Eat Not Your Bed
The wind is howling and it is pouring with rain outside as I sit down for my early morning journal. It has been an Easterly – swinging from the Nor/east for days now and this is a cold wind. Worse it blows straight into the farrowing pen.
So I shut Mollys big East door last night and jammed straw along the bottom to cut the draft. Molly inspected the job with her teeth pulling the straw back out and chewing on it. Then I put down more wood chips in the center for her bed and she came across and set about eating them too. “Eat not your bed.” I said, to Molly as I set up the heat lamps in the babies creep just in case she should surprise me and farrow in the night. But she just looks at me quizzically, munching on the pine as though I am speaking another language.
When I checked her later she was on her knees pulling the label off her big red water barrel with her teeth.
When I checked her even later in the night she was asleep against the bar closest to the warm lights. Fast asleep, her breathing even and slow. I could see the unborn piglets bashing away inside her belly. If all goes well this will be an energetic bunch of babies.
It was grim and chilly yesterday too and the Cadet and I worked on the inside of the barn. Talking the whole time, as we do.
The sky literally boiled in little cloud bubbles above us but, without a soundtrack of discord, it was not sinister.
Today the wind will shift to the nor’west bringing cold for a couple of days. The nights will blow right down to almost freezing. I will bring the smallest of the seedlings back into the crowded glasshouse tonight. And hope Molly waits a few more days.
It is March – and almost the end of March at that, but I still feel cold. This is why March is my least favourite month. Not exactly going out like a lamb is it. And a lion announced March. Though after all this rain the fields will grow well when the warmth finally does come though.
The forecast for today: Thunderstorms. High around 60F. ESE winds shifting to NW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%.
The rain will continue right through the night and into tomorrow.
I think I might re-organise animals into their summer arrangements today. The middle sized pigs were sold and delivered yesterday so the trailer is still hitched up to the truck and Our John (the driver) is home because of the rain. I may as well take advantage of that combination.
Sheila leaves the barn and goes to the back paddock during farrowing time. The steers (except the little one) are to go across the way to live with Aunty Del and the bull. Lady Astor and Aunty Anna come back to the farm. Lady Astor is looking quite round and though I am not sure of Aunty Anna’s status, if Alex is bred (and I think she is) then odds are Aunty Anna is bred too. Both having spent the winter with Carlos the bull.
I am hoping to buy a hereford steer that I have found. When he arrives he will live with Tia and her cousin Bobby T3. Bobby T3 is to be sold as soon as he starts putting on some field weight.
I hope you have a lovely day.
celi
43 Comments on “Eat Not Your Bed”
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Have a glorious day C.
🙂 Mandy xo
Hi Mandy!! c
Busy as always. Have a great day and stay dry.
the great is easy – the dry: impossible..c
Nice to see that the Cadet is still visiting the farmy! Hope she is doing well. Looks like lots of strategic planning is happening. Very important indeed! 🙂
Yes, she still comes on and off – depends on school and her other issues.. c
Beautiful bubbly clouds. We get them like that in France. Dense stormy cotton balls. I have heard they are called Mammas. They usually accompany fierce weather in our parts. I hope you and Molly and team are spared. x
Aren’t these clouds amazing – no storms – just rainy and wintry..
Nice to see the Cadet is still roaming the farm at times. Somehow I think that she is outgrowing that name…
She will always be The Cadet. She is a great help..c
…short for mammatocumulus (=mammary)…perhaps they are a sign that Molly is nearly there!
Oh – I like the name of these clouds – thank you.. little bosoms floating above us.. c
Mammatus clouds… my mother used to call them ‘soap bubbles’, prettier than the udder name, don’t you think? (Sorry about the pun). Perhaps they’ll encourage all your gestating ladies to hurry up and fill their bags. Nice to see the Cadet’s around again, but my word, hasn’t she grown!
I am in no rush for babies – however when cleaning out the milking room yesterday i felt a longing to milk again.. but if not I certainly won’t mind that either.. c
Perhaps it was a longing for ice cream, yoghurt and butter, rather than the actual milking activity, which would be completely understandable!
Wonderful account and especially liked those pictures of those clouds.
I too love these clouds and have seldom seen them out here – very pretty.. c
Eat not your bed…..I have used it many times with beagles too. HI CADET!!!!!!! You have GROWN much taller!!!
Stay dry and have a good day!!!
This is so odd, I’m always being moderated now. ????
Batton down the hatches, and try to have a nice day. 😀
I will putter about in the barns -I like an excuse to work in there.. c
I’m with you… MARCH STINKS!! And this March in particular STINKS DOUBLE !! At least the sun is shining…but we’re supposed to be getting more rain – and possibly snow – tomorrow when my ‘dumpster’ arrives… And it’s supposed to be nasty most of next week. YUCK…
I’m not doing all that great so far getting ready ‘for the move’…. but a bit of panic set in yesterday. A much needed sense of panic!
As always, love reading about what’s going on at the ‘farmey’. Can’t wait to see all the new babies!! ; o )
You are so naughty – get that dumpster filled – there are adventures ahead for you!
Piglets will be here soon – I can feel it in my oinker body. I can’t wait!! <3 XOXO – Bacon
Within a few days I hope – no sign of milk yet.. c
Have a great day! ✨😉
You too darling girl! c
Naming clouds for female body parts…hmmmmm, looks more like testicocumulus clouds to me. 😉 I guess staying dry today is not going to be high on the list, so good luck with the transfers. Good thing cows don’t mind rain. Will you be using the hereford bull to breed the larger cows?
Ha ha ha ha – as we slowly descend into the gutter (though we can watch the stars Oscar tells me!) c
That’s funny Kim, I can think of some other names for those clouds.
There we go again! You guys!!! c
Playing musical animals would make my mind spin all night long. I think we are all ready to see the sun and have a bit of warm though it’s warmer here than where you are. It’s just dreary. Hoping Molly waits for the warm too.
It is very simple really, beef with beef, babies with babies,pregnant ladies with pregnant ladies (the only fly in the ointment is Aunty Del who is neither of anything) . I am going to find her a bull.. c
Based on the several comments, there are several potential members of the Cloud Appreciation Society.
https://cloudappreciationsociety.org/
we certainly appreciate clouds out here!
Hilarious – all the pigs have such strong characters 🙂
Oh those clouds!
I love those cloud pictures! I am also not a fan of March. Too much up and down for me. But here the big spring storms of th the morning have given way to a beautiful sunny afternoon. I better enjoy it while I can.
I can relate to Molly eating everything…some days are like that. Love the clouds! xx
It is not often one can use the word “roiling” but whenever I see clouds such as those, no other word will do.
Roiling is the perfect word – thank you
Those pictures of the clouds over the landscape are amazing. They give scale and inspire awe.
Interesting clouds. What will the Cadet do when she finishes school? Any vet or farming plans? I’m thinking Molly is bored and is checking everything out while she’s waiting for her piglets?