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
The Kitchen's Garden 
65 responses to “Two days to go!”
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