Bees on Marble and the Cow’s Dining Car

Bees are great ones for sleeping in. Only the scouts were out and about in this early morning shot. But once the worker bees get the message this will be a busy plate later in the day.  As the demand grows I will put out greater quantities of sugar water.

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Daisy, Queenie and this years Bobby LOVE their new dining car. The Bobby’s face is wet because I wash their faces in the morning to keep the flies off their eyes. The joys of having only a few cows.

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I promised I would show you the bee’s water bowl . It is under a barely dripping tap and is full of bricks.  So the bees get to lap up the water (which they carry back to the hive in little bags attached to their legs) without falling into the bowl.  Please ignore any leaf that looks autumnal –  it is a figment of your imagination!

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Pigeon Pie anyone!?

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This little sequence needs no introduction. I know I am raising these piglets for meat for the families but it will be happy meat! I see no reason why animals raised for the table cannot have a good life too!

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Good morning!

Last night it rained and rained all through the night. In fact we got one and a half inches of rain. It is just lovely.  I was out in my nightie and gumboots making sure the broiler chicks were dry, it was so warm. I did not want to come back in. Just delicious. I had to close all the French doors on my way back to bed but they have all stood open night and day for weeks now and there were boots and mats and pots of plants to move. Funny how we settle into a long stretch of hot summer weather wishing for rain then are caught unprepared when it actually does rain.

Everything will grow today. It is still warm. The forecast says low 80’s today so it will be perfect weeding  and harvesting weather.

I hope you all have a lovely day.

Love your friend on the farm, celi

 

 

52 responses to “Bees on Marble and the Cow’s Dining Car”

    • John always says it will rain in october, I hope you don’t have to wait that long.. everything has perked up in the gardens and fields, I am always thrilled to see the clover standing up straight,.. c

  1. We should only eat Happy Pork! Love those faces! Hoping the rain comes this way as the well went dry yesterday that supplies the old farmhouse. The water table here is extremely low. It recovered enough to run the pump this morning but we are on limited use until we get rain.

      • The situation was better today. Someone let the barn water run too long (it wasn’t me, honest!!) Lessson learned. This morning my husband found that the well level had come up, and he got the pump primed and there is water! Still being careful. Still waiting for rain…

        • With my brain not quite in gear lately i have let the troughs run over a few times, it makes a terrible mess, not to mention the waste of water.. so I do understand .. um.. whoever had that wee problem.. c

  2. Love your feeder – re-purposing at its finest!
    Of course our meat animals should lead happy lives – it’s how we should honor their gift to us. The Native American tribes near where I grew up gave thanks to the spirit of the animals they hunted for food – not a bad idea.
    Enjoy your weather – we’re back in the Hot and Humid’s….

    • It is a deeply right feeling when you say thank you to an animal when he is on his way. We have a god week of very cool temps ahead of us, I hope that is not the last of the heat though, you know I am a summer girl.. c

  3. Celi, those are the happiest piglets I have ever seen, and I love that you are so kind to your dinner on the hoof. I wish everyone were as kind. Do you eat pigeon? We used to when I was a child and remember is was boney, but tasted good. Mom roasted them like petite chickens. 😉

    Enjoy your easy weeding today!

  4. Your pigs do look happy. We were always told growing up that we raised animals to eat but always treated them with respect. what a great sacrifice so we can be nourished. We always thanked our animals and now my 3 yr-old grandaughter thanks the chickens every time she gathers eggs for me. Very sweet. I remember reading an earlier post you are planting willows and that this is good for a pigs system. Is this any kind of willow tree?
    Brenda

    • I plant the willows for the ruminants, the cows and sheep mostly. They are a good source of supplementary feed plus are known to help in maintaining a healthy digestive tract. Willows are an old remedy for worms. Though the worms we are dealing with now would probably laugh at a willow leaf. The ones they plant in NZ are Matsudana. Just the regular old weeping willow, I just take cuttings from any willows I see and grow them. In fact this year I am growing the yellow bark twisted willow because I planted two this year and had to prune them. How lovely that your granddaughter thanks the chickens, kids love to gather eggs. Every child that comes here wants to gather eggs and then take the home!! c

    • You will have seen Daisy’s mouth, that is Queenie in the middle of the frame, she will have grown since you aw her last! I shall get a good shot of Daisy for you soon… Lovely to see you! c

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