For the first time since early summer Our john had both weekend days off. So between much deserved naps he was able to get some barn maintanence done. This whole barn is slipping North, sliding off its concrete foundation. Years and years ago it was gutted (and those big swinging doors added, so it could be used to store machinery – now we are populating it once again with animals but really the damage was done. So every now and then a door or beam will go a little sideways. So with the tractor he can pull the beam back into place and shore it back up.
I am still stalking Godot looking for that shot of the angel in flight. He flies much more than Kupa ever did. And is magnificent. Those wings, when outstretched, are glorious. But the shot of him curving through the air is elusive.
This is what I usually get.. Blinding speed.
This is closer.
But no cigar. I will get it one day and we will all get to enjoy it.
Elsie is getting more relaxed in her new home. Each evening when I go out to the field and call her in she will walk behind me back up to the barn. She will not walk ahead of me, or beside me like daisy did. She walks very close behind me though, which is a little disconcerting for a head tosser and she tosses her head at the dogs. But when I stop she stops so there is nothing for it, Aunty Del gallops past us and dances in though. All legs and hair. She is a lovely wee heifer. And Elsie and I walk in Indian file. The girl and the cow and the dog. Boo of course has run in with Aunty.
Kittens.
The place I am most enjoying at the moment (as well as the kittens of course) is the chook house. For the longest time I opened the door with a chill, a dread that I found hard to overcome, after the massacres of the Bastard Minks and for such a long time I felt real apprehension as I stepped around the corner of the door, holding my breath unconsciously, swiftly checking the corners and the floors for feathers and horror. All the images I had previously seen flashing about making a innocent shadow or an overturned bucket or a dust bathing chook look frightful, making me gasp. But it has been a while now, and time does create its own buffer to fear and the chooks themselves are more settled, fatter, silkier. The bad smell is gone now. (Minks stink and that stink hangs on) and the straw is thicker and it all feels kinder.
The younger chickens still have their own private run, (an old topper off the Rampage truck that is so low only a small chicken can walk under it – don’t tell John as he does not know I hijacked it for the chickens in the chook house) it backs up against the baby roost cage, they have their own space so that they can outrun the henpecking of the older bigger chooks, and it even has little windows running down the side. In the day time they tend to hang out under there with their own food and water – though they are free to leave of course. But in the early evening the older chooks all go up onto their roosts and the young ones come out of hiding and run riot around the bottom level of the chook house. Literally. The older ones sit up there all comfy and watch the young chooks run about as though they are some kind fo family comedy show.
They are still not allowed to run free in the paddocks like before. The little ones are too little and I am still too afraid to invite trouble by leaving the doors open (minks hunt in the day time too) so I am building a strange maze of interconnecting roosts throughout the high space up to the ceiling. The chooks house itself is very large and poles and planks and branches now criss cross in a very organic design, giving the birds plenty of places to move about and roost and get away from each other.
Good morning. I have often noticed that the older members of the farmy go to bed earlier. Like the chooks, Sheila is always in bed before Poppy. The peahens before Godot. Daisy always went to bed before the younger cows and TonTon curls into his bucket long before Boo has finished his fence checks. It is sweet.
I hope you all have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farm
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
38 responses to “Dancing”
Queenie is going to think Aunty Dell had a calf while she was away visiting 🙂 I was thinking/wondering the other day if there wasn’t a way to obtain those other barns behind the West Barn could be repurposed to either shore up the Home Barn or add on to it. Seems such a pity they are no longer used. Godot in full flight must be impressive. Laura
…and Roberto and I settle in before the girls. I knew the tide had turned when they started going to bed later than I did. Ah me. Such is life. The farm looks and feels settled. Miss Elsie has such delicate legs…I have no sense of scale, really, but I “feel” like she is a small cow…is that true? Or does she have lots of growing yet to do? The kittens are beautiful. I’m pretty sure there’s a calendar shot in their. Cornucopia of Cat.
Elsie is full grown and yes she is a smaller cow, which is good for the land (not so heavy) but she will not produce as much milk, so I still need two Elsies!.. c
One to walk ahead and one to walk behind.
My calendar arrived just now. I am so pleased with it..I must have another one for 2016 so start photographing,,,such beautiful pictures of our Farmy animals. I shall hang it just here by my desk and look at it with pride.Thank you Celi.
It is good to see Godot…does Godot have a beautiful white tail like Kupa, like when it all fans out….Thank you so much for another glimpse into your life…The wonky barn reminds me of The House that Jack Built
Kittens, kittens, kittens. I can’t stand the cuteness. Chris always can tell when I am reading your blog and has to take a look to see which animal I am oohing and ahhing over. Everyone looks happy and content today. As it should be when they have such a wonderful caretaker and friend. Thanks for the lovely images that will carry me through a busy day. Enjoy yours.
For some reason, I’m only able to see half of the photos, perhaps smartphone optimization is not turned on?
The dancing cow is very funny. Glad the minks are gone.
The minks are never gone. They are there just waiting for me to drop my guard and leave the door open again. Sad you cannot see the pics. I have no idea at all what smartphone optimisation is, let alone how to turn it on. Lets see if anyone else has been having trouble, hope it is just a glitch.. c
Hi Celi, in wordpress, it is in Appearance, under Mobile, click “Enable Mobile Theme” and hopefully that will do it. For a while a blog I follow in Australia, all her photos were displaying upside-down!
oh mercy.. I shall follow these instructions and fix it..many thanks!
That’s a pretty good picture of Godot as is the one of all the kittens together 😉
So glad Our John had two days off work. Several months ago, my husband stopped working Saturdays. Time to cut back and reduce the stress. I cannot begin to tell you how wonderful this has been, for him and me. I hope someday that the two-day weekend becomes standard for Our John.
Godot has turned into quite the handsome man…cannot wait to one day see those tail feathers thick and long and spread out gloriously for his hens. Aunty Del makes me want to run and jump and dance right along with her, but I don’t think I can kick my legs that high anymore…
He does spread his tail but it is nothing on Kupa’s, no eyes, but a beautiful lacy frothy look none the less. Godot is so shy, lets hope i can get that shot soon too. c
How lovely; a dancing cow! Good afternoon to you, c, and to the farmy!
Beautiful photos and I’m glad the barn is fixed. The work never ends on a farm.
It’s nature red in tooth and claw for you, day in day out…don’t know how you deal with it. Our new little (in fact growing remarkably quickly) lives in an outhouse and we’re always worrying that some marauding fucker will come and get him. We have some quite naughty wild cats in the nearby forest and plenty of foxes….but i think there’s so much for them to eat around here that Molly wouldn’t make much of a meal:)
Who is Molly? It is hard for me to keep all the fellowships creatures straight.
Gorgeous photos and don’t worry…we won’t tell John!
Thank you for your happy pictures today. And for my Sheila-Shirt, which arrived this morning.
That looks like a really solid roof on the barn. I have been wondering how you were getting on with Elsie. How do you begin to make friends with her. Do you scratch the top of her head as you did Daisie, or not. Do you brush her every day? Godot is quite elegant even of he isn’t showing at full splendor.
I understand the darkness left by the mink… the feeling, the smell, the graphic images. You are wise to be watchful for the intelligence and hostility that is a large part of their existence. Keep up your guard and be watchful – protective. Oh, isn’t it a constant chore to be patching and repairing these old structures? But, it is done in love… it is a shelter after all and better than nothing! Have a lovely day… 🙂