The Brahma and me

A writer's life on the farm, tall tails and more

Category Archives: Great Dane Jackie

Great Dane Jackie straddles Brahma Sonny

Posted on May 22, 2015 by 1writersdevotion

The story behind The Brahma and me

With my first toe-tip into the blogosphere in March 2010, I began writing about my critter crew and life on the farm—their shenanigans and my delight in sharing time and space with them, as well as my reflections and my spiritual journey.

Reared in the Seattle suburbs and more importantly having never set foot on a farm, I had passed the half century mark before adopting my first calf.

Sent by my publisher to shoot dairy farms during dairy month in 1998, I captured on film a farmer pulling a half Holstein-half Brahma from his mother’s womb. At 11 days, I adopted him. Named Sonny, he rode to his new home inside the largest wire dog crate I could find placed in the back of the Dodge Ram.

For the first year of his life Sonny’s companions were primarily All-American canines. The farm has grown to include three bovines, Sonny, Holly and Buff; two equines--a line-back dun filly named Bebe and a Palomino paint gelding named Jack; two canines Sam and Luke; and 10 felines. All are rescues except for the horses.

Images from my life

Bird flies

Mock orange

Girl with long black hair

Buff hugs Bebe

Mel

Holly & Jackie find grain

My beloved Bone

Man with goatee

Self portrait

Sonny

Jack checks blade of grass

Frequently Sonny entertains his neighbors

Barnum Point

Sonny shows me affection

Gordy

Apparitions at water’s edge

Recent rescue Luke

Sunflower & bee

Camano Island & hills

Any grain pellets Jack left behind earlier Sid helps him find

Reaching

Author

Snow replenishes

Gabrielle visits Jack (Photo by Maggie S.)

Sonny required bottle feeding several times a day (photo by MJ Branch)

Camano Island

We have been close friends since his birth June 11, 1998 (photo by MJ Branch)

Bebe in halter

An outdoor spit bath (photo by MJ Branch)

Jack grooms Buff

Jack & Bebe in pasture

Bebe in pasture

Holly’s first snow

Kirkland

Gregarious Jack

Jackie straddles Sonny

He continued to affectionately groom her

Cabin with windows

The flashlight reveals Buff reclining in the grass

Monarch butterfly

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The Brahma and me

A writer's life on the farm, tall tails and more

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