Notes From Around The Farm

With the cattle across the gravel road in the north field, the two little horses have the south field all to themselves:

 They haven't been spending a lot of time there, though, probably because we've had more black flies than usual. Nonetheless, the south field is where their food is:

 The Prairie Rose flowering crab had fewer flowers than usual, but they were still very nice. The other flowering crab barely blossomed at all. It's odd how different trees flower heavily one year but not another. The cherries and apples bloomed prolifically this year but the pear and flowering crabs were sparse:

 I get up very early and now that the run rises early also, I go out to do the morning chores as soon as I can see. One advantage is that I experience beautiful sunrise scenes such as this:

 The Iris and Lilies I planted are coming up nicely although there are some blank spots where I could plant more. The hardy Magnolia did not die and is struggling to put out leaves:

 The pigeons are happy and healthy, though not productive (no babies):

 They pair off, nest and set on eggs which never hatch. After a few weeks, they give up and start all over again:

 The 11 bantam hens still look out the door as if they wished they could go outside like they used to. Of course they don't understand the danger from our high fox population:

 Several of the Barred Rock bantams would like to go broody and have pushed out the Easter Egger bantam who used to occupy this, the favorite nest box:

The view from one of my upstairs windows, out over the old fashioned Lilac and some recently planted Snowball bushes. Across the county road are the neighbors' pasture and, to the left, a big farmer's plowed field. He alternates crops, so I don't yet know what he will plant:



The neighbors' pasture and herd. It's surely a peaceful, friendly scene: