Quick update, and name debate

Photos:  Baby Ruby in 2012 (wasn't she a gorgeous baby?), and Baby Junior/Milton/Prince/?

Bessie and calf Juniorare doing great.  I let them out with Ruby and Charming for just a short while this afternoon.  Bess was very concerned that the other big bad cows not do anything to hurt her baby.  Junior the calf tried to engage Charming in playing, bucking and dashing around the pasture.  Bessie moo-ed in concern and prompted my comment to Jeff about "helicopter Moms" at the playground.  

Baby calf pranced and ran and was fearless in general.  When a big blue tarp billowed in the breeze, he trotted towards it and watched in curiosity, rather than hiding behind his mother.

Ruby and Charming had a fun time sniffing Bessie all over, because she now smells a bit different than the last time they were together (3 months ago, when she was producing the milk that tasted bitter, and was still solidly pregnant and not giving off vibes-by-way-of-scent that she had given birth).  At one point, Jeff commented that there were 3 cows out there that wanted a drink from her, and sure enough, three interested noses were very close to her udder.  :(

By the time Bessie corralled her little adventurer and nosed him back into the cow-pen, I was ready to close the gate and keep the other 2 out in the pasture, where they belong.

Anyway, we're having a hard time coming up with a name for the little guy.  I tend to put an "ee" sound after every name that we choose for a cow.  It's been Bessie, Lucy (the first heifer that we bought with Bess), Ruby, then Prince Charming (I don't usually call him "Charmy", but sometimes).  So this new little one needs a name that can be adjusted to my nicknames.  

Jeremy's first idea was "Double-Stuff", since the little guy looks like an Oreo.  Then we were talking about Pokemon names, and Milkon was suggested (Pokemon cow?).  I thought of "Milton", which means I would call him "Milty".  Hmmmm....  "Baby" is easy and is the fall-back nickname for every animal out there, but he should really have a better name than that.

For some in the reading audience, this is a little crude, but I can imagine a few of you cackling with glee when you read it and imagining the possible scenario:  I thought of calling him "Pistol", because (in the words of my friend from 25 years ago as she watched her little boy running around the playground, "He's a 'pistol'").  But shortening that name by a syllable and adding an "ee" sound isn't really what I want to be yelling across the pasture at a calf.

The latest idea is in keeping with the "Prince" name (Prince Charming is the full name of the foster calf, because of his gorgeous brown Jersey-eyes and the white heart on his forehead.  I couldn't think of anything other than "You're such a charming boy".

So, maybe "Prince Caspian".  I could call him "Caspy" and "Casper" and whatever else came to mind.  I can't think of any other prince characters who had actual names, can you?

The other option?  I keep thinking "The-artist-formerly-known-as-Prince" when I think of prince names.  Not sure how I'd make a nickname out of that one.  And not sure why I'd name any gorgeous little calf after the guy who changed his name to something unintelligible!

 

Laura
http://dykstrasfarm.blogspot.com/