Twilight
Twilight. Such an evocative word.
Twilight in Alberta.
And I arrived home to twilight in Illinois.
The pigs were pleased to see me. And the cows came galloping in.
But the birds were galvanised – Geraldine (seen above in the background) positively trilled. She was under my feet and my hands as, working against the dying light, I tried to mix the feed for the pigs. I had to literally pick her up and move her aside so I could work. She was like a twirling cat. She was chirruping and tweeting. Making bird noises that I have never heard a peacock make before. Within minutes all the turkeys and peafowl were flying down out of the rafters to see what was in my buckets.
Today I will clean out the barn corners and shift the little pigs. There has been a lot of rain while I was away and their field is mud. It is not good for the field to get that poggy. And I hate animals to have wet feet all the time. So even though they will complain they have to come back into the barn for a while. When Poppy goes over with Manu they will go in with Sheila so this is just step one.
Tima (the kunekune sow) needs to be separated from Tane (the kunekune boar) for a while. She is due to come back into heat soon. So she will be kept separate for a good six weeks if I can bear it so if she does breed again the piglets will come in the spring. I need to work on that. Also tomorrow I will clean out the cow shed and let Poppy and Sheila (the big pigs) back out into their garden.
And LOOK.
I turn my back for a few days and look what happens. A Christmas tree.
Sigh.
I hope you have a lovely day.
celi
60 Comments on “Twilight”
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thekitchensgarden 
Welcome home Celi. Geraldine obviously missed you and had to tell everyone you were back – bird talk for “All is well Celi is back Welcome, Welcome”. I have a mixed reaction to Christmas so while the quilted Christmas tree has not yet been hung up, the nativity that I bought at a craft fair this fall is on display. Go figure.
I understand that – the presents culture I do not like but I love the lights that go up everywhere. c
I always, always love the time of Christmas lights!
Linda
Aah it is so good to be back on the farmy again, yay 🙂 Did you remember to hide the pots before you left? Laura
and my good knives! c
They all love you Dr. Doolittle 😉
I loved that movie as a child – in fact I watched it so often that some f my childhood memories are IN an enormous snail!
Ha ha – that explains everything 🙂
“snort”
Glad you made it back all in one piece. I am sure everyone missed you at the farm.
Our local radio station has been playing Christmas music since before Thanksgiving – so it has been turned off until new year – drives me nuts! No tree here, just a few festive candles, and winter flowers (holiday cactus poinsettias etc). Been so warm here it hardly fells like winter – been in the high 60’s for over a week now!
That is warm – your winter garden must be steaming along – i am a little worried about the garlic coming out of hibernation – but we are in the 20’s this morning.. c
Yep picking Kale and Broccoli on a daily basis. Garlic is a coupe of inches tall. Cold this morning though only 27 and windy! But they are calling for 73 on Christmas Day!!
You are very funny. It is a rather sweet little tree.
Yes – he snuck it in when I was not watching.. c
Welcome back.
Thank you connie – see you soon!
Tuff to leave Logan and the Doggies but great to come back home to all of our “Kids”!! Fun to hear about a peacock’s welcome home!! I can hear all the Farmy kids just chattering away ~ glad to see their Master again!! I received my calendar the other week ~ love it!! Packing the bags for S America and Antarctica ~ gonna go dance with da penguins!! Merrry Christmas to you and all of our fellow Friends!! Hugs to Boo!!
You are all set for an amazing trip! c
Well, I’m guessing that Our John put the tree up, so you must grin and bear it, as it seems he needs a bit of Christmas cheer. 🙂 My John is like you, the less Xmas trees, songs, etc, the better. And honestly, I don’t miss putting up a tree and all that stuff. No doubt the gang on the farmy are singing and dancing with your arrival home!!! xo
Yes it was my John – he has star trek christmas decorations that they have collected for YEARS and he puts those on his tree.. c
It’s a very pretty, modest little tree, hard to be annoyed with it, even if it goes against the principle of the thing…
I think If you could hear all the Fellowship in their relief that you’re back safely and the saga can continue, they’d sound an awful lot like Geraldine, and we’d probably want to weave around your feet and nose in your buckets too! Lovely to have you back, Miss C. As for myself, I’m counting the days till the next trip! 🙂
I know – now we can do the Weather Worry Watch for Feb! I got away with this one alright… c
Glad to know that you are back safely. Nice to hear that you’ve been welcomed so much by your beloved. They obviously missed you a lot. Geraldine showed her love best.
Remembers me when I was young, living far away from home. Everytime when I visited my youngest brother and sister both were awaiting me eagerly to watch what I’ve got in my pockets – for them. It was so much fun to please them just with cute little things…
The b/w photos gave me a little strange and sad feeling – until to the colourful last one.… You have a Christmas Tree – such a cute one. Great and beautiful photo with that dark background…
Have a happy day, Celi!
I went for black and white because those low light twilight shots came out very blue black and white is better.. c
Yes, you’re right: Blue. But isn’t it blue for real? I love this twilight-blue so much (and photographs with that blue). In my language there’s an expression called “the Blue Hour” (sounds a bit weird in English though), it’s exactly that twilight-blue. This so-called blue hour often was mentioned by poets and authors for expressing kind of a melancholy, longingly feeling that they loved so much (having the blues?). I do associate that blue hour with tea time. Oh, I so love the twilight atmospere… 🙂
There’s an English wiki article called “blue hour”… – if you like to know more. ❤
it is the settings on my camera unfortunately.. nothing is that blue! c
Loved the blue ones you’ve made in the past though… 🙂
Welcome home Miss C… Its lovely to go visiting but its so much nicer gping home
Yes.. thank you patrecia.. c
What a cute little Charlie Brown tree. So glad you are “unstuck” and home. Isn’t it wonderful to be missed? It does ones heart good. Photos have a different feel in black and white. It makes me so grateful for color. Welcome back. You were missed here too.
the black and white did make the christmas tree pop though!
It did. 🙂
Roll with the flow…. you are loved and this is the season of light and love. I keep reminding myself of that as hubby tried to keep putting up infernal Christmas junk and wanting the Christmas list of who and whats and wraps.
Bah Humbug!
Put up all the christmas junk this year Pat – all of it! it will help i think.. c
I defend the right to have a twinkling Christmas tree and candles and pretties. But it does annoy me that Christmas lasts about two months – 12 days is about right.
Welcome home, Celie – you were obviously greatly missed there. So the piggies are playing musical beds – I hope they are soon settled.
love,
ViV xox
I went out to lead them in and they said no thank you.. maybe they will go in later on – but it is cold this morning. c
My mom raised about 20 white turkeys one year when I was young. They were entertaining.
I remember cleaning hog houses in the winter. Not my favorite job.
Hi Jim, I have had such bad luck with these turkeys. My pigs all have access to the outdoors and usually take their business outside unless it is a blizzard but when I am away they seem to get lazy (or naughty) and ‘go’ indoors, so I will get them all sorted out again, speaking sternly and hopefully they behave until February when I go away again. c
“She was like a twirling cat. She was chirruping and tweeting. ” (Well written image) Obviously you were missed and all the welcoming committee was thrilled to see you.
Warm light in the window on a farm. A nice glow for all traditions and legends that stir.
I am a part of her well ordered food chain, the giver of food and warm feelings.. c
hers and many many others…thoughts are nourishing the same as food, right? Smiles sent
Welcome back! Ahh Geraldine is so sweet . She must be very attached to you, mummy ceil 😄
Attached to me and my food bucket! c
It’s touching that Geraldine obviously missed you so. Who would think peacocks have such depth of feeling? Yet The Duke of Kupa knew you were desperately trying to save him. How could he not?
Sometimes i think The Duke died from the shock of going to the vet and then the subsequent injections. I don’t know. But if a peafowl starts that gulping he will be getting a shot immediately then left out in the barn with the others. I think the intervention was the death of him really. And too late with the medications.. He did not know I was helping him – he was a bird – he was afraid. Poor thing. c
Oh, I’m so sorry to hear that! I just remember how sick he was with the breathing and how you fought so hard–bringing him into your bathroom to provide humidity for his lungs. Yes he was a bird, but so is Geraldine and apparently knows and feels plenty!
Welcome home Miss C. Who in all the world gets such a thrilled welcome home from a peahen? How lucky you are!
The shot of that little Christmas tree is so full of cheer you have to love it. 🎄
Yes it is very sweet! c
black and white photos stunning; welcome back
It is good to be back.. c
sweet Geraldine crooning to you along with all the rest welcoming you home- especially John with your nice little tree! Really a nice thing to do!
How sweet to have someone in your life who will put up a little tree for you, with his choice of Star Wars decos. Love it. And I just learned this week that photographers call the hour after the sun goes down or before the sun comes up the ‘blue hour’. It just precedes or follows the ‘golden hour’. And your observations of the colours being blue and black confirms that! xx
Welcome home: you must have the biggest smile on your face being made so welcome by the animals outside and the lovely lights to do away with winter darkness indoors . . . Big John saying ‘missed you’ in his own way . . . bet there are two big dogs back in Canada who remember you also . . .
Sorry about the tree. If it helps, it is quite small and understated.
I’m thrilled that the poultry of all sorts gave evidence that they missed you! You rather expect it from dogs and pigs, but this is a nice bonus.
Welcome home!
I wonder if Geraldine is one of those ardent spirits who delights in a charismatic life? She always appears bright and fancy. What a character! I am glad you are home, and of course there is nothing better than getting right back to the work you love. It’s always lovely to be where you belong. 🙂
The black & white photographs–just right.
But so is the tree in its circle of light.
While I was grateful that you kept in touch with us while you were gone, I missed you and now that you’re back I am as happy as Geraldine that you have returned. How lucky you are that it was Geraldine and not me in your way as you tried to work. Moving ME would be much more of a job than moving Geraldine..Much happy love, your Gayle
And a lovely day to you .. They all missed you Celi!
I love that Geraldine showed you how much she missed you. Hanging out with turkeys all the time is hard work! Pretty little tree to greet you. The best gift was having you back.