Summer rhythm

We are now finally settling into a summer rhythm. After all the births and the weanings and the schedules. The setting up and taking down and setting up again. the milking, the feeding,  the cooking and the gardening move in and out, giving and taking a little, but basically the days are settled  into a gentle jog, for a wee while.  Even the skies are the same each day. Light blue like a wheelers eyes. A couple of clouds, a lot of sky.

Mama is back with her little flock. Her lambs are weaned from her  and Minty is weaned from me.  They are in Pats Paddock for a while, there is not a huge amount of feed with all the dry weather but there is a  line of big old mulberry trees for shade, so it is a good mid summer field for these hot sheep. 

The bees are still working on some honey for the kitchen. But they all have three supers full of brood and honey. There is a lull coming in the flowers as the fields dry up and they will need honey for late summer as well as winter so I am pleased to report that they all have three heavy full supers of honey and brood.   Two is usually adequate. In autumn if we get a little rain there will be flowers again.

Daisy has her little herd in order. She leads them out into Daisy’s paddock and leads them back in to drink and for the milking. They all line up at the gate at milking time but only Daisy and Hairy MacLairy come through into the yards.  The Big Bobby (the steer) is on with Daisy and Queenie so I can look for any signs for fertility. He will try and mount them when they ovulate even though he is gelded. This will help me learn Daisy’s ryhthms as she will need to become pregnant again in a wee while.  I would rather she calved when the good spring grass is flushing.   

But we will see what her body decides. The ladies from the store sent out boxes of corn shucks yesterday. A favourite treat.

Today I shall make another batch of fresh cheese.  And rum and raisin ice cream. And maybe a cake for that Tall hardworking Teenager.

Good morning! Thank you so much for yesterdays comments. And yesterdays  readers. Thank you all.  Yesterday was a special day for us all on the blog. I decided not to leap in and out with my own thank yous and comments because your narrative began to join mine and the whole piece began to develop a character of its own. So anyone new visiting could see that grief and hard work are universal and  can be sustained and can be managed.  We, all of us, in our hard times know that we can go on.  You and I are lucky to have each other though.

But usually I do like to answer the comments you leave for me. I come in and out during my day on the farm to see what you have said, I especially love it when you have conversations with each other when I am not watching. That makes me laugh. The Kitchens Garden comments section is such fun!  Don’t forget that if you write a page and want me to read it leave a message to that effect so I can zoom straight over.

I keep meaning to say – if you see a picture that you like and you want to keep it just go ahead and do so.  You don’t have to ask me. If you pop it on your blog I know you will leave a credit. If you would like to print an image let me know though and I will email you the image in high resolution.  The web ones will not print well from the web format.   They are all pretty ordinary really.

I have discovered to my delight that some of the animals are already screen savers on computers around the world.  So just steal away.  If you don’t have enough words of your own borrow mine. I don’t mind. My words are your words.  We all use the same words I don’t own them.  Just write celi always said before you quote me.  Each of the stories that are being worked up to go in the books will be longer, fuller and more colourful.  Then you may pay for them if you want to.  Otherwise just steal away.

And thank you for yesterday. Such a wonder.

Did I tell you that I am developing muscles on my arms. last night after I had showered and dropped my nightie over my head I lifted my hair to plait it and saw these little bumps on my upper arms. I thought it was a shadow. So with my arms raised and bent behind my head, still holding up my hair, I looked more closely and yes. Those three finger muscles in front of my shoulder, what are they called were quite defined.  I moved my arms back and forth to watch them work. And the biceps in my arms were popping up in funny little lumps. Goodness. It must be all the buckets.  It reminded me of that line my Dad used to say “The muscles on her scrawny arms stuck out like spiders knees.”

“Look” I said to John, turning to him. “I’ve got muscles.”

He raised his eyes from his book and squinted. “Where. ” he said.

I turned back to the mirror. I look in a mirror once a day so it is always a surprise to see me there and I thought. Well, the sad thing about that is he was not even trying to be funny!

Do you remember only a few months ago when we were creeping back up from the dark cold winter all weak and pale and wobbly. I bet you are all developing your summer muscles too as the rhythm of your summer defines your body. And you winter people will be working to keep strong for your summer.

Big breath. Have a lovely day.

celi