Over-exposed
There was so much light yesterday that we were all squinting in confusion. Even Camera House apparently.
Here are some behind shots of Lady Astor for the dairy farmers amongst you.
Her udder is hard to see in detail with the light source being in front of her. To expose the black areas of her body correctly I would need to overexpose the whiteness and I have pretty much missed the correct exposure on either.
Poppy slept most of yesterday, she had her walk, then brought herself back up to bed. She is very quiet. Her first due date was Thursday but her window of fertility can stretch to three days and the boar would have continued to cover her over that time, so I am thinking that she has to farrow today or tonight.
This is Poppy’s third litter which gives us a higher chance of a good result.
The sun was so lovely I opened the door for the meat chickens to come out into their garden but they declined the offer. Today I am going to take them out to the grass, the chicken tractor awaits. They are way too messy to raise inside.
The shot above is of Molly sleeping in her area with two of her brood attached. They spent most of the day out in their yard and the rest of it escaping.
I was hoping to wait until June to start selling animals but I may put a few little beasties up for sale earlier. It is time. And this is the plan. I will find good farms for them. I will have both Alex and Aunty Anna pregnancy checked shortly, that will be a fun day.
This shot of Poppy and the ever watchful Boo was taken by Ellie on her cell phone. It is a great shot and makes Poppy looks so slim. And we all know she is not. 
Ellie will be leaving at the end of this coming week (sad) and Miranda our new volunteer arrives tomorrow. Miranda is much younger than the two I have right now and she is booked in for the full three months.
I look forward to meeting her. I hope Poppy has had her piglets by then.
I am working alone today so I will be toddling along as my own speed which will be nice.
Have a lovely day.
celi
Weather Forecast
It blew like crazy yesterday and it rained all night last night. So i am ready for just about anything for the weekend. There are gaps in tje clouds now which is promising.
Saturday 05/06 40% / 0 inRain ending this morning. Breaks of sun in the afternoon. High near 60F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
Saturday Night 05/06 0% / 0 inMostly clear. Low 37F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.
c
26 Comments on “Over-exposed”
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The pigs look quite content 🙂
Content to run about and make trouble!! c
Aren’t they great!
Lovely light in that Poppy and Boo shot, and a girl who can make a substantial pig like Poppy look slender is a talented photographer!
Cell phones do take the most beautiful shots in the hands of a girl who SEES.. c
That is a very telling photograph. I almost missed the ghostly presence on the hay bales above. Ellie saw how the strong light outside made this moment an almost profound, and at the very least, thought-provoking, event. We all will miss her.
So refreshing to find a photographer that takes the pounds off instead of piling them on. So happy to see the littley catching up and not being trampled by his siblings. 🙂 Laura
The little fella is zooming ahead – he is a great eater and indeed catching up fast.. c
Compliments to Ellie and her phone. Great shot!
I will pass that on! c
anticipating Poppy’s piggies- lovely shots for today!
same – nothing so far though. c
Everyone looks quite content. It’s nice to see the sun once in a while. Keeping fingers crossed for Poppy.
same – I do hope all goes well.. c
I think Molly (helper) will age much if she has 3 months on the farm..she will come away a bit fatter and a lot healthier
Sent: Saturday, May 06, 2017 at 2:08 PM
The new girls name is Miranda – though i have never known anyone to get fatter here!
What a great shot about the sleeping Molly! I wish you a great weekend!
Yes – it is so sweet.. c
I think Lady Astor is looking very expectant at the moment. Her udder has filled out more, her bottom muscles seem to be relaxing. She appears to be sinking in at the pins. I know you have worried about her udder filling out but sometimes, even if they haven’t progressed that way in the past, a cow’s udder won’t fill out completely until after the calf is born. The only cow of ours that I can remember that didn’t make an udder one year had a healthy calf. She never really had any milk come in until the vet gave her a shot of oxytocin I think (it has been many years). We had to dispose of the milk for a withdrawal period and she really didn’t produce that well. She was dried up early and her next freshening was normal. She was a good cow temperament wise, with steady production, but she excelled at producing beautiful, productive, type correct daughters no matter who the bull was. She was a short fat cow with bad feet. So when a visiting dairyman would ask why do you keep her around, it was quite fun to point and say because she produced her and her and her. The ones they had come to see if we were interested in selling or consigning to a breed sale.
I love the little piglet pictures. Makes me want to raise some again, but then I remember having to corral the little escape artists. Pictures are much better.
Lady has taken her time with filling up but she is making up for time in a rush – you will remember that last year her udder was so full it was splitting – hopefully that will not happen this time. Your short fat cow sounds like such a dear. c
These photos feel calm… and that probably means things are going to get busy soon enough…
yes – calm before the storm.. c
Oh, Lady Astor has ‘something’ there for certain! Do hope Ellie has had a productive time and Miranda will ‘fit in’! I SO bless you for your patience and teaching abilities . . .
I think there is a live calf there – no real proof except the feeling of life in there – fingers crossed..c
Oh, fingers crossed!! Ignorant me just sees that bub bursting out of its boundaries . . .
Hey Celi .. just love seeing Boo keeping an eye out 😃