Shortly after the camera and I and a new friend took a tour of the grounds, the skies opened and it poured. Though the term the ‘skies opened’ is questionable. As we walked around the skies closed above us. Then lowered down. There may have even been a string. It became darker, cosier. Like a big warm dark coat cupboard for playing hide and seek. With a pink cherry blossom jacket tucked incongruously beside you. 
However before it rained the bees continued to work. And look -a bee in the magnolia. This surprised me, I did not know that bees worked magnolias. But as the Carpenter’s Lady and I were admiring the flowers we noticed that the bees were literally climbing up the almost open petals, wriggling through the tiny gap and dropping down into the stamens. We stood and waited for ages but the bees did not come out! 
This one stumbled out after a while and slid down the flower to perch at its base and catch her breath. Hmm.
And the rain is coming. Oh I know you are pleased. Every single screwed up , scrunchy, eeky, parched, bad tempered particle on the farmy was desperate for a good wetting.
I know they are excited on the inside. Later ofter the rain, I let this group out of the hen house, and they threw themselves at all the new green shoots rummaging fast in the dusk. You really can see the grass grow at this time of year. It is exhilarating. 
So the rain came in, thunder crashed and lightening flew about our ears, the dogs all hit the deck and crab scuttled for the basement. The cats appeared like Cheshires on the verandah railings. And so it rained. The Carpenter and his Lady went home and the large gathering of teenagers (evidently sullen teenage 18 year olds are magnets for bright laughing girls and their brothers, who knew!), stood in silence and watched the short but good downpour, munching on crostini, cheese and dill pickles from last summer. Sullen is lifting by the way.
When the wind and the rain hit, Mama waddled reluctantly into the barn to wait. Then turned around and was back out the moment the birds began to sing the concluding bars of the storm. But we are not watching Mama today. I have a new idea, we will accept her delicate condition and allow her to blend! 
From now on no-one can watch Mama unless it is out of the corner of their eye! We need to stop the longing for little lambys for the farmy. And focus on other things. 
Like sage for instance. Sage is good. All the seedlings are outside and growing. The work is heavy at the moment, preparing and planting all the beds. I still have not finished clearing all the flower beds. Then we will plant all the new bee flowers into the gaps. The Carpenter’s Lady is coming back this morning to help me plant the potatoes (my blue potatoes have arrived), she is bringing her teenager! See above!!
The Sheep Sitter who I am calling Mama’s Midwife (she has insisted I call her to help when Mama starts dropping lambs, she grew up on a farm and is a delightfully strong sensible older lady), she will drop in today too. We have a plan we are working on. She volunteers at the local Food Pantry and said that a lot of the perishable food gets thrown away, the pantry is only open once a week, so we are going to throw the leftovers to the pigs instead of in the rubbish and grow a pig for the food pantry. That way the food is not wasted and the food pantry waste loop is closed.
The farmy is working its magic. The people are coming. The animals call them I think.
The Old Codger is good but missing the blog and knowing what is going on, why can’t they have computers for the old folks in these homes? I need to work on this. These people can become too isolated. So I pinned the whole collection of farmy postcards on the wee notice board in his room to tide him over. They are so colourful and bright. He was pleased.
TonTon was the very calm this time. He gently loped through the halls. No darting looks, no anxiousness. He just wandered into the Old Codgers room, licked his hands, wriggled for more cuddles and then threw himself at the old man’s feet, sighed, and went straight to sleep.
Good morning!
celi
ps, I just realised that I forgot to do my Saturday introduction page of interesting new blogs. How could I forget that. Next week I shall get back into the groove. OK.. Time I got to work!
The Kitchen's Garden 
91 responses to “It rained and it was a good rain”
Hi Celi, the farm looks splendid! Glad you’ve had a lovely shower of rain at last.
Do you think your computer repair wizard would know where to find older computers that are too slow for a local business, but adequate for your oldies.
Perhaps your local paper could feature an article about your older folks and how they would love a computer to keep in contact with their loved ones and friends? Of course their reporter would need to be there on a day you and Ton Ton are visiting… e
Hmm that is a good idea. First though i need to see if the oldies even want computers, I would think the therapy room would be the place start.. c
I really agree with you that computers would be a wonderful way to engage the elderly and help mediate against isolation. It can’t just be money that keeps the facilities from moving forward with this! Your seedlings look great. I planted my squash and pumpkin transplants today, and the tomatoes aren’t far behind. But I was thinking of you, Celi, because I remembered your wonderful paper seed pots. I love the resourcefulness, and hope to try to do the same next time! Looking forward to the lambs…Debra
Morning Debra, I honestly think that no-one thought of it, the people at the home just looked perplexed when I asked if the residents had access to computers! c
(My 100 yr old uncle has several computers in his retirement residence – he loves emails and it’s so easy for him to keep up with everyone)…catching up with the saga as I’ve had yard work to do this weekend – what do they say – a watched pot never boils! Staying tuned!
this is the company that my ancient uncle uses for email service: http://www.presto.com/
My cousins set up his mailbox and have to approve who he can get mail from.(prevents scams) His emails are printed out and delivered twice a day. He can’t email out, but it’s OK. Maybe there’s something like it near your area? It has made a difference in his life.
Well, we had a fine day today, which is most unusual at the moment. Now I know where the rain went. Only 2 of your photos have loaded, but I’ve got to see those perky sage plants. Green is creeping into your blog and the rain will certainly help it on its way.
How strange that the photos did not load, hmm.. Smidge said she had trouble too, I shall look into it.. c
The landscape has changed so fast. It seems only a few weeks ago that it was snowing. Now here you are with full-scale blossoms.
Breathtaking shot C and we too have had rain yesterday and today – very much needed!
🙂 Mandy
One more sleep!! c
Sometimes I feel like I can hear and smell your photos and all that is going on. Your blog is magical 🙂 Have a great day Celi x
Morning Mel! Lovely to see you..hope all is well in your neck of the woods!! c
Sure is 🙂 ‘Good morning to you too! (though it’s 1am for me, and I should really be going to bed, hehe)
Ah, i love a good thunderstorm…have you ever made thundercake? Enjoy your day.
thunder cake”? do you have to make it in a storm? c
That has to be one of the most beautiful chookie photos I’ve ever seen, Celi! And you’re very clever to grow sage – ours keeps dying off! I think it’s all the rain we’ve been having…
I hope mine does well, it is a good bee flowers and I love to cook with it! have a great day celia! Oh and I am making that chook photo into a postcard. just got it underway today! c
You have the BEST photos!
Lovely pics and nice of you to take postcards of them to The Old Codger to brighten his room.
I totally agree about computers in old folks homes – I’d love it if you’d ‘work’ on that one, and report the results … seems like a great nonprofit/nationwide project for some enterprising soul.
On a random note, C – we’ve had a northern female cardinal for weeks now tapping on every window in our house. She’s out again this morning. Any idea why she is doing this? At first we thought it was a male ‘fighting’ with his own reflection, but a book showed us it’s a her. And the windows are not exactly clean and polished, after all this windblown dust and rain.
And now as I write this, she comes to the OFFICE window to ask, herself. Aunt Ceci, please tell this dotty woman what I want!!
Open the window! Have you put sunflowers seeds out for her? What unusual behaviour. I have filthy windows in this wind and also have birds tapping on them as they whip the bugs OFF them.. maybe she is doing that? wow.. cardinals can get pretty close can’t they! c
It is unusual. And how can she be hungry, I ask myself, with spring in full swing here? But I will take your suggestion and put seed out for her as soon as I can get my hands on some. Thanks for the suggestion! And yes, CLOSE! She was looking straight at me when I was sending you that message, so help me!
amazing.. FEED ME! she is saying! Have you seen her hubby, he will be somewhere about! c
Yes, I believe I know him. And I’ve got to get out and get some seed. Tomorrow morning! We’ve lived here six years and never seen anything like this before! Thanks for your suggestion.
I love that chicken photo, a combination of the colours and composition I think! Our neighbour has a magnolia and I think that the bees go to it and I just found out this evening that it smells absolutely gorgeous. Maybe that’s the attraction for the bees too. 🙂
I am delighted because the magnolia has so many flowers, it will be a feast! c
This was such a beautiful day, seen through your eyes, Celi! I relished every single moment of it. Thank you.