Two days to go!
Imagine a life where the mosquitoes were as big as mice. It could have happened you know. And right about now we are heaving with mosquitoes. So I am kind of grateful they are so small. They seldom actually bite me which is nice but no-0ne wants to stand next to me when we are picking the dinner at dusk. The mossie flies over me and straight at you. But I still hate their whining and their sticky little feet. 
But there are more mosquitoes now than I have ever seen. There is no filling in the stagnant little lakes that are all over the fields and mud holes around the buildings. There are too many. We are just going to have to wait it out and hope it dries out fast. Mud is everywhere.
Poor Poppy is so uncomfortable now. She lies so awkwardly. Luckily it is nice and cool. She has two days to go. Or one, maybe. Last night she was dragging bits of hay here and there looking for the perfect nest spot. We are close now. Now, remember, that we are allowing her to have these piglets out of a farrowing crate which means that we may have casualties. Even good mothers can stand on their piglets by mistake this is why they usually crate the mothers. Letting her make her own nest has its risks.
The hens from the Easter chickens and the Accident chickens have gone into the chook house to join the laying flock. There were very few roosters and they are in the garden chicken tractor. We have enough roosters.
Every field seems to have its resident rooster.
My car has a resident Peacock. Well, what can a girl do. It looks like the perfect peacock chair.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love your friend on the farm,
celi
65 Comments on “Two days to go!”
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Here’s hoping that the sound of tiny piggy feet happen soon, with no mishaps or causalities! Bless her little heart, the last days of pregnancies are a horror for any woman.
Sounds like you need to start breeding bats for all those mossies! Actually found out the other day that Humming Birds also eat them which is great as I have loads of those in my garden!
and swallows. Can you import some mozzie eaters?
Beautiful peacock photo!
Ugh! That’s what I fear although not as much as you. All of the puddles makes for breeding grounds for those blood suckers. Although there has been a great deal of toad breeding going on so maybe they will eat some?
Maybe you will have Independent piglets. There seems to be no end to this strange weather pattern. I think we are all begging for relief, even the animals. Hope your day goes well.
Toads & wasps & bats dine on mosquitoes. How about a bat house on a pole between the gardens & the fields?
Frog and geckos! Between them, we don’t get a lot of mozzie life around the back door. Venture further into the back yard and it’s a different story, of course. You can reduce the mozzie breeding areas by chucking some straw into small ponds and ditches so there’s no standing water. It can be composted afterwards. Assuming you have straw to spare…
and yes you are right – I am hurting for straw now.. and I am surrounded in FIELDS of standing water now, whole fields, every ditch, every hole, every dip. . But the rains have stopped for the meantime except for the odd stray shower and it is not too hot so I am hopeful.. c
Kate, my friend also has a terrible reaction to anesthesia, so she asked for a patch which greatly alleviated the nausea. I don’t know what is in the patch but when my turn comes for anesthesia, I’m going to ask for it.
My problem is that I’m badly allergic to most of the drugs they give you for the nausea! There’s one ‘old fashioned’ one they don’t like giving any more which works just fine, so I always have a tussle with the anesthetist just before surgery to make sure I get it!
Oh my. Poppy is VERY lumpy, isn’t she? Those last days are trying…I remember. The peacock makes a most marvelous hood ornament. Wish I had one!
Back from my trip into the desert in Namibia, and it is so hot and dry there the Rangers have sunk boreholes and created water holes for the animals. Not great for the animals but wonderful viewing opportunities for us human folk. Rushed to catch up on Farmy news last night only to find you practically washed away! My brother built a Bat house for their mossie problem and the bats moved into the ceiling in his garage right next to the Bat house 🙂 I am sure Volkswagen would love the photo with Mr Flowers on the bonnet. Settling down into the countdown for Miss Hop and Pop Poppy and wishing you luck for the farrowing, hoping it is soon. Laura
We have plenty of high dark sheds and barns for bats but I have never seen any here.. they are like wild birds few and far between..
Well, flowers and Volkswagen’s just go together….. I have a beetle and I have a flower in the vase all he time!
I loath mosquitoes…one finds me and calls to every single friend and I end up looking like I have a thoroughly nasty skin condition
Celi, the pipe with the red nipples in the chook house, is that a waterer??? And yes, too many rooster can be a bad thing for the hens, that’s for sure! xo
You nailed it! I am swatting mosquitoes like a banshee. The barn swallows follow me about and I’m glad because I assume they are feasting on the pests I stir up as I walk about. Hoping Poppy does well!!
Oh, I hope Poppy does well too and matures from the experience, I would love her to be like your lovely sow..
After the rains: Mozquitos. How unfair. I ALWAYS am THE victim (or prey?) of them. They even bite me through my jeans. Awful. And painful. Thanks god, in the city where I’m living there are just very few.
I never have experienced a pig giving birth – so I’m a bit exited now, too. Don’t know what to expect exactly. But I feel, you are also exited and so cautious, it must be a heavy thing. I’m curious about it.
And me too, I do like that hood ornament. Reminds me of the figureheads of old cogs, too…
Have a nice & lovely day, Celi.
Victim is a very good word. sorry they like to eat you. It is true about caution and excitement being heavy.. . and the waiting! I hate the waiting!…….. c
We never had a farrowing crate, letting our sows nest naturally with no casualties. Yes, it’s a risk but allowing a mother to do things naturally is so rewarding all around. Our Effie, who was the size of Sheila, seemed to move in slow motion, thus allowing her piglets more time to GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!!
Christine
I agree.. I think Poppy would panic terribly if I locked her into a crate she knows where she is and is pottering about fatly.. we will see what happens next.
VERY exciting!
Christine
Have you thought of caponising the excess cockerels? They do make such good eating!
Hang in there, Poppy, and watch where you’re putting your feet – you could pretent you’re a ballet dancer!
Im so sorry about your standing water problems bringing the mozzies. We had the father and mother of a storm this morning, but the worst of it was to the east of us, heading for Paris. It was 38 degrees here yesterday, which is too much! I bought a floaty summer dress which is 40 years too young for me, but I don’t care!
I Love the idea of that summer dress! Good for you Viv – I bet you look gorgeous in it.. c
how about planting catnip..that is supposedto keep mozzies away ( did not work in my garden but then my cats did not like it either
or citronelle (lemon grass). The only alternative is to smother yourself with your local equivalent of Jungle Formula
I’m not surprised at all of the mosquitoes given all of that rain. I am like a mosquito magnet. For some reason, they are drawn to me. And when I’m bitten, my skin reacts quite badly. But I refuse to spray on a repelling chemical.
I learnt the best mosquito repellent is just plain old “Listerine” in a spray bottle from some old down south moonshiner that I met a while back. Yes it works!
What a great tip! I have a spare bottle… couldn’t stand the taste, that I will test out next summer 🙂
I hope poppy has a good birth and turns into a good mother. Let’s hope she’s not like charlotte. But I suppose animals are like people, some take to motherhood naturally and some don’t. I hate mozzies especially if one gets stuck in your bedroom as your trying to get to sleep! Have a great day x
I hope the new little ones arrive without issue. Sorry you are having so many mozzies; hopefully it dries out soon.
Oh, how exciting! We can even see the bulges and the lumps! I can hardly wait to see how many little ones appear! Fingers crossed for all live births and no smashes from hooves or a big Momma (on accident, of course!)
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
Mosquitoes love me because of my rich wine blood.
Viv, I read it’s 103 in Paris….and I bought an outfit just like you and now can’t muster the courage to wear the darn thing.
My dad always chewed tobacco and mosquitoes never bothered him and he lived in Minnesota where they are the state bird! 🙂 So I guess a good ole wad tween yer cheek and gum ill do the job! Hah! I love Pop pop poppy’s little back toes! Equus…I too have rich wine blood but mosquitoes be damned…no way I’m giving up my wine! 🙂
Say, here’s an idea! Tell the Architect Fede that you require a Swallow Apartment House design… hehehe Perhaps when he returns to begin his studies he will be able to build it for you!
Yes, the peacock on car shot is a beauty! He doesn’t go indoors at night?
I am wondering if “mozzies” is an American slang or one from down under. It’s a term I’ve not heard before and I guess our shortform is “skeeters”. I found, when living outside the city, the first year I was eaten alive and then, after that, they rarely bothered me again… and I thought perhaps I’d built up some sort of immunity. Many others I knew were not so fortunate, my son in particular.
Poor Poppy, I feel for her — as long ago as it was, I clearly recall the uncomfortable feeling of hugeness as the time drew near. I have an idea in my head that pigs generally have large litters of wee ones. I am getting excited too. I wonder what the reaction of the kunekunes will be to seeing baby piggies.
Hoping for continued dry weather for you, and a lovely day – Mame 🙂
Yep, mozzies are what we call the bitey little buggers down under!
How is Tane recovering? I hope he is feeling much better. Best of luck to Poppy.
he is in good form now.. at the ready in case Tima comes back int o heat – I hope she doesn’t – he is only just getting over last time!
Sending positive energy for Poppy to deliver easily and no casualties. The mosquitoes here are still a horror from 20 plus inches of rain last month. The rain has caused pestilence here, and the weeds have gone a muck!! I’m losing ground… can’t keep up with the gardens!
I know that feeling.. c
we’re being eaten up alive here while midst a horrible drought….go figure! wishing Poppy a safe and easy delivery for all the piglets!
That sounds like me – mossies don’t like me either. Except for the super special ones! Blessings for Poppy and the piggies-to-be! And that is one gorgeous peacock…
A 9 yr old and I were looking at the photo of Lady Astor in the rain and I was telling her that cows don’t mind the rain. She then asked if Lady Astor would mind the mosquitos that would surely come with all the water!
I think the flies are worse.. tell your 9 year old Hullo! c
We do not have mosquitoes but certainly have midges. They seem to come in swarms, They would drive Jack mad if he was working in the garden and Elly would be eaten alive. I was left alone so my blood was not sweet enough for them. Please tell poppy my fingers are stuck in the crossed position. Love your car ornament!
Mr Flowers draped across your car bonnet outshines the scantily clad girls that usually grace them on the calendars hanging in automotive garages across the lands. A Farmy calendar inclusion?!
Just read that drinking Tonic Water helps to keep the mozzies at bay. G&T anyone?
It doesn’t work – the quinine in tonic is just there to stop malaria, sadly it doesn’t stop the bites 😦
Well I am still taking it for the malaria!
Ha ha – I’ve been drinking it tonight with vodka. The damn things love to bite me so I need the antimalarial protection 😉
ME!!!
I’m not coming to visit – mosquitoes love me. I once got bitten twenty times on each leg while eating outside at a restaurant in Georgia. Now I won’t go out without long trousers or citronella candles in mosquito country 😉
Not sure about any of the things folks have suggested for keeping the skeeters away. My dad wasn’t bothered by them, but he ate a lot of raw garlic. I have heard that one of the Avon products, skin so soft, is good for keeping them away – the cream or the bodywash or the body spray – so there’s something else to try.
Perhaps a few drops of oil on the surface of the puddles closest to the house and barns – it spreads over the surface and keeps the eggs from hatching. Use the cheapest oil you’ve got – don’t waste the good stuff.
Chris S in Canada
hmm that oil trick sounds like a good one would it hurt the frogs? I don’t think so.. not food grade?
Tonic water and garlic definitely do not work: I use plenty of both and am ‘most beloved’ by our large mozzie community – citronella on the other hand is terrific and we can buy citronella wristbands here [made in China naturally, so I do not overuse 🙂 ! ] which they do not seem to like. Here tho’ there are none around bar at dawn and sunset . . . I simply put sleeves and long pants on if I am gardening at the time: but then temps of close to 40C don’t bother me. Hope for an easy delivery for Poppy: there are quite a few ‘in’ there . . .
I think there are a few too, I put my hand on her belly and they kick and squirm about. Definitely more than one!
I saw something on the Today show the other day, that I am waiting now to try when it is summer here in NZ! Apparently mosquitoes hate grapes, so having some around, or even drinking wine, is meant to keep them away – I think I could give that one a good go next summer! And also learned that it’s not having sweet blood that attracts mosquitoes (all blood is the same), it is the person’s sweet smell. I guess that explains why women always seem to get bitten more than men – a lot of women wear sweet smelling perfumes, which is actually attracting the mosquitoes straight to you!
How exciting that the birthing is near. The peacock shot is very elegant.
Wonderful post Celi. Perfect spot for a peacock. Best of luck with Poppy 😃
Celi….be careful with all those mosquitos with your dogs. They bring a big threat of heart worm infestation to our doggy buddies!! I don’t use the preventative on my dogs up here in the pacific northwest…but I would in your neck of the woods. You’re probably already aware of this…just spreading the word on the off chance that you’re not. Take care!!
For all manner of reasons my dogs are on the heartworm pill once a month. We have some pretty vile intestinal worms in the ground over here too.. plus when I have pigs and dogs together it is wise to be careful – thank you for thinking of them.. c
Poppy looks uncomfortable! I hope all goes smoothly.
You are the envy of the neighborhood with that peacock hood ornament!