Gentle afternoon

Mama is still resting comfortably, not moving much. Twitching flies off her ears, and changing position every now and then. She is still very alert, bashes the others out of the way to get to her food and even rises up onto her knees to eat. But her back legs still refuse orders.  She is in no pain, I know how Mama reacts when she feels pain and there is no sign of discomfort. She is just taking her time. Like an old great – grandmother putting on her favourite shawl and lying in her bed, waiting.

I know many people would say I should put her down, but on a farm none of the euthanising options are peaceful. I really cannot bear to shoot her or cut her throat like many sheep farmers would. This is Mama. I have some pain relief for her, so when the time comes I will make sure she is not in pain and let her go peacefully.

Every animal and person has their time. Some lives on a farm are very short and some long. Short stays should be happy stays but the long stays are always fraught with danger and the endings are not so clean cut. Some animals move through your life leaving behind deep connections to something intangible but quite real. A cool well only they hold the bucket for. They give us a thread of soul as whispery as breath yet as strong as hemp, to let down into that well.  It is a peaceful place where they live.  Mama the old ewe and her reluctant love is one of those animals. Sheila my big fat pig is another.

Sorry for no photos again. Yesterday was one of those days and I really did not have time to get to a town to buy a new card for my camera so please,  please forgive this terrible rendering of the Christmas owl and Cupboard Owl minding the porch.  But we needed something. There is a car going to Pontiac tomorrow so I am going to put in an order!

I was mowing the lawn yesterday afternoon and glanced into the wood shed, as you do and Poppy and Boo looked back out at me over the top of a pile of firewood. In the woodshed. Boo was with Poppy because Ton is still minding Mama. And Boo is not really the best influence for a run-away pig.  TonTon would not have been pleased.  Do you think Poppy has learnt how to open that gate or am I getting really lax at shutting it securely.

We are picking beetroot, courgette (you all know what that is now), kale, onions, cabbages, broccoli kohl rabi (John made a kohl rabi mash with dinner last night, it was such a delicate taste), cucumbers and soon another round of tomatoes will be ripening. The weather is still delightfully cool.  But I need to get weeding, the weeds are getting the better of me.

I hope you all have a lovely day.

Your friend on the farmy.

celi