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”
My niece was telling me not an hour ago that hydrogen peroxide is good for pet stains on rugs–and it doesn’t bleach the rug! I can hardly believe it, but just might try it cause I hate my old rug anyway.
I’ll bet your cousin was referring to hydrogen peroxide 3%… available at the pharmacy. It can also be used as a mouth wash to kill germs after surgeries, so I expect it won’t damage carpets…. or dogs, for that matter — Just be careful to get the 3% one. Good luck!
So sorry to hear about Theo. I, too, enjoyed his adventures. I’m glad he had you with him.
I read something the other day with the opposite view of your Memorial Day thoughts. This soldier took umbrage with the common meme going around this time of year that Memorial Day should be a solemn day of remembrance and that it somehow dishonors it to spend it with family doing happy things. From his point of view, those young men and women died so that you could spend happy time with family. He said it honors them to live you life, to be free, to be happy. And yes, to remember them, too. I think you can do both and I came away from his article thinking that there are always people who will tell us to punish ourselves for someone else’s loss. But when I think of the people I have lost, I cannot think of any of them who would recommend that I be particularly sad or refuse to join in family traditions (unless I just didn’t want to go!) on some particular day of the year.
Anyway, how you choose to honor the day is up to you – just a thought from the other side.
And a good thought too – thank you.. c
So sorry to hear about Theo, and Boo as well. Being a farmer means meeting life and death on a fairly regular basis, and finding as much meaning in that life as you can, no matter how long it has been. You cherish all the lives in your keeping to the best of your ability, and even better, you share that in great detail with all of us. Thank you!
I was looking forward to watching Theo grow , now I am sad. I am so sorry that he didn’t make it.
Its Ok to be sad – this is part of life after all.. c
What days, and nights, you have… you work hard and deal with all manner of things good and bad. You should commemorate Memorial Day however you want to. On ANZAC Day we do both. We go the dawn & afternoon services to honour & reflect, then we have a drink at the pub and mingle with our community, some of whom play 2-Up which we don’t. Other’s prefer to spend the day quietly, alone. Or to make merry. It’s one of the many freedoms fought for… to choose. Sorry to hear about Theo, creatures are so very fragile.
Is a country mile like a New York minute? So many unusual, fun, thoughtful expressions a? Poor dear Theo…but he was loved to death…not such a bad way to go, really. But you are right C. every little life is dear, no matter how long or short that life may be. xoxo
Reblogged this on christoff2016 and commented:
i enjoyed this article as it made me realise that small things in life can be very benificial. it also showed me that simple things can make your life a lot easier and if you enjoy it then i believe it is very healthy and good.
Oh, no! Poor Theo… What happened?
Btw, I loved your description of walking amongst the animals at night. It’s the best time, and bored as you might be of goings out again, it never fails to soothe.
It’s always sad to lose a farmy member, whether they just arrived or have been there a long time. Through your words they wriggle their way into our hearts.
It looks like your back door looks out on a New Zealand/Australian lushness … while your front door looks out on the American prairie.