I got a call today from the farmer who has Queenie over at her house, (well – in her field, Queenie in anyone’s house would be like the proverbial bull in a china shop. ) Anyway when they looked out their window yesterday morning they saw a good deal of ‘Activity’ between Queenie and the bull. So hopefully she has been bred. Just to be sure I will leave her for another four weeks. If there is no more ‘Activity’ then we can bring her home for a blood test.
A cow will come into heat every 17 to 24 days. We took her to the farm on Halloween. 25 days ago. It is possible we were only hours late. Standing heat only lasts anything from 12 to 24 hours, then they ovulate. However let’s see what happens next.
Did you notice that Poppy is a redder colour than Sheila. It is quite evident in this shot. Once again we had a flat heavy overcast day. No sun, but very little wind either. A day without wind was nice.
I am dialing down the aperture in the camera every day. And taking shots of moving targets like these ones is hard in low light. Sometimes I cheat and add a little fill in flash, but it does not feel right.
Our colour is leaching. Slowly being sucked out of the landscape.
Most everyone sleeps for the morning then they toddle out into the fields and nibble about.
Tilly is still the loudest sheep in the Midwest.
There she goes.. waa waa-ing! Making a racket. And there goes my focus, I need to train these animals to stand still on dark days. She has a lovely fleece. Tomorrow I will shift them again. The sheep are doing a good job of cleaning up the fields.
More Thanksgiving visitors arrived last night. It is getting busy. I don’t cook for Thanksgiving though. Not on the day. This is The Matriarchs holiday. It is an American feast. I just turn up on the day and eat! It is always good.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farmy
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
39 responses to “Working Bull”
Poppy is a gorgeous rich Rubens red. It must be something to do with all the pumpkins she eats; loads of beta carotene in her diet. I had a lovely if brief visit with Nanette on our way north today, and got a nice hug she passed on from you – thank you! It was warm but gentle and did no harm to any stitches!
That is great. I have your beautiful scarf and hat here .. she would have told you.. it is divine, what a colour! it reminds me of a poppy.. how clever of you, I tried to felt once but it was a disaster, Maybe I need to try again.. c
I thought even the colour alone would help you keep warm, let alone the beautiful merino wool. I’m glad you like them, I hope they’ll come in useful stopping the icy wind creeping at the gaps around your collar. Felting’s not too hard, it just takes about three times longer than you think!
How great that the Matriarch still enjoys preparing Thanksgiving dinner. One less problem for you to contemplate, and you can spend your energies caring for the farmy. Have you noticed that your posts have changed? When I started following you a few years ago you used to write lots of recipes. I haven’t seen one for a long time…
Have a lovely holiday, and even though Thanksgiving is not you holiday it is a wonderful idea to remember all the things for which you are thankful.
I have been thinking of this too.. we have evolved.. also i kind of ran out of the old family recipes!! and time I think I have way less time these days.. interesting thought though ronnie.. c
We too are devoid of colour in the landscape now, specially the sky which is drear and dank. At lease Poppy and Sheila brighten up the scene.
Poppy must be related to me. Before the grey invaded my tresses, I was Auburn with shading from almost gold to rust to darker reds.I wonder if I had a daily diet of pumpkins, as Kate suggests, would it work for me?
Celi, enjoy being a visitor at your own table tomorrow and may the year ahead bring plenty to be thankful for!
Showing up to eat is a treat for a cook. Enjoy. We went food shopping yesterday. I bought as much organic as possible and stayed on the perimeters. It was fun with my good friend Susan using a “you go get that” and “I’ll get this” shopping style. I am making pies this year, but using almond flour in the crust, etc., and no corn syrup in the pecan pie! I hope it isn’t a disaster. Several beautiful squash for roasting. Today, I bake pies, chop, dice, and make the cornbread for the dressing. It is good to stay busy. Keeps my mind from straying to sad thoughts and it is especially good to have Susan here. We have laughed a lot. We were on the deck chatting and found that we were locked out of the house and had to wait until Bill got home. We had a good giggle over that as we moved from place to place in the yard trying to catch the sun. It was getting chilly! We did get some yard clean up done tho. All good. Have a wonderful, family filled day, C. All the critters look great.
Fancy you two locking yourselves out! Your house must be very secure! Good to keep busy, maybe when you come for your next farm stay you could bake John a pecan pie, he would like that!..c
Too much beta-carotene tends to make my skin yellow 🙂 At last we have had a break from the grey drizzly days and have hot, sunny with slight breeze today. We are having weird spring weather this year. So wish our country had adopted the Thanksgiving holiday instead of Halloween. Laura
I wish NZ had adopted Thanksgiving too Laura. There is always something to be thankful for isn’t there? 🙂
The landscape takes second place in your photos…I am always focused on the animals and their activity and they brighten any shot no matter how gray or gloomy their surroundings. Poppy is a truly amazing red. Enjoy your feast-we will be eating as carnivores, vegetarians, dairy free, gluten free…quite the mix in our home.
Fingers crossed for Queenie. I think Poppy has found some henna plants in one of the fields and has been rolling in them. Shell be painting her nose next 😉
she really is a lovely red in this flat light, one thing about no sun is what colour there is looks nice and dense.. c
Increase our iso setting; try 400 or evn 800. The images might be a bit more grainy but the faster shots will be clearer.
Yes, i was running at 400 yesterday, but I might push it to 800 today see what we get.. I don’t mind grainy..but camera shake is a worry.. need a tripod for these dull days .. i have always wanted a monopod..
But we have color in Poppy. Color. Not grey. Color. No leaching of color in Poppy.
Enjoy your Thanksgiving with family. And so wonderful that you can be a guest and not the cook. Savor. Enjoy.
I thought I would contribute to the discussion the other day about funeral rites but I found I couldn’t organize what I wanted to say. Now I realise that I haven’t extended my condolences to the members here who have recently departed loved ones. I have been thinking of you. I know it’s especially difficult to be grieving at holiday time. All blessings be.
I shall pass your wishes on Susan, thank you.. c
Queenie could be ‘with child’ how wonderful…..Poppy and Sheila do make a lovely pair….Whenever it is Have a Great Thanks Giving !
It’s a lovely thing to sit back and enjoy another’s cooking. I will relish in that feeling when we visit good friends tomorrow and share a meal with them! I will bring a simple casserole – everyone helps out in a small way. I always think of my Grandma Knuth (kuh NOOTH) on Thanksgiving – it was her holiday to give of herself for family. She prepared a scrumptious meal every year, and served her family. She never sat down to eat with us but for what she was popping back up to serve seconds or refill a bowl with more steaming goodness from the kitchen. The last time I saw her, was Thanksgiving evening, 1996. She had been very ill for weeks, and that night I reminisced with her about the scrumptious meals she served over the years and how no one could cook as lovingly as she did. She slipped away from us just a couple of hours after my visit with her. I always thought it was fitting for her to exit this world on the day she revered time with family so much.
I love even the bland photograph backgrounds… it speaks of the earth resting a bit and hunkering down to brave the elements of winter. The animals sport their tough, woolly and hairy coats… the fowl with tufts of feather and fluff – all prepared for the cold weather.
enjoy the eats…and the conversations and laughter and then the quietness again. Happy Thanksgiving for all.
I quite like the washed out colours of cold winter and even hot summer – it makes us appreciate the vibrant colours of spring and autumn. Three cheers for a bit of bovine “activity” 😉