There was finally a break in the incessant downpour! The sun had come out, so a walk was in order. "Who wants to go get some cow poop with me?" I asked the kids, who were all entranced by the video they were watching. All three of my littles jumped up and shouted "I do!" They couldn't believe their very own mother would be as interested as they were in cow poo! However, Alexander still had some doubts, "not with our hands, mommy!" "no not with your hands. We'll take a shovel." He was greatly relieved! Marcus looked at me sideways, wondering if I'd gone a little mad. Let me explain this before you jump to conclusions about my abnormal fixation on cow manure!
A few days before, we had been out walking and discovered the ranchers cattle next to us had crossed over the fence and spent some time on our property. They had left behind a stinky, sloppy mess of cow manure! Manure makes WONDERFUL compost! I'm currently trying my hand at making compost, and decided the manure must be in my compost ingredients list! I had been trying to figure out how to get cow manure, but didn't relish the idea of driving to a farm, gathering it, and carrying it back in my car! The fact that the cows came right to my very own front door, practically, was just too good to be true!!
We grabbed a bucket and shovel and set off for the coveted green gold. A not-so-small fight ensued over who got to carry the shovel. Alexander had it first, so was the first to carry it. He tired of it quickly, so Marek happily took over and carried the sacred shovel for the rest of the walk.
Marek, proudly carrying the sacred shovel.
The sun was going down fast, but we had to make time to stop and pick a mushroom!
And put our hands in water bubbling right out of the ground.
We, at long last, arrived at the cow toilet, and quickly began filling the bucket. Marek took the job very seriously, and took over after I showed him how to scoop it up. Alexander cheered him on with words of encouragement. "Good job!" "Good job!" But was unwilling to join in the cow poo collection. Marek single-handedly filled almost the entire bucket! He's my main compost man!
Much to my dismay, I discovered the bucket, at just half way full, would be way too heavy to carry back on my own. I seriously had no idea how heavy cow poop could be!! Right about then, my mom called and asked if we needed help with my cow poo expedition. Mom and dad drove the ATV up, and picked the kids and I up, and my precious stinky bucket of poo. Mom and dad to the rescue!
The beautiful poo is now rotting away in my compost with straw and kitchen scraps. "One man's, (or cow's) toxic waste, is another mans potpourri!" to quote the grinch. Now that was a successful day!
