Have been full on with two very modern misses. These guests were very serious about getting fully involved in farm chores! 
And when they weren’t working with the live animals and watching chickens laying eggs ” Daddy the chickens lay eggs standing up!” They were hanging out playing with the toy farm inside.
It is amazing how fast kids can create whole imaginary worlds with just a few props.
Like all kids they loved playing in the West barn with its great comforting collection of hay. “Hay Heaven!!”
But kids on farms need total supervision so I had to keep my eyes and ears open!
The cows helped me with the observation supervision. Not impressed with the sheer unrelenting loudness of the little humans high excitement levels, they were happy to watch from a distance.
Jude the little Poo Bum Piglet has gone to his new home. Boo and I are feeling a bit sad and anxious. Our John and Ton are relieved.
With my guests gone back to the city and my little pig departed, the world is suddenly filled with the sounds of wind and sleeping dogs. The weather is rough out there. I am glad I am not at sea.
Today is Tuesday – egg packing day.
Closing the gates on the ducks in the barn at night has worked and I am back to collecting between 15 and 17 eggs a day. They still get out of their pen but just muck about inside the barn until I come to let them out. When I do lift the gate they shoot out in a state of high indignation, muttering about untrusting farmers as they rush past me to their little pond.
And the Coop has had a hard muddy few days and the next guests arrive on Thursday so I had better push back the comfy desk chair and get to work while it is still dark. I like to be outside by dawn.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Celi
WEATHER: Very windy.
C
C
The Kitchen's Garden 
47 responses to “THE LAST FEW DAYS”
The air bnb seems to be thriving. 🙂 But it seems like it adds a lot of work – the cleaning and prepping of it.
Still, it sounds like you make new friends quite often, so that is a huge benefit.
It is a lot of work. Though it is only work – and that costs nothing but time. I have the time ( if I move fast) and am so pleased to be able to work what with Our John retiring and all.
I can hear the wind and sleeping dogs with your colorful descriptions.
Same deep sighs.
Ah the memories those kids will carry with them the rest of their lives.
Their Dad said “ we will be leaving after chores” so the kids dragged their buckets as slowly as they could so they would not have to leave too soon. They loved it. And for city kids they never flinched once at the mud- they were filthy! And did not care at all. So refreshing.
Lovely to have your own space back again and, I suspect, some good solid sleep. There is a great deal of comfort in the noises of ‘normal’: wind, dogs snoring, cows mooing, roosters calling out the dawn, etc.. Hope you have a great day! — Mame 🙃
I have to admit that being able to sleep soundly was very nice!
Glad to know all is basically well. We will miss Jude. So adorable. Hope he has a very happy life. The Airbnb seems to be doing so well. Hope it is worth the work. Do you miss the fresh milk? I was thinking recently about how much less you write about the cows this year. Hope they are well.
Yes. The cows are well and yes I do miss the milk – though being a little pig myself I miss the cream more!
Ha! Yes, I can imagine. Those scones would have been happy with that fresh cream.
I’m going to miss seeing piglet
Same
Lucky girls. Laura
I’m delighted that your absence was all about little ones coming to learn about farming. Just the right age to make a deep impression. Life is all about ebb and flow. You have some darn cold weather and I hope everything survives it. I’ll be heading outside myself as soon as we have daylight. Freeze is coming tomorrow night so must get ready too. How long before your John retires? I forgot. ;( Whatever happens to Piglet Jude, you know you have done a great thing to save him. I imagine Boo will miss him the most.
John retires in a few weeks – I am terrified.
I was apprehensive when my John retired early. Fortunately I was working outside the house a couple of days a week so was able to ease into it. It actually turned out to be the best thing ever once we got ourselves into a new routine. (A lot of ‘no, I have other things to do besides giving you a hand’ haha.) Now, having lost him way too soon I will always be thankful for all that extra time we had together.
Yes – I was glad you had him around too. The finances are going to be very tight but I can do that. I am writing a pretty comprehensive budget. It always helps to have a budget
Sherry Walter ~ just reading your comment ~ and my heart goes out to you in the loss of your husband. I lost my husband 26 years ago in an accident ~ we were only 44. It makes us realize how every moment in life can be so precious. I hope life is going better now for you.
Thank you, you really don’t know the sheer awfulness until it happens to you, you were too young and 26 years is a long time to carry that heaviness.
Sherry, I am thankful that Jerry came into my life 5 years later ~ and we’ve been married 21 years now!! So I have been very blessed again ~ I’ve always said “until you walk the shoes ~ you don’t understand” ~~ thanks, Sherry.
A retired husband is a wife’s full time job. I’d be terrified too. You can do it though. 🙂
Horrible!
You made me smile with this comment!! 😘
One of my favourite childhood adventures was playing in the hayloft. No supervision whatsoever back in the 60s.
Aye, funny how seemed to survive in spite of it, hey?; )
Sorry Sherry and Carol, WordPress is acting up:/ This comment was intended for MadDog. Hugs to you both!
Aye Mad Dog, funny how seemed to survive in spite of it, hey?; )
When my brother was about 15, my mother thought it would be a very good idea to send him to a pig farm in Virginia. This was before corporate farms…so off he went to some very distant cousins. He slopped and cleaned and mucked and learned to drive the tractor, and he came back a different person. It was amazing. I have always envied that experience.
Maybe you need to book yourself a farm experience ! Just say the word!!
Your cows seem to be enjoying some very nice looking hay. Looks like they are thriving well. Nice to see the children in their little girl outfits enjoying the farm. I think all children should have that experience. My grandchildren have been able to enjoy the donkeys at our place and our mini farm. My donkeys went to the Sanctuary this summer after 15 years. It takes getting used to.
Oh yes. That would take a lot of getting used to. I have considered adopting a donkey for the times I have an animal in a field alone but I am not sure how – and she would need to be very gentle .what do you think Elsie?
Have wondered why you don’t have donkeys. Please get two if you make that decision they are herd animals and can get along with other animals but like their own kind. I had 5. Two male minis (which I had gelded). A rescued small standard and a rescued standard who was with foal. 3 females but all were very gentle. A great attraction for your guests. Good therapy and very calming to be around. Very photogenic for your mugs, calendars, t-shirts etc. I could go on about donkeys forever. Would be happy to provide more specific info at your request.
Yes! I have many questions. Would they like being with the cows ?
One of my rescues had been in with cows, it was not a good life for her. Many farmers use donkeys as predator control but this is also not a great idea they can take down the odd coyote but not a pack. Many farmers sacrifice the donkey to protect the animals who earn them a living. I don’t like that, Donkeys are gentle creatures going back to Bible times. There is a story about the cross on their backs. I loved my mini donkeys but my personal preference are the standards and even the mammoth. I have never owned a mammoth but have know a couple. Donkeys are very intelligent, never forget anything. You can train them to do many things if you are kind and patient. You have probably heard they are stubborn but it is more they are thinking a situation over. They do things on donkey time. A couple of standards may be okay with just a few gentle cows and a separate eating area but I would prefer they have their own space.
Thank you- all good info
Oh my, pink fur trim and trainers in the mud… I’m glad their Daddy was relaxed, but I wince for your floors and the mopping that’ll have to go on. Farewell to Jude Piglet Poo-Bum, we’ve loved you and wish you well. I hope you and Boo recover your cheerfulness soon…
Would it be possible to visit Jude? How far away is he?
Oh my! Little girls in polka dot jammies and happy pig snouts. The farmy has been shaken up very nicely 🙂 Bye Jude, you’ll be grand.
How wonderful for the girls that they will have The Farmy as a memory touchstone, and maybe they will return one day. Good work with Jude, he will make his new people happy I’m sure ♡