Sally (the milk cow, of course)

On Saturday, we drove to visit our friends at Sylvanus Farm for my special birthday lunch. I had a super birthday, with many highlights that started on Thursday and continued through Saturday. There were lots of sweet and kind good wishes from my cyberbuddies (hi Fibertradition folk!) and many phone calls from friends and family. My mom sent me a fantastic messenger's bag that she knit and felted for me and hubby gave me an Ipod so I can listen to books and music while I knit and spin. Best buddy Anne sent fancy bakery stuff like wholegrain bread and cake from where she lives in Vermont and textiles from Burma and Vietnam, where she recently went on a trip. (does she know me or what?) Meanwhile, in my work life, my Fuzzy Reception Cardigan and Cuddle Coat went live at Knit Picks. Whew! There was a lot going on Thursday and Friday. I barely toddled down the street to a neighborhood restaurant on Thursday night for the birthday dinner with husband, I was so tired.

So, on Saturday, we took a drive into the country, away from the computer and phone, to visit Sarah and Todd's farm and meet the other Sally. Sally the milk cow, eight months old, is a relatively new addition to Sylvanus Farm. She is very loving and has a very soft winter coat. She likes to lick you--your coat, jeans, everything. Cow drool everywhere. Sally has a little shed with hay in the bottom where she sleeps at night; she is "crate trained" just like our dogs and gets a treat when she beds down for the night. This is all in preparation for when she will have a baby calf and get milked one day. Sally hangs out with the beef cattle during the day so she isn't lonely. One of the farm cats likes Sally's shed a lot, and I've heard that Sally also has made friends with a pet rabbit who lives near the chickens.

Sarah made me a fantastic birthday lunch--spanakopita and salad, and of course the eggs and all the greens grew on the farm. Then we took a walk with Otto the farm dog to see some local history-- an old cemetery complete with Civil War soldiers and segregation, even in death. That was sobering to see in person. (This area on the Cumberland River seems pretty isolated now, but was heavily populated during the 1800's and saw its share of conflict.) We saw stands of native prarie grasses and a big Cottonwood tree. The walk helped us digest our lunch so we could have a very sophisticated gooey chocolate birthday cake, with creamy fudge and cherry brandy topping and nuts on top. I even got some to take home. Last night, I got to eat extra cake and watch a Judi Dench DVD while knitting. All in all, it was a pretty great, several day birthday!