ONE of the questions that came up in yesterday’s poll was what Zone is the farm in. Excellent question. The USA is so vast that the USDA created Zones which are very useful for us gardeners. We are in Zone 5 but very close to Zone 6. Right in the middle – so we can expect extreme cold or extreme heat but the temperatures can change by 30 or 40 degrees in a day.
Mr Flowers began to display his tail yesterday so the excess peeling on the shafts of his feathers is not impeding his performance which is a relief.
The dump truck seems to be a popular place for lounging about.
These three middle sized pigs are behaving very well though their electric fence is not on yet. The little mobile solar charger is still charging up though it is going to be cloudy today. Hmm, We have one pig missing though. There should be four.
Sheila came out for her walk.
And during Sheila’s afternoon saunter we found the missing pig. She is in heat and would not leave this steer. I took her back three times but she still found a way back to him and made a mess of my fences along the way.
In the end I left her there. Until I get that electric fence up and running she is just going to escape again anyway.
So Sheila and I and the cats and the dogs walked back up to the barn again.
Where Mournful Moon has turned back up.
Above is the sky in sunset out to the West. Below is light thrown from the sunset into the East.
The reluctant peach-light hung in the air for a long time, before following it’s stretching tether down over the horizon to catch up with the the sun. In the gathering dark I went out and found the middle sized pig waiting at the gate again and led her back to her sleeping herd. Who knows where they will be this morning. My fence is truly breached and not on the list for this busy day!
I am leaving the poll up for a couple more days. So if you have not voted yet pop in and take the little questionnaire. It is just a few multi-choice questions about the you and the blog and won’t take longer than a minute to tick the boxes that match your answers. I will publish the results this weekend.
Warm today again – a high of 70f/21c. The perfect temperature in my humble opinion.
Tomorrow morning I must get up and get going even earlier than usual so I can leave the farm and catch the train then travel up through the big city to the O’Hare International Airport to collect two very special visitors to the farm. Three hours there and three hours travel back. Then add another hour for connections. So tomorrow’s blog will be brief and the following day’s blog may be missing. Not to worry – I will be back after that.
Have a lovely day.
Love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
70 responses to “Zone 5”
Mournful Moon is well named. I wonder if he/she ever smiles? Meanwhile I am smiling and laughing at your piggies antics! Never a dull moment
They keep coming up with new entertainments! c
We are zone 5 also! Much better than the cold zone 4
Interesting – yes we are quite cold enough (usually) thank you!
In heat + electric shock = would be bad day. But Mr. Flowers display is amazing. I gasped when my eyes landed on the photo. So amazing!
Yes poor wee lovey – she did give herself a shock once I go that fence going.. but at least she is IN now..c
Piggie in love with a steer. That is the best thing I have heard today for sure! If she had to pick someone, glad it’s one who can’t take advantage of her! Safe travels to O’Hare, it’s exciting to think about some visitors!
She tried to get in with Tane but Tima saw her off!! c
That’s funny! Tima doesn’t want to share her man :*)
What a great list of characters. Mournful Moon’s face is a picture. Mr Flowers strutting his stuff and Sheila looks like she means business.
Mournful Moon has such a mournful way about him.. c
The farmy will probably get a lot of recognition from the gender diversity lot once that photo goes viral.. They might want to send in someone to help with the stress of transition. Watch out for ARP too (Association of Religious Pigs). On the other hand, they could be willing to donate to a build-a-wall project to replace the inadequate border problem there.
Should be “border protection.”
It is true that I seem to have a breech (or is it breach) – when i see the herd of hymn singing pigs coming up the drive I will be ready!
I’m sorry. I laughed out loud at your missing pig ending up on the steer. That shot will make me laugh all day. I do not envy you the long drive to the airport. It’s the price one pays for living the good life. Do you sense a bit of envy here? Good luck getting those wandering pigs corralled. Good to know Mr Flowers can still show his feathers. He is just beautiful. Have a wonderfilled day yourself.
I drive for an hour then take the train up to the city then an uber out to the airport – all because I hate hate driving up to the airport.. c
Good plan! If you go to O’Hare airport, I completely understand. That place is nuts. Portland is a piece of cake comparatively. Saves wear and tear on the car and driver too. Phoenix airport is a hard one as is St. Louis. Keeping my fingers crossed. My daughter just made a trip to Baltimore that was somewhat hair raising. I’ll have to write about it.
Oooh, Mournful Moon is quite photogenic. Sheila looks like a patrol officer. And Mr. Flowers… well, just FABULOUS is all I can say! Ha ha!
Sheila does do a strange kind of patrol – always walking the same route then back to her bedroom.. c
Maybe she has OCD issues!
Maybe the errant piggie was looking for a “heating pad” and found one in the cow. You have mentioned that ruminants put off a lot of heat. Mr. Flowers is beautiful. Have a great day C…enjoy the mild temps/
True – it would have been warm draped over that steer.. c
Wow!!! The peacock!
Isn’t he lovely c
Majestic!!!
Hehe, I had a good laugh, when finally finding the lost piggy – I’m sure you had a big laughter, too. In heat!! And chose a steer. Oh my! Funny pig. Just great.
Ah well, beautiful Mr. Flowers with those white feathers in…
And Mournful Moon is back – how nice.
Ah, and yes, I have voted yesterday. I’m already curious how you will enterprete the results.
Have a nice time with your special guests (VIPs ;-)).
Yes. Very Important P’s.. c
That cat’s face is comical. And the pig-in-heat with the steer is, um, odd. Is she hoping against all odds to become the mother of a cow-pig-mix? Or is she just hiding from reality with a safe friend? Safe travels, Miss C.
There we are – comical and odd – when the pigs are in heat they seem stupified and stunned – drunk almost.. c
That’s a coincidence. Your post was the next thing I looked at after checking what zone we are in down here in Southern Oregon: Zone 8! Wanted to know because we have some young trees to plant.
8! That sounds wonderful – c
ZOWIE!! The PICTURES! Beautiful! Poor Moon looks like he’s going to cry! Mr. Feathers – don’t think I’ve ever seen white plumage mixed with color before, but it sure stands out when he’s in full dress like that. Have to giggle as I wonder at what kind of a place you are running there…big pig that doesn’t like her own kind but thinks she’s one of the calves, lovelorn middle-size piggy that is in love with a steer that could no longer care less, piggies that think they are rhinos, – you get the picture – and I love every bit of it!!! And now, mystery visitors! EEE HAW!
Yes, there are some peculiar going on that is for sure.. c
Funny peculiar! Oh Australia is very much divided into similar zones but methinks the perimeters are different. I also am in Zone 5 going on Zone 6 for all my gardening purchases and planting times but our minimum temperature basically being -2C – -5C there are obvious differences! [Verbally I am in ‘moderate temperate’ to ‘cool temperate’] I work according to the ‘Zone Pattern’ all year. *smile* Am also guessing as to your visitors . . . think I may be right this time . . . but whoever: have a wonderful time and may the weather be OK: supposedly that beautiful temp won’t last . . .
No, the weather plummets the moment she steps off the plane – what bad luck – ah well..c
A singular ‘she’ but two warmly awaited guests – methinks I just may be ‘on track’ 🙂 !!
Yup! Racing thru’ – had not looked at the top comments, but thought it was Sophie 🙂 ! Nowhere to take them rock-climbing 🙂 !!