue's of course.

For those who know Sue, you know she has a special touch with animals.  She will often be fostering some poor animal others would have written off.   She's bottle fed all manner of orphaned or injured baby calves, horses, dogs, cats, raccoons, rabbits, squirrels, birds, and goodness knows what else over the years.  At the moment Sue has a pet squirrel and pet raccoon she raised since they were newborn orphans.   (I have a funny old blog post about when the raccoon went on vacation with us several years back, I'll re-post it one day soon.)   In her yard you may see wild turkeys grazing around or beautiful peacocks she patiently hatched from eggs.  She takes the time for God's creatures that most folks won't.  She's just cool like that!

So anyway, Sue begged them to bring Bert home to their ranch one more time.  Sue babied him and cared for him.  She put him outside in the fresh air and green grass with other cattle to keep him company.   Several times a day they would go outside and just make him get up and walk around.   It got to where Kayla, Sue's adorable 2 year old little shadow, would climb up into her or Charles' lap, plant her little chubby hands on their chest with her face nose to nose with theirs and say "Wes go make Bert wok!"  It was her way of saying she wanted to go outside and play with Bert.   So they would go out in the pasture and make Bert "wok".  And you know what?  Pretty soon Bert perked right up, started eating and putting on weight, and acting like a young bull again.   Today he's the picture of health.

Kayla and Bert

So I guess Bert has become something of a big pet around the place.  Even amid all the champion show cattle around their ranch, Bert holds a most pampered spot.  Sue has worked harder than anyone else I know to keep her yard and flowerbeds watered and green during this summer's drought.   So when a yard full of green grass is an odd rarity and the ultimate bovine luxury... it came as no surprise to find Bert there grazing happily away. 

We could all take a lesson I guess that despite best intentions, being isolated and pampered in solitude is not always a good thing.  Sunshine, fresh air, green grass, and socializing can work wonders.   And we all need someone who loves us enough not to give up on us.  And who cares enough to make us get up and "wok".

   =)

Bert looking sharp in the Houston showring