MUD NOW
We are getting rain. Lots of rain lately. I wonder if we will have another wet winter.
Let’s have a look at the farm in our minds because I have so few pictures. The Three plonkers are happy down the back in the mud. They are chipping away at their big bale of straw.
I have resumed sprouting grain for their feeds – the grass and green feed is now gone and replaced with mud. Like people, all animals need their greens.
The ducks are molting and back down to 5 eggs a day so I am no longer selling those eggs. I swap them with a friend who has pears from her orchard, the rest go to the pigs.
The chickens are still laying alright but down a bit due to lack of light. That fine – they need the rest.
WaiWai is happy in his house and field as long as Tima does not break in.
Tima and Tane are happy and warm. Tima is out wandering the gardens every day. Then knock on the back door for a carrot then wanders off again.
Del is still healthy and happy so I am no longer watching her anxiously re: drying up. She and Tia and the big calf will stay on this side until after I come back from New Zealand in February then I will wean that calf. Best to leave things settled while I am away and John is in charge. When I was in California the Six ( young hogs) found that the electric fence was not charging and had been out in the wet fields with the cows for days – coming back in for feed times. The damage in the fields is widespread and considerable. But John had not noticed. Touch iPad time. That iPad is so destructive to relationships.
I fixed the fence and locked them down for a few days but I will not make any radical changes like weaning that calf. Best to let sleeping dogs lie.
The two beef cows on the other side are fat and happy. Sheila and Poppy need their house turned for the winter but I will need help with that.
I will walk all the fences today- in the rain with my phone camera. We have been sadly lacking in images this week. It is the dark. Going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark. I will clean out the cow shelters and the chicken and duck houses. Everyone will get more dry straw. Today will be terribly mucky with this mixed precipitation. Just a little snow will mix in. I don’t know, it seems too warm for that. 
This coming week looks lovely!! Sun and not too cold. Tons of flour orders coming in to keep me busy. I see that a few of you have ordered flour for this week, too. Thanks for the F after your names. I love knowing when my own people are ordering. Then if there is a gap that needs filling I can pop in a surprise!
Don’t forget I am selling Holiday Gift Bundles. They will arrive already wrapped and ready to pop under the tree (as far from the heating as possible!).
I am going to quickly pop the bread in the oven. Back soon.
I am back! This mornings bake looks great. It is Sunday here in the US and though I want to go into work ( I have created a JaniesMill Pinterest account – Lordy that place is a rabbit hole – and I love it and hope to put all our recipes on there!) But I will finish my farm work first. The farm work grounds me and I love my animals and after a while, after forking out dirty straw for a few hours my mind relaxes and begins to roam and I begin to think and plot and design – I will make sure to think aloud in my head today so I can take coherent notes!!
So! Here is your homework- your challenge – Wordplay! Valentine’s Day and the word Flours. I have already used ” Give Flours this Holiday Season”. Let’s try and think of something catchy for Valentine’s Day. Who was Valentine anyway – remind me to look that up. It is such an exclusive holiday – like Mother’s day – if you are not a mother and your mother is dead – what do you do? What about FAVOURITE PERSON day. We all have a favourite person. Even if America has dropped the U ( for no apparent reason I might add – probably a typo that caught on) from Favourite. I would hate for U to get dropped from my words. Snort. I like the word favourite. Hmm. I sense an idea!?
I am quite determined to get the kitchens garden library up to date too. This week. I have read some marvelous books lately. I am giving only books or artwork to everyone this Christmas wrapped in tea towels. So I need ideas! What are you reading? I will get the Library page rocking this week.
Love love
Celi
39 Comments on “MUD NOW”
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St. Valentine was a Christian martyr, but his connection to romance is a bit tenuous.
It has been raining cats and dogs here for weeks, though it dried up yesterday and it looks like it will be cold and dry for a week. I don’t mind that, it’s much better for cycling.
Say it with flours (not terribly original).
There may have been three of them – all murdered or beheaded. Nothing to do with live at all. I will keep reading .
Glad your rain has finally stopped. The slosh in the streets can be tiresome.
I feel for the animals standing in the mud, although I think the pigs like it a lot of the time and no doubt the duck love all water.
I know – I hate them having wet feet all the time. Ducks are seriously happy and I try to build islands of straw that the pigs can lay about on but the rains keep ruining it. Their bed is dry and deep though. Sheila and a Poppy and the Six have barn rooms so they are ok.
Vereee Funnie, indeed! Don’t know if your play on words was intentional, but “the slosh in the streets can be TIRESOME’? -Good one! We slip and slide on the sloshy roads too, here in the mountains! Happy word hunting!
Say it with flours is a good beginning though – we will riff on it for a while – see where it leads
I’m sure that’s Interflora or similar.
LOL. Well Celi, there’s lots of fodder for the discussion on the origin of St. Valentine’s Day here: https://theconversation.com/amp/the-real-st-valentine-was-no-patron-of-love-90518
Mating of birds. Lovely
Because your bread is the llouring in my heart.
Bread is the soul of meal and flour is the love..
Like Love, Flour is part of all the best things in life.
Hmm! These are good ones! Keep going!!
Off subject, perhaps you should get John a drone that he can operate off his iPad. That way he can inspect the farm daily, you could check the SD card and stop problems earlier. Win win. Laura
Great idea. Then we could also get some overhead shots of the farmy.
A SUPER idea! Maybe for Christmas!
It is raining here. We had no rain this fall until the day before Thanksgiving (late). Now the forecast is for eight days of rain. We need it, but I’m beginning to feel like Noah. We’ve also had hail and frost — neither typical for the Bay Area.
I hate Hail!
‘Forget flowers, give flours’.
I have just finished A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles and it’s *wonderful*, beautiful descriptive writing, funny, touching and an interesting insight. I highly recommend it.
I second this book. It came highly recommended by my knitting group.
Yes! Kate! I have read it twice already! I adore that book – did you add it to the library?
Not yet, I’ll do it now.
Not the most original I’m sure but 1-800-Flours and Flours for You. Also I am currently reading Vanishing Fleece by Clara Parkes about the U.S. wool industry. Very interesting.
I hope you have some dry days soon. We are having our first snow of the season here in S.E. CT.
There is a lot of snow around. Terrifying that the wool industry could vanish. Hope they hang in there as there will be a resurgence: I am sure of it
Maybe something with “sweet-hearth” which feels sweet and loving and warm and cozy and kitchen-y.
It does sound warm and cosy
As always wonderful piggy pics and story of the farm. Happy Holidays.
Or “wheat heart”…
Oh SWHEAT HEART?
No – too sweaty.
SH-WHEAT-HEART?
Closer
Here’s looking at you, kid.
(Casablanca)
What we would give for even just one day of rain. Another hot and windy day and the trees are losing their leaves as they dry out. It’s hard on everyone at present whether flooded or parched. Joy
I was not aware pigs ate eggs. What don’t they eat?
Onions. They hate raw onions. The end
Flours for your favourite sweetheart….altho “Say it with flours” flows better.
I recently read “The Overstory” by Richard Powers. It’s about…trees. But so much more. Takes a while to get going but ends up very compelling and deeply moving; you’ll never look at trees the same again!
Great! I will find it – did you file it in my library?
Hmm, not sure how to do that?
Oh wait, never mind, I figured it out 🙂
I can hear the thuck sound of walking in that mud. Trying to pull your boots off with every step. I would never want to have a mud bath as I fell face first into thick mud when I was young and got it in my mouth. That is one nightmare I still have. Odd how simple things happen that shape our future.
Now what is Gum Tea? Isn’t that what you were having on your post about bread and inner speaking?