Around The Farm

There are still three baby fantail pigeons in nests, though it won't be long before they join the rest of the flock as adults. These two are in a high nest, away from the squabbling birds on the floor:

 This youngster was born and raised on the floor and knows how to defend itself by slapping an attacker with its wing. Its parents are still feeding it but it will soon be on its own:

 The bantam hens have reduced their egg laying to almost nothing at this point, which I admit is a relief to me. I simply can't use many eggs and hard boiling them for the dogs is a hassle - although the dogs love the results:

 Their coop needs cleaning, but all the bedding must be hauled out through the pigeons' room and I won't do that until the pigeon babies are fully raised and on their own:

 This is the eastern version of "big sky country" and I am constantly amazed as I watch the heavens above. This mackerel sky might have indicated rain on its way and, in fact, that's just what happened:

 Sunrise in the northeastern sky:

 I walked around to the other end of the barn for a better view and the sun had just broken above the treetops when I got there:

 With the grass in the far south field mowed and baled, I had no excuse left not to replace the kill-switch for the electric fence which had broken. It was an easy job. That's the new one, all connected on the left, and the old, broken one on the right:

These tiny flowers were growing right next to the barn door. I saw them last year and got the genus name but couldn't identify the species. This year, I noticed the hairy stems and pegged it as Galinsoga ciliata. Notice the five three-lobed "petals" with spaces between them:

 And I've long believed I had two or more species of Smartweed by the barn door. This year, I noticed that some had white flowers and knew they were not the Smartweed I was familiar with:

 I took a close look and decided they were Pennsylvania Smartweed:

 The more showy, red flowered kind with a black smudge on each leaf is Lady's-Thumb Smartweed. All Smartweeds are members of the Buckwheat family:

Winter Red Poll Ladies

The Red Poll girls are all fat and happy, enjoying their hay now that winter has fully arrived:

I roll the bale feeder to a new location with each new bale, leaving a bed of old hay which they use for lying down. This is Rosella, luxuriating in the soft hay:

And I sometimes carry their grain out to them if they won't come into the barn. It's part of my effort to get them used to coming into the barn each day once again. Notice the mackerel sky in this photo:

Their coats have become less red and more brown, something which happens each winter:

Scarlett, long one of the least friendly cows, has decided I'm not such a bad guy after all:

Rosella got too fat for her LG cow collar, so I took it off of her and bought an XL collar. It took nearly a week to get her to allow me to put it on her, but she now looks spiffy in her new blue collar and red ear tag. Sadly, I discovered that she too has a crack in a hoof claw. I am giving them all grain and extra minerals now in an attempt to stop their hooves from cracking:

They are a peaceful group, and don't bat an eyelash as I walk among them:

Some mornings when I ring the bell to call them in for grain,they will walk almost to the barn and then stop, refusing to go any farther. If I continue ringing the bell, a few of them will usually (not always) come in for grain. I carry out a bowl for each of the others. I don't give them much because they're already fat, but a little grain with minerals seems wise, both for their health and to get them used to coming into the barn when called like they used to do:

Jasmine seems to be feeling much better. She stands as much as the other cows, keeps up with the herd, and eats with gusto. That's her with a mouthful of hay:

Like the horses, they are not phased by the snow and cold. When the cold winds begin, however, they won't like it and will move to the east side of the barn for protection. Of course I'll then move the bale feeder there too:

Rosella, chewing her cud in the morning sun:

A happy herd:

An Autumn Mackerel Sky

When I went out to do the chores one morning, I immediately noticed the strange clouds, which I knew from pictures was called a Mackerel Sky. I took some pictures and Googled it when I got back in the house. I learned that a Mackerel Sky is supposed to indicate that rain will arrive 6 to 12 hours later. Here's a photo of it (with cows visible out in the field). It did, in fact, rain that night:

 Flocks of Canada Geese were passing overhead, honking loudly and announcing that autumn had arrived:

 The best view of the Mackerel Sky was to the east, where the rising sun would spoil the photo. But I tried anyway, and the sun gave depth and mystery to the picture:

The cows and horses are enjoying our cooler temperatures:

 The grass still grows at this time of year and they are certainly not going hungry:

 The cold hardy Wisteria vine I ordered arrived, and I planted it in much compost at the base of a power pole:

 I did not collect any Catnip for the cats this season so the plant(s) outside the eastern barn door could produce lots of seed. It looks to me like they are dropping plenty of seed right now:

I opened the door for the pigeons again and their interest in the outdoors seems to have been revived. Many of them were brave enough to explore the big world outside:

 Remember the baby pigeon who got picked on so badly and I feared she wouldn't live? She lived and has thrived. That's her in the window, considering going outdoors for the first time. It won't be long before I won't be able to pick her out among the other birds, but it does my heart good to know she made it:


 It has seemed to me that I needed more pigeons, but this picture sure makes it seem like there is an abundant population:

 An attractive threesome: