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Photos courtesy Amanda Morris
Tag: country living
On the One Cold Day
On the one cold day the outcast rooster nobody likes gave me his sad eyes.
Claire complained of cold feet as did the aloof white rooster who seems to get along with everyone in the barnyard.
I searched high and low for my barnyard companion Oliver the cat . . .
And found the naughty animal where he wasn’t supposed to be . . .
I have no idea how long our “outside” cat napped on my bed or who let him sneak in, but isn’t he cute?
The Rosy Day After The First Freeze
“The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
After a long dry spell the rain is falling and everyone but the new stray kitty seems pleased (so we set up a box on the porch for him).
The tiny zinnia shakes her little head free of dust and dirt. Doesn’t she look bright?
And from her tucked in place beside the porch she listens to the pitter-patter.
The lambs don’t mind the rain a bit . . .
but the promise of a little grain sends them running to the yard to beg.
The ducks and goats say hello, but goats don’t like the rain so it is a short hello, indeed.
The barnyard is dark now and all the animals sleep in their cozy barn listening to the rain. Good night.
QUOTE: “In the evening of life, we will be judged on love alone.” St. John of the Cross
Cat Door Surprise
Country Living: Morning on the Farm
When everyone else is asleep I walk the garden on a rare sunny morning. I didn’t plant the sunflower. A bird did. Thank you, bird.
No two days are alike in the country. Everything is fleeting and many things are lovely. But there are worries. Too many worms in a goat’s gut and they’re dead. Not enough in a garden and maybe there’s a problem.
After weeks of rain everything smells fresh and feels mushy. Only one cup of coffee into the day but by the time I walk down to the quiet barn I’m awake. The big ducks quack in their house and the small ducks and chickens chirp-chirp around their feeder patiently until I open the coop hatch. Mother hen and her charges are the first out.
The Buff Orpingtons we’re raising for a friend (in exchange for turkeys) bound out the door next. I call, “Claire-Claire” as I enter the coop and greet our friendly Dominique chick. She came to us with curled feet. We tried splints and bandages but she refused them and the other chicks attacked her so she gets by with plucky can-do attitude that makes me love her more. She will be spoiled–especially since she comes when called.
Claire
The b’hoys, Luke Cafferty, Matt Saracen and Tim Riggins cry out. They’re starved, they say.
What’s that bumping up against my leg? You ducks! Wanting to bully the goats for their food–and you’ll win, won’t you! One day I’ll make the ducks behave–not. Every day is different in the country but ducks never behave.
