Even though we got four inches of snow this week, baby calves are the first sign of spring.

Or, starting to see skunks come out of hibernation. Hum. I’d rather focus on the cute calves.

So far, we have welcomed three calves and zero skunks!

Most ranchers check right before bed, once or twice in the middle of the night and first thing in the morning. The night check can be a mighty lonesome job. When I step outside the back porch in rubber boots, pj pants and a heavy coat — the wind howls and I just want to run back to bed!

However, once I make it across the yard and to the barn things are nice and cozy again. Even the kitties are bedded down.

Until Roxy begins tormenting them…

She doesn’t seem to notice that most of the cats are bigger than her! (I admire her spunk.)

Every evening before dark, John and Ron look through the heifers and try to pick out the ones they think are the closest to calving. These two lucky ladies got picked on Thursday evening.

Around the corner, our third calf and his mom are also staying warm & cozy on the fresh bedding. This little guy was born Wednesday night.

Behind the barn, the rest of the heifers also sleep under a roof in fresh bedding.

If one of these gals has a baby, the straw will be a much warmer place to meet the world than a cold, hard concrete pad or chilly, wet mud.

We have just over a dozen heifers that should calve in the next two or three weeks. You know what that means? More night checks!

Then, the older cows will start calving…and that means just one thing. Night checks!

If you’d like to see more photos of checking cows from ranchers across the US, use the hashtag #calfwatch14 on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. So. Much. Cuteness.