Wednesday, May 11, 2011

'Till The Cows Come Home...


This week I'm over in Galway at my parent's house.   My parents live not far outside Galway City, but you'd think you were in the middle of the country.  They live on a little country lane (where, unfortunately, in the last couple of years a couple of new houses were built, but we try to ignore them!), surrounded by beautiful green fields and hills.  There's a farm at the top of their road and we often have to stop at the end of the driveway to let the tractor pass before we leave.  I love coming here because it's a definite escape from city life and the air is just so fresh here - I love it!  So it's been a almost perfect week so far (it'd be perfect if P was here with us): a little family time, a little fresh air, a lot of exploring for Munchers.  Aside from missing her Dad, the change of scene hasn't bothered her one bit and the main reason for that is this:


Meet Millie (or "doh-ddy", as C calls her)!  Well, ok, she's a bit bigger now but she's she's still as cute and is annoyingly never around when I want to snap a picture of her.  Millie has been part of the family since the end of 2007.  She's been spoiled rotten and loves every second of it.  She was the "baby", the apple of everyone's eye....that is until my little Munchkin came along and stole the limelight.  And let me tell you, Millie doesn't like it.  Not one bit.  Nor does she like C.  Not one bit.  C, on the other hand, adores Millie.  I mean it was love at first sight.  Even from her only being a few months old, every time she saw Millie her face just lit like it was Christmas Morning (well...as I'd imagine her face to be on Christmas morning, she's a little young to fully appreciate that excitement yet!).  And what does Millie do?  Completely and utterly ignore her.  I always feel so bad for C, who just wants some canine affection, but she is not to be deterred!  She's started giving her treats and we're hoping that some doggy bonding might happen.  Dogs are just like men - the way to their heart is through their stomachs!
P & Miss Millie - Jan 2008

I digress.  Since coming out to Galway (where I hadn't been with C since Christmas - it's been a crazy year), she has put her walking skills to great use in this new-again-to-her house and lovely big garden.  She has mastered going up and down my parent's stairs on her hands and knees, and now she's practically jumping down their front and back door step.   Take a peek at her out-door step skills from yesterday (I'm still trying to capture her staircase antics on video):


So, with stairs and dogs galore in this part of the world, C's having a grand ol' time.  Only one thing has cast a shadow on our visit so far:   (please excuse the poorer quality iPhone photos from here on out)


The cows!  As my dear, darling husband quipped: "The world according to Carys: dogs are the greatest thing that God ever put on this earth, but cows are the spawn of Satan and are to be feared and reviled".  And that was absolutely true our first couple of days here.  However, she's becoming braver the longer we're here.  In fact today she took me on a walk down my parent's road, where we were greeted by this sight:


Cows are so nosey!  They were all minding their own business, chewing grass (and doing other things that cows do that shall remain nameless!), and as soon as we walked in front of their field they all lined up to get a good look at their audience - a big human, a little human and a dog who likes to bark at them and scare them.  You know, the usual.

They are also total hams (ba-dum-ching!) - I mean look at this pose:

This was when I knew we were making progress - She got as close to the fence as the grass would allow and she even waved and said hello.

(I keep trying to put clips in her hair to keep it out of her eyes but she will not let me.  Any Moms out there with tips on how to get your darling daughter to keep clips in her hair?!)  

About 2 seconds after this photo was taken, the cow's responded to C's "hellos" with some very loud "mooooooos", and C practically climbed up my legs and hid her head in complete and utter fear.  SOOO, I decided, between the moos and the dark clouds gathering overhead, that it was time for a little bit of Toy Story 2 - C's new favorite thing (guess why?  yep - not one dog, but two).


So we bid our fond farewells, and this 'lil lady stood right in the middle of these poles (which, thanks to my  photography course told me is a perfect 'frame within a frame'" - told you these cows are posing pros), so I snapped a couple more pics.  

 I liked this little lady - the photos aren't brilliant and don't capture what a lovely colo(u)r she is.  
 I think she liked us too - half way down the road I turned around to this pose sight:

"Ireland's Next Top Moo-del".  I'll be here all night, folks!

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