Home Again … Jiggedy …
Lots of pictures today. Because. There is nothing quite like stumbling off a cramped shared-air airplane and straight back out onto the Midwest farm with its wide open spaces and air as sharp and clean as a whistle. And so much green growth. Everything is flourishing.
I am back on the farm for a month and there is LOTS to do.
Actually, I rushed straight off the plane (everyone rushes off planes – barely concealing their anxiety to get the hell out of that strange metal capsule as fast as possible), the drive home takes an hour and and then I jumped straight into throwing hay. It makes the 3.30AM (in CA) start all worth it. And the bales were not too heavy which is always a bonus.
While I was away the lilacs came into bloom and the mulberries came into leaf.
The flock of ducks are gone. I can only surmise (and hope) that they were scared up and fright-flying (like pheasants but they don’t fly as far) ended up in the creek where I hope they would have made a swift getaway. The gate to the creek was left open. So I do hope that is what happened.
No sign of the flock at all (not in the fields that were cut for hay or in the wilding field) and more importantly no bodies. When there is a mink attack there are always bodies.
Only one duck is still here. Sitting on her infertile eggs in the big barn. So she would not have been with the flock. She has been sitting for too long now so I have to tip her off her nest today and dispose of the rotting eggs. I suppose I will put her in with the chickens.
Tima
Two bobbies. All fat and happy.
Chickens leaving the chicken shed in the afternoon.
WaiWai. Grumpy and whining at me. He always punishes me for going away.
Or it takes him a few days to realise it is me – one or the other.
The Glasshouse
These early flowers on the zuchinni are all male so far, I think, and I bet Mad is going to tell me to stuff them and eat them which is something I have never done but must try. When the female flowers begin to make an appearance I will pollinate between them with a paint brush. (Unless I can talk one of my bumblebees into popping in).
The Wheat
This is the Soft Red Winter Wheat.
Heading up. This happened in 7 days. When I left there were no heads at all. The table and chairs are totally disappeared from view, swamped by the rising wheat. So I will go in and take them out now. Farmer Ross and I are thinking maybe we will try bar stools next time!
The Farmyard
We are baling the last two fields later this morning. So I had better get a wriggle on.
What do you do when you first return from a journey? I check every corner of the farm and check every animal then I set up my desk. The keyboard, the laptop, the bluetooth mouse, the microphone (I will be recording later today). Leads and chargers.
As I travel – anywhere I land – setting up my writing space has high priority. Before a Gin and Tonic even! That is serious don’t you think?
Good morning!
As I write Boo is sitting outside my studio french doors with one eye on the sun and the other on me. If that dog had a watch he would be checking it every few minutes. Pointedly.
It is cool, unseasonably so I think – with a cold Easterly blowing. The cool breeze and low humidity is why this first cut of hay has dried so nicely. The temps are in the low 50’s overnight and the mid 80’s for the next ten days. No rain as far as I can see. But these temperatures are perfect.
It was cooler than usual in California, too.
When the heat finally arrives we are going to be moaning our arses off.
What are you up to today? Hay and suitcase (in that order) for me. Maybe a second coffee first.
Have a great day.
Celi
24 Comments on “Home Again … Jiggedy …”
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Poor ducks and loan duck! If only Boo and Tima could talk.
Yes!! It would be so useful if I had an animal here who could tell me stuff. And dishes – I need a dog who can do dishes!
Brilliant idea!
Wonderful photos….:). nothing worse than being stuck on a plane……
As a rule I don’t mind terribly. But one of my flights seemed to have an air problem/ it was weird. Everyone went to sleep ( in the middle of the morning) and it was unsettlingly quiet.
That is strange….
They’ve all welcomed you home Cecilia!
Tima was the sweetest. She gently nudged my ankle with her nose.
Good to hear you are home safe and sound, though busy, busy as usual. Poor ducks, whatever happened let’s hope they continue to have a good life. The cast all look well and content. With the exception of Wai the grumpy, l’m sure he’ll come round very soon. Boo will just about have stopped his checking on your movements as you are about to go away again. Don’t work too hard! Ha ha!
Not for a month! So he can rest for a bit. Me leaving the pack to go lone hunting evert now and then is part of my pattern so I don’t think he worries.
After travel, the very first thing is to retrieve doggo from whatever luxurious accommodations he’s been forced to endure (either friends or the local ‘pet resort’. He’ll tell me all about his sufferings, interspersed with bouts of sulking and pointedly ignoring me (unless there’s a frozen chicken neck in the offing, in which case all bets are off). Only after that can I relax enough to check the house, visit the chooks, see what’s ripe, grimace at the weeding and unpack the bags and put on a load of laundry. When I next travel, they will have started the Crush, so the local air will be filled with the scent of crushed sugar cane. Think brown sugar with a side order of cut grass and a dash of apple cider vinegar. It’s like nothing else, and it pervades the air. I’ll know I”m home.
Welcome home!
Thank you Mouse!!
It’s so good to visit the kids but also so good to get home isn’t it! The gang looks well and happy, but alas the ducks. How funny if they magically made a reappearance now that they hear you are back!
I am chuckling at your now needed reconnaissance mission into the wheat to find the look-out table and chairs but those early views were lovely to see.
I have to do that today if I will never find them!
Glad to hear you are home and right back at it, like a true farmer. When I return home from my travels I tend to check every corner of my house to make sure all is well, then check my emails and messages. I unpack later or in between things. But I guess the very first thing I do is cuddle and play with my dogs to let them know I still love them and will always return. (Whenever I go away they think they will never see me again)
Yes! Your routine is just like mine. Just a few more animals!
I’m sure everyone is so glad you’re back and wish the animals could talk )
Yes! Just imagine how they would all complain!!
City person has to go to the grocery store. Ugh. Next go through tons of mail. Ugh-Ugh. Finally go into the basement and start big laundry. Welcome, home Cecilia Was TonTon happy to see you?
Ton was happy – but in a quiet way. He did get up!
Poor duck or lucky duck?
Upon arriving home… wander garden, wee, open all the doors in the house, make cups of tea. This applies even if we’ve just been to town for errands! If it’s just a day in town without dog then greet dog, play fetch with dog, feed dog who doesn’t eat if we aren’t here and only after he’s had a game. If we’ve been away longer (dog is always with us) add check rain gauge.
Have a lovely weekend. It beautifully late autumn here and a Saturday with friends-family come to visit.
Oh yes! Checking the rain gauge. I need one of those. We have had no rain since Nelson’s storm – it is getting dry.
I’m with you–set up the writing space first thing!