Tima and The Beast
I suspect these cows of grooming Tima. Their long rough tongues must feel good on her back. And she is not choosy.
She is getting much more comfortable with the cows being in ‘her’ field. But lying down behind them to wait for her massage seems less than sensible. They are enormous and she looks so small next to them. If left to themselves cows are slow to move about and seem to have sixth sense for obstacles such as fat pigs. So I am not too concerned.
Mostly though Tima the little old kunekune pig does not pay the cows much attention. I wonder if she likes it when they sleep close to her house.
In the photo below you will see how the Charolais, the cream steer, has a bit of a dirty bottom. That is from the higher protein in the spring grass. In that concrete tile is their mineral block. A mineral deficit is the other possible reason for a runny bottom.
The mineral is in that tall tile so that Tima cannot get to it. Because she would. She would eat as much as she could and then she would be lying down and playing dead for real.
Mr Flowers the peacock has been entertaining Nelson the rabbit with beautiful tail displays. He has been a year now without his mate and chooses to spend most of his time in the shed next to his mirror.
IIn the flowering cherry tree I hovered the phone over the robins nest because I had not seen the mama or papa robin on there in a while and I was afraid the cats had found them. This little Robin chick popped their head up with mouth gaping wide. It popped up so fast I got a fright.
And actually squealed.(How embarrassing). I have to admit to being a little unnerved by hairless chicks and their forthright ways. The instinct to pop up and open their mouths the moment they sense movement is innate. But they look like those nasty Jack in a Box clowns my Pa used to scare us with. I hope they get their feathers soon because they are freaking me out.
In the Barn
Actually just outside the barn.
The calves spent a few hours out in the sun yesterday. In their little backyard. Just outside their North door. They were born and raised on concrete so I will introduce them to green forage very slowly.
We do not want bloaty bellies. And that black one with the blaze on her face is already a puffy wee thing.
I am going to California for a week in two weeks so I have to work hard to get a simple manageable system in place for the farm hands.
Night chores
I particularly like the night chores. On my last walk of the day I cover Wai with his blanket, and lock up the chickens and Boo and I walk the perimeter to check for baddies. No baddies last night thankfully.
The view to the East
To the West
To the North
Mr Flowers was calling out when I walked in to the barn to check the calves. He does not like to be disturbed which makes him an excellent lookout. He raises the alarm fast! And loudly.
Weather
Finally this morning was a little warmer.
Let the Garden Games commence!
Have a great day!
Celi
For those of you who are interested in hearing me read my favourite blog posts from the old days of The Kitchens Garden they will be read in chronological order (this month we are beginning in 2011) and this month the podcasts on the platform SubStack will be free.
They will come out on Wednesdays and Fridays of every week. They will be around 20 minutes long.
When our new website is finished I think there is a podcast feature so we will explore that too when the time comes.
Yesterday’s podcast was recorded with the windows open so let me know if you hear the birds. I think I would like it if you can hear the birds.
25 Comments on “Tima and The Beast”
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Looking forward to hearing your podcasts from “The Olden Days” and ambling down Memory Lane! I remember I was just starting my own farm life at the time. And I got lots of great advice from you!!! xoxo
Tima has a cow! Smart girl to pick up on the benefits of cows tongues. My front dead dirt beds are sprouting green all over thanks to that bird seed. Lots and lots of millet sprouts and also sunflower sprouts. These beds are so small, about 6×3 each so I’m not sure how soon I may be trapped inside my front door if the sunflowers really take off!
I enjoyed listening to those posts – and yes, I could hear the birds loud and clear. I think ten minutes is a nice amount of time, like a daily meditation for your listeners.
A very relaxing read. Love the pics….and the relationship between pig and cows..:)
I especially like the pictures of the ‘night chores’. I can almost feel the stillness of everything settling down.
It is literally my favorite time. Everyone is fed and watered and safely asleep. (Me too shortly after!).
Lovely to hear your voice on the new podcast. So enjoyed it. I was not with you then and so it is great to hear things from the early days. The outside sounds added much and seeing the blog at the same time was perfect, thank you. Today’s blog was so good, more bobby tales and Tima with cows. Mr Flowers and Nelson, all so enjoyable. Oh and the compass point views💕💕
I am so happy you enjoyed that Andrea! I am just working on tomorrows podcast. Did the link to the post work on the page ? Or did you have to copy and paste. The recording is fun – it is the techy details that are taking the time but I am sure I will get better at it!
All good and simple🙏🏻💕
So the cows have adopted Tima and Mr. Flowers has adopted Nelson – hilarious!
The robin chick looks like a dinosaur!
That Robin chick is terrifying! It just popped up so fast! I think there are two in there.
If they realise who you are, they’ll ask to be adopted!
I like the last night’s walk-about also. Although, I only have the chickens to check, there is still the farm yard and the last of the irrigation and well, you know, that whole beautiful night sky!
Good afternoon, c. And now I am curious, c. I assume sunset on the farmie is around 8pm, and if you put all the critters to bed shortly thereafter, which it would seem from the photos, and you say you do the same soon after, what time do you head for bed and what time do you rise?
I am usually in bed with my book by 8. And I get up around 5.30 am. 6am at the latest.
A very long day.
Wonderful images!
Nice gentle time on the farmy. Do you have to do anything for Wai’s skin anymore?
When there is no sun I brush him and apply cream – it takes a lot of cream !
The podcasts are wonderful. Even more so considering you’re a first timer. I’ve tried to listen to new podcasts that were so technically clunky that I just couldn’t go on. It was lovely to have your voice keeping me company for part of my yesterday.
Oh mercy. I just push record and speak. So so happy that you are liking it. I think the Substack platform makes it easy.
Percy pig has a fast friendship with the mini donkey, Winston. I had to remove Winston to the horse yard as he was a little too rough with the goats. Now he makes a daily visit to Percy along the shared fence, lots of snuffles and grunts but I have no clue as to what they discuss.
Percy and Tima are the same age right? Are they 8?
yes they are
I like night chores too. Take doggo for a stroll/mad zoomy around the back yard. Make sure the Girls have water and lock them up for the night. A walk around sniffing scented night flowers, check my passionfruit vine in case any of the fruit has ripened and fallen, say hello to the moon and the Southern Cross, and then in to feed doggo and Husband and self. I like your big skies. Mine have more tall trees and neighbours in them…