What exactly is a country mile? Is it a little like a bakers dozen? Or are there no measurements to a country mile at all.
A country mile sounds slow and gentle. A bit like “mostly” I was thinking this when I looked at front garden thinking about getting out the sprinklers and watering it. By the end of every day I am mostly done.
Out here you can see a storm coming from so far away that you have time to get the clothes in off the line before it hits. The rain was welcome as the gardens were dry and there is no hay on the ground. Next week I will cut the hay.
And no, cows do not lie down when rain is coming. And neither do the leaves on the trees turn upside down, though I have noticed that the maples sometimes droop lower and can show their undersides when it is humid and rainy. And yesterday the humidity skyrocketed just before the storm.
Had to use the “wide” on the wide angle to get this shot for you which has distorted my view somewhat. This is the view from my back door.
And this is the view from the front door.
Poor old Boo is sitting out on the verandah, not allowed inside because he went out to bark at the coyotes in the night and surprised a skunk. So the skunk is safe and Boo is stinky.
He did NOT miss that by a country mile. Today I drive the girls up to the airport and tomorrow I drive back up and collect my next two visitors.
Lady Astor’s milk production has finally dropped back to normal now and is still clean and beautiful so I am taking her to Once A Day milking. She still has Bobby T with her. Fingers crossed. To make sure her udder does not get pushed she is fed no grain at all and is on the good pasture for only half the day. Bobby T gets plenty.
Last night I went out about 10pm to walk about the animals. It is my favourite time out there. Though I love the early mornings too. Last night I was walking across the field to see the cows and heard the swish swish of big feet pulling through the long grass and Aunty Del’s long red head appeared out of the darkness. She is a stunning lead cow, another of the reasons why I brought her back to the home farm, and behind her the others were slowly swinging in. As i turned to walk with the cows up to the barn the calves galloped around and around us like fat humming bees, their tails held high, running as fast as they could, shooting in and out of the darkness like thundering arrows, around and around their mothers and aunties and me until we reached the barn then they shot past us and into the light around the big doorways. We win they laughed as they disappeared like high stepping fillies into the old building. As we caught up, moving at a more sedate pace, we could hear the sleepy grunts of annoyed pigs calling out to the calves to keep it down some people are sleeping don’t you know.
Good morning. It is still raining, so they can spend the day on the concrete under the trees, off the sodden grass.
Poor Boo – he is looking at me through the door. He does not understand why all the doors are closed to him. He can open doors so when this happens he is literally locked out.
Time for me to get busy we have chores to do before we head out to the airport. Boo I will wash when we get home. It is better to leave a skunked do
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love celi
PS I have decided that from now on instead of eating with family on Memorial Day I will do something that makes me struggle and sweat and feel some hardship. Probably alone. Many of these men and women died alone. I think it would be a more appropriate way to commemorate a soldiers death than a cook-out with lots of tasty food. Little Theo the pea chick died yesterday too. We were all terribly sad. At least he died cupped warm in my hands right up against my belly. I had been able to warm him right up but he died anyway. But he was not alone. I have always said that even a short life has as much value as a long one. Leaving some little treasure behind for our pockets. Some important memory. Some reason. c.
The Kitchen's Garden 
80 responses to “A Country Mile”
I believe a country mile is a very long way – perhaps as much as ten miles or a distance unanticipated.
Poor Boo 🙂
Huh. Thank you. c
So you did ‘nt have to water after all (except for washing Bo). Bye bye to the girls. I hope the new lot are as successful.
A country mile is like a Cornish mile – a lot further than it says on the signpost!
love,
ViV xox
I’m with MD on the country mile….it’s wonder lies in its vagueness…a bit like a country hour:)
Oh a country Hour – great. Have not heard that one.. c
PS, your sad PS arrived as I was posting. I’m sorry about the little peachick – I had high hopes for him.
A country mile reaches into ‘forever land’ . . . I oft say ‘I couldn’t do that in a country mile’ for something just remotely possible . . . 🙂 ! And I find myself happy to be living in a hollow in an undulating landscape ’cause I surely am not thrilled by the Prairies skies 🙂 !
You are so afraid of storms – poor thing – I have to say that i love them – they invigorate me.. c
Slightly incorrect, Celi – I do not like anything that is violent and unpredictable – probably the result of five years of growing up under indescribable war conditions. I may be many things but have never ever considered myself as a ‘poor thing’ 😀 !!
Beautiful!
Oh, that is sad about Theo. That little chick had such a presence.
I love that rainstorm photo where it looks like a plug has been pulled out of the cloud and the water is gushing out. Poor Theo, I’ll miss hearing about him.
Miss C, I’m going into hospital tomorrow for 4-5 days to have my back screwed together again, so if I don’t comment, that’s why. I’ll be back soon.
Oh poor you, Kate. Seems you’re getting worked on a lot these days. Hope it all solves the problems. Will be thinking of you and wishing you well! ~ Mame 🙂
Hopefully this one should fix a lot of problems at once, and may even help the dodgy hip pain too. Can’t wait!
Excellent – that should do it. Good to know what you are dealing with and Good Luck! And yes. You will be back – you are a strong determined lass so you are.. c
I’m *this* close to major pain reduction, so, pretty excited :-). See you out the other side of it all!
Good luck Kate
Thank you! xx
Yes good luck to you, Kate. I always love reading your comments. They are quirky and on the money. All this despite your constant pain and suffering.
Thank you, and your comments are always kind and thoughtful :-). I’ll be back soon, and hopefully increasingly pain free!
The absolute best to you, Kate. I love your comments as well and I miss them when you are gone. Much love, your Gayle
I won’t be gone long… A quick 4 hour job, a few titanium bits and pieces, a bit of bone cement… Love back, K xxx
I hope all goes well for you.
I’m quite sure it will, he’s an excellent surgeon 🙂
Sounds plenty nasty but I admire your attitude! Keeping the petitions going that it’s a miraculous treatment.
I’ve been able to talk to a couple of his patients who’ve already had the same procedure, and they were all delighted with the outcome, so it’s all good!
At this point in my US east coast time, you might already be in your surgery. All the best, Kate, I really hope this is something that takes a lot of the pain out of your life. I know chronic pain, and it’s no fun.
Looking forward to hearing from you on the other side! XOXOXO
No, surgery is tomorrow morning 7am Australian EST. I’m hoping for a significant reduction, but not miracles; a pain free life is probably out of reach, but it would be lovely to go for a walk or be able to spend a few hours in the kitchen! A night’s sleep, a quick needle in the arm, and it’ll be all over. I can DO this!
This is such a lovely post. I have a lot to learn about farming. #citygirl
Seems there are different definitions of a ‘country mile’ online but what really interested me even more than its meaning is that the first known use of it was in 1950! I recall my Dad using the expression when I was a kid and, my being born just shortly before 1950, he must have picked up on it when it was first introduced to the language.
Oh dear, poor Boo. And seems, no matter what you do, he will continue to stink all summer every time he gets wet in the rain. And also, poor Theo. I am wondering what happened to the dear. Did those nasty chickens beat him up? A nice gentle reflection about bringing tbe cows home, thank you.
Hope you have a lovely day too. ~ Mame 🙂
No, he was perfect. I think it is possible he was smothered from too many mother hens. Quite possible actually. And something I had not thought of.. c
Ah, smothered in love. I guess there are harder ways to go.
Sorry about Theo.
Sorry about Theo. I was so enjoying his stories with the hens. I would not make a good farmer, I get upset just hearing about Theo.
Farmers get sad too. c
Farmers do get sad. It may be the circle of life, but sometimes it seems just too short.
Linda
They do get sad, recently a little north of here a farmer had a couple of heifers killed by wolves except one had been eaten on and wasn’t dead when he found her. He was a big burly fella and almost in tears as he spoke of having to end her misery.
That is so horrible – poor heifer and poor farmer.. c
People do understand the pain that losing to predator causes.
I’m sorry about Little Theo. He was so intrepid. I looked forward to hearing his adventures.
I’m glad the little calves are healthy and vigorous and happy.
I think your idea about Memorial Day is perfect. It has morphed into a celebration instead of a day of reflection and memory.
My earliest recollections of memorial day are the ones I gleaned from the wonderfully evocative book, “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn”. I’m sure you all have read it. I just finished reading it for the third or fourth time. What a wonderful read! Much love, Your Gayle
Poor Theo- at least he knew love and comfort. and I bet Boo will be happy to get his bath! Lovely stormy photos!