September in pictures

September heaved with tears.  And change. Good and dreadful. But it is an important month to commemorate.  A vale of tears  – a valley – a journey we took together. So, here are my favourite pictures from September.

Somehow these got completely out of order, but I know you will forgive me. A girl needs her sleep.

Yesterday I bought  (for some cash and frozen farm fed chickens)  75 bales of good green alfalfa hay. By the time they were all stacked into the two barns my muscles were jumping. By this time of year I am strong. Pumping strong. But I am tired too.  Like all farmers and gardeners  at this time of year.
wood-038
letters for my little sister

Strong as I am though, some of these pictures are hard to bear. But we will not shy away.  The animals and birds in my care deserve our eyes. Even when I failed to keep them alive.   Life is hard sometimes.  We cannot pretty it up.  But we will deal with it – as best we can.

dog-033
dog-030
dog-016
dog-021
small-things-021

bridge-037
sunset-011

pictures-050
pictures-032
pictures-025
pictures-007
makinng-hay-035
makinng-hay-017

makinng-hay-009

cats-in-the-sun-010
dog-009

dog-006

sheep

cat-on-pig-028

grass fed hereford pigs

Yesterday I launched the new Fellowship Book and already it is shaping up to be extraordinary. If you would like to write for Letters for my Baby girl. Please go to Menu/ Register and leave your name. Men and women. Boys and Girls. All welcome until I hit 100 contributers. This is  going to be great!

In FIVE sleeps I begin my own journey to New Zealand. I am taking you with me. And hoping that you will get to see what I see. In five sleeps we morph into a travel blog.  It will be lovely. Some relax time  but with a side order of anxiety about what is happening on the farm. But I have everything as locked down as I can.  The farm and her inhabitants should be ok.  I think a few days at the beach is ok.

Today the next batch of chicks is due to arrive (Jake is going to mind them in his brooder) and the Lady Vet is coming out to get some blood from Queenie so we can see if she is pregnant. I will let you know that news when I am away. Fingers crossed.

I hope you have a lovely day.

Your friend on the farmy (for five more sleeps!)

celi

 

 

48 responses to “September in pictures”

  1. Carla said it best for me…I had tears seeing these photos of all your beloveds…Now you need some warm, southern, family, beach time…go knowing you did your very best and always do…can’t wait for our trip down to Kiwi land! 🙂
    xo~Chris

  2. If you need a pit stop, a leg stretch, or a coffee on the way to or from the beach – please call in. You would be very welcome.
    The photos are wonderful.
    XO

  3. Dear Cecilia,
    Today October 2nd, 2014, I saw for the first time the picture of Boo with the blanketed Big Dog. Yet I visit you every single day without fail. I know exactly what happened. The lead photo for the day on this website is partially covered at the bottom by the text. I was going to mention it to you when you changed your format many months ago, but figured there was nothing i could do about it.
    So for September 23rd, 2014, Boo and Big Dog under his blanket was hidden from me. Had I seen them, I would have told you then in all my life I have never seen a sadder, more affecting photo. Never!

    • I thought long and hard about showing you that shot, but it seemed to encompass so much. And honestly in amongst that dreadful week i did want to give Big Dog his due. We are getting very good at handling our sad moments aren’t we. And I do try to shoot so that the image works with the text but sometimes it does not work, however in this case it was kind of nice I thought.. c

      • Oh heck.
        I couldn’t see it either, until I went back just now.
        It is so sad, but also, so good.
        I have never ‘owned’ a creature who didn’t have to be euthanised… to die sweetly in his sleep… Is my wish for my elderly cats.
        All blessings to our Old Dog.

  4. “September heaved with tears.” What a beautiful sentence~you pull us in with an open tenderness and a duality that shows the beautiful and the hard times. It’s hard to do, and I appreciate your openness and all that you share. I often find the months and the land and the animals reflect what I’m feeling inside, and you put into words (and photos) this internal and external landscape so well. Enjoy your rest at the beach!

  5. Sleep well. We have remembered and commemorated September with you. Smiled & cried… I will be away and offline for the few days until your departure, so I wish you safe and happy travels 🙂

  6. Oh Celi – these photos are just in the right order and you know it . . .Boo, the Mink-killer leading us off . . . and then saying ‘hello’ to Daisy and the Old Dog and Sheila [yoicks she has a better appetite than me!!] and Tima and the rest still enjoying the end of summer’s wonderful bounty!! Well, if Mr Google does not say ‘no’ to me [huhuh, it IS that bad!!] it will be just four sleeps . . . and you will get closer to your lovely daughter . . . [as well as your sons, but have just had a ‘chat’ to that lovely] . . . 🙂 ! Sleep well and dream!!!!!!

  7. You’ve a grand way with the words. I hope all will be well on the farmy while you’re off on your trip. If you’re leaving from Chicago you might want to check how things are with the airports there, I’ve read they might not have things quite back to normal until the 13th and that there will be unannounced cancellations. Maybe all will be back to normal there sooner than expected, but it is still up in the air.

Leave a reply to misswhiplash Cancel reply