Need to be sat on soon! But not today. It seems i will be flying by them for a few days yet. Here is a little of yesterday though most of it was spent cooking. More today. Cooking that is. I am looking… Continue Reading “The Seat of my Pants”
Conor’s last task as the resident guest worker was to help me put up an electric fence around the grapevines and the pine trees to create quite a big field for the kunekune. This is good for two reasons, Tima and Tane get a… Continue Reading “Kunekune Fields”
Last night I milked Lady Astor, the house cow, for the last time this season. She does not know it yet because she is a cow and though invited to the meeting of me and … um … ‘me’ to discuss the future of… Continue Reading “The Last Time”
When I was small my Dad used to squeeze my upper arms between his thumb and his forefinger and chant.. “and the muscles on her scrahwny arms stoock oot like spiders knees”. Always in a broad and deeply pretend Scottish accent. I would scream… Continue Reading “Dairy-maid’s Arms”
This is what is happening in the fields, the sun is greening the ground. Waving its brushy wand. Its hard earned water colours. Colouring at last. I am tired. In fact i am feeling deeply tired. Don’t worry though, it is just an adjustment period.… Continue Reading “Sun-green”
Queenie waits now. Altogether Daisy gave 70 pounds of milk again yesterday. But this morning is very, very cold. I am worried that the milking machine will not work. I held the calf back from Daisy yesterday because she had started holding her milk back… Continue Reading “Cameos of Cold and Calm”
All these babies wake up a farm from its frigid winter slumber much faster than the weather. Even though we only just reached above freezing yesterday, still the babies all commanded attention and sweetness and good food. Even the biggest baby of them all… Continue Reading “Sunday Walkies”
Daisy said. Just hold your horses, she said. Soon, soon, she said. Sigh, I said. As I brushed her fluffy wintry mane. It is too cold today anyway, she said. Queenie Wineti agreed from the ward next door. Yesterday the wind blew straight out of… Continue Reading “Not Yet,”
Well, you can’t, because the glass is covered in ice. This is what I see when I look back out at you. Best you use the door. But be prepared to give it a good shove as some of the doors were frozen shut… Continue Reading “Do you want to peek in through my windows?”