Yesterday things broke. And my luck began to teeter. But an urchin wind brought my luck back.
First it was the dishwasher – broke.
Then Tima’s gate – broke.
Then I went to rake the hay – Big red Rake – broke.
Then I began to hand rake and my fork broke! – BROKE!
Then we jumped into the triple T’s car to collect the other forks at the other barn. BRAKES BROKE!
Slightly panicked with four acres of hay stranded on the wet ground and a pig running about my feet, I called around and found a gorgeous old rake attached to a wonderful antique tractor that our friends were happy for us to use. So John went over there and drove the deeply ancient tractor back.
Once he returned, it became quickly apparent, that I was not going to be able to drive this behomouth of a tracter without practise and so, time being of the essence, I gave him a lesson on raking. (I usually rake the hay). I told him exactly what the hay man had said. The fact that the instructions was practically monosyllabic helped. It was his first time but he did ok and stopped to get his second set of instructions for the next field when we saw a huge whirlwind, a fairy circle, descend into the hay field.
Do you remember that fair ride that is a big cylinder, and you are strapped to the inside of it. Then they carnies push a button and it spins really fast and the floor drops away and you are held to the walls by a centrifugal force – I need to look that up but I think I am right. It was called the gravity something. Everyone screams in terror. (For the record I never went for a ride on one because when I was in the line a boy was coming off the ride …
and he had vomit all over his face and clothes. I don’t think I need to explain how this happened. My sister and I looked at each other in horror and decided to go to the Haunted House instead. )
Anyway back to the hay field, this whirlwind, on a warm cloudfree day with no hot wind blowing suddenly descended straight down into the newly raked hayfield. It was huge. As big as the lounge. It began to rev up like a dancer warming up into a pirouette and then she was spinning so fast that it lifted row after row of hay into its force field, twirling them about in the air, knitting them into its walls, creating a spinning cylinder of hay right before our eyes. This wide funnel grew higher into the air, the revolving space defined by the flying hay. It zigzagged across the field picking a bit of hay here and a bit there. It sucked whole lines of hay up, a whirlwind snorting hay cut heroin with a hundred dollar bill like in the movies. Throwing hay out like wild hair in all directions. Giggling and twirling, manic, like an enormous spin dryer in a tutu. We watched in a kind of delighted horror as it weaved to and fro across the field and in seconds the windrows were no longer rows. Just wind.
Then the tiny tornado roared straight for the tractor, fooling with us, whipping at our clothes and pulling them up and away from our bodies like cartoon characters in a gale. We both ducked, hands over our eyes, laughing at the urchin wind. Feeling its power and pull like a live thing. Then she bored of us and danced on. We rose from our crouches to see it whip out of the field and across the top of the green truck twirling its curtain of hay, then ducking its head and winking its eye in goodbye it swooped and dropped through the barn door. Sudden silence. Gone.
Later John fixed the rake, then fixed the dishwasher. My little barn fork was waiting while they took the rampage to Johns workshop. But by then I was in bed.
Today we bale.
I hope you all have a lovely day
Your friend on the farmy.
celi
PS WordPress informs me that I have been blogging now for three years. THREE YEARS. I want to say thank you. Many of you have been with me since the beginning. Johns Mum, my sons and daughter and Di were the first persons to sign up as members and still read daily and there are many of you who have also been visiting daily for years. Almost 1,500 a day actually. How long have you been part of The Fellowship?
We are very strong now. We have our calenders, your pig, soon our photo books, and T shirts and now a Book!
With 1039 posts there are 3,534 members of the Fellowship of the Farmy as of today. We are extraordinary. Very special.
I cannot tell you how grateful I am for you all. Farming is a lonely place sometimes. But not for me. I have you. I am only here because of you. If not for you – like that tree – I would fall in the forest without a sound. You are my voice. Thank you. Thank you.
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
71 responses to “Urchin Wind”
A wonderful post, reminds us there are plenty of mysteries left in life, natures power. Red clover has to be one of the best flowers. I moved to my current garden 11 yrs ago and pulled one out of the bed, partially regretted since as never had one grow again. Weeds can be fab.
I think it’s been a least a year and a half. When I first started reading, you would write what happened in a post a year ago, and when those started to become ones I had already read, I knew you were the only blog I had ever kept up with that long!
Happy bloggy birthday C…….I started reading when you brought Little Boy Blue……..now Boo…….home. I saw the post title on someone’s blog and as I had a young puppy who is part heeler, I was interested and curious. Catching up before my girl gets her walk is part of my early morning routine now. I wish us all many more years of farm tales.
Of the bad breakages, hopefully some good hay drying happened with the whirly wind 🙂 Congratulations on the 3 years… of course then I had to look and see when I joined up. It was 27 April 2012 when Minty and co visited the old folks. At that time curious I thought I visited all your earlier posts, but in the course of this exercise I found a few I’d missed, so it’s taken a while to come back and comment. I’m not sure what led me here but I’ve never left… hmmm, suggests you may not want me to come for a real life visit 😉 And from the Farm and Commenters Lounge, I’ve gotten to know some inspirational people, yourself foremost; I love the way we all keep each other company.
The biggest hug and a huge ‘thank you’ for allowing us to visit on the occasion of posting for three years: I think I have made mostly a ‘late entry’ for about half that time 🙂 ! remember congratulating you when you ‘hit’ a thousand subscribers: seems but yesterday!! My admiration for your sanguine acceptance of life’s happenings: each ‘broke’ yesterday must have led to a frustrated ‘what next’ on an exponential scale for you!!!! We call these smallish whirligigs ‘willy-willies’ in Australia – have even stared in amazement at one coming across the next door paddock here. Only about 10 metres in circumference it was not particularly frightening and we ended up hugely amused as it roared thru’ the Village neatly weaving its way twixt the cottages . . . . hope the hay did end up dry and bailed: only about two lots to come??
I read “things broke,” then saw the picture of Boo, and thought, “Oh no.” I’m glad he didn’t have anything to do with the breaking. How well you described the wind, that must have been an experience. My husband has mentioned that ride, said he’d never do it again. Love those sunbathing beauties at the end. 🙂 Can’t forget the pretty kitties, either.
You are a gorgeous girl and an inspiration to many! I cherish the day that I stumbled on your blog Celi ..I am so much the better for it! Congrats on the 3 years 🙂
Wow! Divine intervention and your hayfield was tossed and turned and well aerated.
As for your blog, I can’t even remember when I joined. You and the farmy seem to have been in my life forever. I think that’s because you join so many dots back to my childhood in dairy farming Taranaki. Thank you for the magic that you keep creating.
magic is everywhere, especially on that beach you walk.. c
Very nice piece of writing….the whirlwind stayed in your mind which is such a good feeling….
I love the description of the whirlwind. I, too, am fascinated when I see one at work. Congratulations on the three-year anniversary. Delightful!
Happy 3rd anniversary Celi! I read your blog every chance I can. I’m playing catchup now after a week out of town and internet.
I am sorry for your breakage, but very happy for your 3 years of blogging. It is (almost) always fun here! Love you, Celi!
Bless your soul, C, your leading the way is one of the primary reasons I’m celebrating Blog Year 3 as well. It’s a joy and a privilege to be in your Fellowship, and I look forward to your every word and photo. Long may you reign over the Farmy and all of Bloglandia with continuing grace, humor and aplomb! Love, Kathryn
Oh you make me blush, i will be needing to fan my face!! c