It's one of those things you hear about. 

So far off your radar, you're completely unprepared. 

The baby is on the ground. You're taking a photo of a dress on a hanger on an outside wall. For heaven's sake. And you turn around, and there it is. 

A cow in your backyard. 

I was so confused. The gate at the back wasn't open. No fences down. And she can't have come over the cattle grid. 

A holy mystery.

She took herself to the back gate and waited. 

I didn't know what else to do with her so I memorised her number to tell whoever owned her which paddock I'd put her into, and sent her off yonder. 

Meanwhile, this cow (below), in another paddock over our side fence, eyeballed me. 

Took my measure. 

Turns out my escapee escaped from her paddock.

Yeah, I'd be getting away from her too. Mean old 180. 

As long as they stay away from my precious winter tomatoes I don't mind the odd bovine visitor. 

No pooping anywhere near the baby OK? It's a house rule, I'm sticking to it. 

xxx