Wednesday, October 24, 2007

No kidding around

Once when I was visiting my Auntie Colleen's farm, we went to see the Laytons. The Laytons are my cousins--but we're not really sure how because they are the "5th cousins, thrice removed" kind. Before we left, Bro. Layton called my cousin Heather and me over.

"Have you ever seen a buffalo nurse a goat?" he asked.

We honestly could answer no, so he brought out a nanny goat and an orphaned baby buffalo. The baby buffalo then proceeded to nurse on the nanny goat. I have never felt so sorry for an animal in all my life. I don't know if you've ever watched kids nursing...but they aren't gentle.

Now, imagine that, only with a baby buffalo as big as its poor surrogate mother. Goats are often used as surrogate mothers. Poor, poor creatures.

This is kind of how Rachel has been treating me today. I'm not sure what all the head-butts are for because I can hear her gulping away, and yet they continue.

She's really not half as bad as the kids in the video though...but I'm still not sure I would want to be a surrogate mother to any animal, especially not one that was as large as me or that nursed in the fashion of these kids.

I did have an ancestor who nursed a baby deer, but I'll have to let my mom fill you in on that story.