Getting up with the birds Cows

Living on the farm has its advantages. There's lots of room. There's scenery. And there's animals. A dog, chickens, cats, rabbits and COWS.
This morning the cows were bawling. It is often that way on the one morning that you can sleep in a bit. They begin bawling and wake you up. Such was the case this morning.
I was muttering away to myself in my half sleep about the fact that I wished they'd be quiet. I half-heartedly looked for the extra pillow to put over my head to cut out the noise. The thing that really bothered me was that they sounded like they were right underneath our window. Unfortunately, there's no mute button for cows. Once they start, they just keep singing.
Finally, my husband got up to look out the window to see what was going on. There was a reason why they sounded like they were underneath the window. They were.
And probably had been for a while because there were cows a plenty in every corner of the yard where they shouldn't be. One even had a laurel leaf wreath around its neck from chewing on some tasty morsel of tree. Fortunately, Big Red, the bull hadn't figured out how to get out. Or the fun would have really begun then!
They are not our cows, but the owner doesn't live here. So in the interest of saving my marigolds, on went our boots and gloves, and we began the process of discovery. Where had they broken through this time?
I muttered about putting up proper boundaries. Using the right tools. Do it right the first time so we don't have to keep playing this game. (This is the second time this week they have gotten out). We My husband herded the first lot in. Then we went around the corner of the barn to discover that the three big round bales of hay (just out of reach as of last night) had been reduced to two. They had trampled down the gate to enjoy a hearty breakfast. Big mess. Big POOPY mess.
My husband sent me off to get the knife so that he could begin the process of bringing back order. I asked him if he needed anything else. "Not until you come back" was his reply. (He's so funny.)
Once the gate was semi-secured and so we went off to find the other truants. They were still under our window. Enjoying the luscious fresh grass (keep in mind, there's only 18 other acres to enjoy - hardly enough). We directed them back through the gate.
All except the one mama who saw her little one and ran past me (I'm not very good at herding..but I can't be fired) to try and get to her baby. So around the barn my husband went again to fetch the cow. She finally went through. We went around the barn again to secure the gate and prop up the fence.
After such an exciting day morning, it only made sense to go and have a good hearty breaksfast. So we did.