Waiting for the Milking

The afternoons are spent in a series of gentle moves that culminate in The Milking.  I put Naomi into the barn about 2pm.  She just runs straight in every time. 

Her mother waits outside in the yards and we milk her about 5pm.  I usually get about two gallons which is plenty for the house hold and the animals.

Sheila my big fat pig waits on the other side of the barn, with her feet in her water, hoping for a little left over milk.

The milking shed smells like essential oils, the floors are washed with lemongrass and peppermint oils mixed with water and a little Dawn (dishwashing liquid) to keep the flies out. I don’t know if theses oils actually do repel the flies but it smells just lovely. We make the oils ourselves so they are very strong and the scent lingers all day.

Aunty Del always comes in at milking time and watches from her pen. She likes to  be part of the action and Our John brings her fruit.  He always cuts the apple or pear into quarters and she does not give up searching for her treats until she has had all four pieces.   Lady Astor refuses to eat fruit even when I cut them up small she will leave the apples on her plate.

I notice these things for you. When you see something of interest do you point it out to whoever is close to you. If you see a a  hawk, or a deer, a helicopter or a funny looking cloud. A rabbit or a cat in a tree. A rainbow. A shadow. Simple things. Do you point and say hey look at that! And we really don’t mind who we are sharing this vision with.  We can discuss it with a bank teller, or the girl at the check out.  A friend or your beloved.  Or the dog. We just need to feel the realness of a vision shared.

I remember when I first moved to America about eight years ago now, I saw a snake, a big one, in the compost heap. I screamed (as you would), threw the pitchfork away (as you do) , turned, tripped over the fence (literally), picked myself up and raced through the garden, up the steps and into the house to get my phone and call my daughter in New Zealand to tell her straight away that I had just seen a snake. I wasn’t afraid – I just wanted to tell her straight away.

As human beings we have a very deep need for someone else to see what we see. Feel that same delight. Connect.  Maybe if someone else sees what we see it proves that we really are here and seeing what we are seeing. I would hate to be a figment of my own imagination. I don’t like to use the word share because it has been so overused in the blogging world. But we all do love to share what we see, it is a natural thing.

A good thing.

I am lucky because I have Camera House so I can share what I see with you every day.  Maybe this is why blogging  and commenting comes so naturally to many of us.

I hope you have a lovely day,

Your friend on the farm

celi