Hairy MacLairy has been brought into the barn for a short visit because he keeps scraping his knees. Blood and flies in the field can be a nasty mix. I have been trying to treat his grazes in the field but he hates the wound spray and gallops away when he sees me coming. Then yesterday he turned up with blood running down his leg after opening up an abrasion I thought had healed. So I have had to bring him in until his wounds heal properly. I am still working in the barn, building and cleaning so he is not lonely, but boy that ram can sulk.
He has the pigs for company and Daisy visits but evidently that is not enough.
With the wind still not letting up TonTon has taken it upon himself to be my hatcatcher. So when the hat flies off, making a desperate bid for freedom, Ton will chase it down, catch it, give it a good shake as some kind of reprimand and then return it to me.
At either end of the verandah is a beautifully scented Mock Orange. These are quite big bushes. Yesterday I realised that I had been seeing a female Northern Cardinal in and out of this bush close to the house, quite often. 
She and her mate were also singing very loudly in the tree close to the window. Usually they are right up in the tops of the big trees. Look what I have found. And this nest is not on the far side of the shrub where it is darker and quieter, it is right next to the railing.
If she starts to lay eggs so close to the house I am going to have to stop using these front steps for a while. 
Talking of birds. You know what the guineas are waiting for don’t you.
Good morning. I did get my quiet ordinary day at home. Daisy was looked over by the expert and has a few days to go she thinks. Though of course there are no guarantees about anything this is farming after all.
I have to do some work with the Old Codger today that cannot wait, so I hope Daisy holds off for a few more days for me. I need to bring Dale from the retirement home back to his house to meet the rehabilitation people, for a house inspection with them, in anticipation of his release. I guess he has to prove to them that he can manage safely by himself in the house. This property has been his home for almost a hundred years, so I am crossing my fingers for him.
You all have a lovely day.
celi
PS I cannot remember if I mentioned this before but if The Kitchen’s Garden has dropped off your wordpress list do press unfollow and then follow again. There has been some hiccup in the process and I don’t want you to get lost. You will be unsubscribing then resubscribing and that way you will get your email notifications of The Kitchens Garden pages the moment they are posted. I would hate you to miss out on the arrival of the newest addition to the farmy. I will be posting on Facebook as usual. Just out of interest I do post my favourite shot from each post on my Pinterest board. Plus shots I like from your posts too. c
The Kitchen's Garden 
79 responses to “Northern Cardinals come home to roost.”
I am keeping fingers, toes and eyes crossed for the old codger…and Hairy to heal quickly.
What a wonderful profile. I know how he feels. I don’t do well with being indoors either !!
Miss cardinals, we don’t have them here in Colorado. I am from Vermont and love visiting and hearing all the different bird songs. Hope you have good news tomorrow….
The farm, the birds, Hairy and TonTon, all looking so good today. I unfollowed and refollowed and now have you back in my reader, but lost you on email. Will try again! Good morning. 🙂
Sigh.. well one way or another we will keep finding each other betsy !! c
My gracious, what a sulky ram! I love mock oranges, maybe I’ll try growing one here in the higher country. Have a lovely day.
I really hope that Dale is able to return home. I don’t know how long he’s been away, but I can only imagine how sweet it would be for him to be back to the home he’s known and loved for so long! Imagine that much longevity in one place 🙂 Great photos and story to accompany, Celi.
I’m so glad you mentioned “unfollow/follow”–I contacted WordPress on Monday after realizing it had been several days and you weren’t in my reader. They didn’t respond, so…thanks for the suggestion. I hope it works! You have a great day! Debra
Ahhh our nasty wind of three days HAS made it to your place…a little cool down should follow with plenty of sunshine.
I’ll just bet Dale is EXCITED to be able to go home…I hope it all goes well for him and for you!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
Poor Hairy, I hope those knees heal. And isn’t TonTon good? I hope they sort out all the care package stuff, it sounds like it’s all under control but it so often isn’t. We already have baby birds here! But no Cardinals, nothing that exotic. 🙂
How dumb am I, but what are the guineas waiting for? Lovely post and I look forward to the next:)
They are waiting for the little birds to make a mess in the bird feeder so they can eat all the scattered seed! You knew that! c
Interested to know what you spray on the wounds to aid healing….
The nasty mean purple stuff! iodine.. dries it right up, there is also a spray that coats the area like a skin which is even better, but he rubs it off. And the flies hate iodine.. poor hairy.. c
I thought it may be Povidone Iodine!
There’s a lot of wound research going on a the moment about the role of manuka honey in healing.
And there’s a lot of anecdotal evidence for Tee-tree oil 🙂 – the latter was popular when we were in Australia
I am very interested in tee tree oil,., I really must find some… we have a lot of manuka honey in NZ of course, magic stuff! maybe not good with the flies tho!! (Laughter!) c
no, nor ants. We are using honey dressings in district nursing a the moment.
Good old TonTon, catching your hat for you. Hairy MacLairy will get better soon in the barn turned animal hospital.
Sorry for Hairy, he does look rather sad. Glad to hear the Old Codger may be returning home! It will be good for him. TonTon is a keeper!
The North Carolina singing with her mate is just the cutest ever! A good morning indeed to hear that 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Catching up with the news! Hope your day goes well 🙂
I love my daily insight to thekitchensgarden, especially what TonTon is helping out with. On a completely different note, I like how the blue glass power pole insulator has been placed on the railing post – nice 🙂
I have a hundred of those insulators.. (long story) they are all over the place and just gorgeous! c
Tried the follow/unfollow trick too – hope it works. I’ve just been checking back in here ‘manually’ 🙂
Good luck with everything today!
Oh honey i hope it works for you too.. i would hate for you to get lost! c
No worries, I will always just do the old-school style type out the address and check in on you thing because I know you must be posting:)!
Cardinals,codgers and a sulking Ram…jolly good day !
nanster
Morning nanster.. all jolly good fun! c