Harare chased the same grass

Harare is a sun-chaser, which on this farm means she is a grass-chaser, which means she is a walker who will not be told the paddock has an edge.

This afternoon the grass on the far rise looked greener. It always does, from here. From there, this grass looks greener. Harare does not mind the maths. She minds the looking.

Canberra had a line going for the trough. London was in it. Harare stepped out of it as if lines were a rumour. Tokyo darted through the hole she left, which is how holes get worse.

The bull announced that the far grass was the best grass, tremendous grass, he had been saying so all morning. He had been saying so about this grass too. Harare was already walking.

Spike ran after her. Faster, still. He headed her, which is a kelpie word for getting in front of a cow who has not agreed to have a front. Harare went around him. She is good at around.

He headed her again. She went the other around. The rise got closer. The grass stayed the grass.

Suzy did not chase the rise. Suzy sat at the place Harare always comes back to, which is the shady strip by the trough, which is where the grass is not greener and is, for that reason, restful. Suzy has watched this loop. It is not a secret. It is a habit with legs.

Spike got her turned, finally, with the stare and a lot of dirt. Harare blinked as if she had meant to turn. Cows are like that.

She walked home. Not hurried. Looking over her shoulder at the rise, in case it had become greener in the last minute. It had not. Suzy was in the shade, so the walk had somewhere to finish.

The bull said he had brought her back. He had not left the crate. Nairobi used the excitement to visit two places at once. Canberra rebuilt the line as if it had never been a hole.

Spike lay down with his tongue out, very pleased with the far rise, which he had now visited at speed. Suzy stayed in the shade. That is where the next sun-chaser would be, and it would still be Harare.

Some cows find new grass. Some cows find the same grass, farther away.