Kidnapping

Well, a kidnapping of a calf actually.

I went out to milk yesterday morning – no sign of Daisy and no sign of Aunty Del and no sign of Marcel  (Aunty Del’s  ever present minder.)  Then I saw them all, way down the back of Daisy’s field.

Daisy the latch picker had removed the nail that hooked into the chain and spirited Aunty Del way and right down to the back of the field. The whole latch arrangement had been dismantled. This is The Daisy that used to turn the barn light on and off ,and on and off ,and on and off – just for fun of it, if she was in the pen where she could reach the switch. Anyway I had to take a wee bucket of grain out to entice them back in.  Grain is a real treat for Daisy. They were both quite calm and happy. 

After the milking, I put Aunty back into her pen though, as it was pouring down rain all day yesterday and all last night and Daisy is a useless umbrella. I will let them back together today and we will see how they do.

While I have been writing and working on our anthology, the last few days, I forgot to search the barn for eggs and they kind of built up.

I was thinking about the work and not paying attention when I was shifting the flerd, and the barn chook with her wee chicken were momentarily separated ,  Boo swooped in grabbed the chick and ran off as fast as he could.  The chick in his mouth. I threw my shepherds crook at him, wacking him on the arse and yelled ‘Drop it’. Surprisingly – he did drop the chick, then took one look at me and headed off for the hills. Bad dog.

Ton helped me catch the injured chick. Ton is very gentle with birds. Boo as we know is not so good with birds. The chick had a crook wing and limped for a few days.  A recovering chick will never survive unguarded so I put him in the emergency pen and took the little black gift chicken out of the broiler brood to keep him company. They are both doing well and will join the Baby Layers flock soon.

With all the rain and low clouds there was very little light for photographs yesterday. And you cannot tell birds to Hold Still!

Except Carlos Garcia who is a very nosy Peacock and like Kupa will sneak up behind you and suddenly appear right in the viewfinder.

I hated taking two days away from you all but I got the Letters to my Sister manuscript to the point where I could send it to Melissa to begin the final stages.  It is such a jigsaw putting something like this together. 

We have had  an inch of beautiful warm rain in the last few days and my basement is flooding again. Sigh.  But the next crop of hay is growing. The vegetable gardens are growing. I am growing.

Right, out to work for me. Soon it will be the longest day. Very soon. The dawn postings will come later – mornings will be shorter.

I hope you have the loveliest day.

Your friend on the farmy

celi