Thursday, September 29, 2005

Everyday Life into Fiction

I had a day yesterday! Walked out to the mailbox to put my two partials in the mail and saw a cow with its feet and teats to the blue sky. I thought sure she was dead, but she wasn't. So I ran to the barn, grabbed a chain, and hopped on the tractor. That puppy was bouncing as I put it in 8th gear and knocked the throttle all the way open to get across the field and to the cow quickly.
I put the chain around one of her hocks and pulled her out of the ditch. But she was so bloated and heavy, I couldn't get her in a good sitting/laying position to get the gases that built up in her out.

So I called my husband at work. He came as quick as he could. He looped a rope on her head and pulled while I pushed and shoved a pole under her to get her upright. We also had to bend her legs under her. When she was finally sitting up, it took a while to get the gases out and she finally stood.

Anyway, as I was sedately driving the tractor back to the barn, a scene for my contemporary book (about ranch life) came to me and I hurried to the house and wrote the scene about a cow getting stuck in a ditch. And the whole episode became a scene in my book that shows the heroine's city side and how much each and every cow means to a rancher and - some insight into the heroine which would not have come out otherwise.

Damn! I like writing! And life!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Paty! You brave cowgirl you! Wow! I'm so impressed! You saved a cow's life!

That's so great that it ended up being an inspiration for your book. I can't wait to read it when its done. I bet it's hilarious.

What a life you have saving cows, driving tractors, writing novels!

I hope you keep a journal so your ancestors will know what kind of brave (crazy!) woman you are. LOL

Elisabeth Naughton said...

OMG. I didn't realize what went on with a cattle ranch. Ah...the images!

Glad the scenes are popping. That's so cool!